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The Late Farmers' Contention.
Pdltor Wllltmcttt Farmer I
A few hours Kpont by mo In llio
Farmer's State Convention, lately In
rcsslon In this place, gave me nn op
lortunlly to compare It with the hut
Legislative Assembly of thli State.
I did not, of course enter the hull
whero thoso practical agriculturists
wcro deliberating with any Intent to
make such a comparison, but, being
In, and having my eyes and cars
ripen, the laws and processes of my
Intellectual naturo contrasted tlio
two bodies without any seeming ef
fort on my part. And tlio first very
notlceablo Idea which soon forced It
self Into tho mind, and tlio convic
tion of Its truth uKjn tho Judgment,
was the fact that tho average Intel
lect and culture of tho farmers' con
vention was certainly higher than
that of tho ln-t Legislative Assem
bly. Formerly, that Is to say, before
tho advent of railroads and tele
graph line, by which knowledge Is
Increased and disseminated, It was
usual to hclicvo that tho most Intel
lectual son should be educated for
either law or medicine, while the
fool of tho family would do a farmer.
They entertained tho opinion that
talent wis qullo unnecessary In per
forming the appropriate duties of
the farm that education hero was
of no use, anil that a man might be
vor so stupid and stolid In Intellect
and yet conduct the operations of
even an extensive farm qulto as suc
cessfully as one who has added the
knowledge of educational training
to tho advantage of a naturally
strong and comprehensive mind. A
brief study of tho physiognomy and
manners of the members, and of
even tho language of the various
speakers, was sulllcleul to show that
these men at least comprehended
tho Idea that the business of ugrlctil-
Into will ordinarily not Ik followed
advantageously by iersons deficient
In Intellect; and that they had an
Railway War In the West.
make this plan effectual In Its prac-
1 1 uni worKing, nicy snoum avoid
contracting debts with tho mer-j m. i.. . ... i.. mi... t ...,,i
chants ir they would not anticipate T,, cxcltenwnt In Illinois and
the proceeds of their labor and ere- somo ot ' other Western .States
ato n necessity for unlocking the over tho exactions of tho railway
warehouse door to tho Importunate1 companies seems to be Increasing,
creditor, who, whatever may bo tlio ii,i ,,.,,i, ,.,, i,. r,.,nZi
fact, Is sure to protend at least, soon , ,,llri"M0 cek recently, farmers
after harvest, that ho Is In crcat conventions wcro held In several
straits for money to meet tho dc- towns Eurlvllle, Elgin, Clinton, Su
niaiiilH In the hands of tho Portland 'gar drove, Cambridge, etc.-tocon
or Han Iraneiseo wholesale mer-i. ' ' , .,, ' ., ., ,
pomtlons have done In New York? noted upon the candidate's diploma
Wo cannot shut ourcyes to the truth ' or certificate, Tor all correct answers
that tho railroad Infiucnco In the In any study overand above thopor.
United States Is n dangerous power, ecntago required In entitle him to
Wli cJitnreatensliidusiry.conimcrce, siiciiiiii.i.m... ... . ..........
and political morality nllkc; that It Is' l. Tho KuKrl.ilei (lent of Public
constantly growing, and that no InslriictlonwIlldlslrllHitothobruneh-
mnnnrliii4 vol Ikooil UGVIHOU ior iou v v """j """ ' "'";"i
. ... . . - . ... t ........ i. ..uj..r iii
'! .n id
trolling It. Tho railway problem Is mcnilic
tno problem or our nine. .. i. tribune.
chant,
As tho farmers arrived from tho
various portions of tho State I took
especial pains to draw their atten
tion to tho fact that hitherto the
companies or organizations that had
conveyed tho products of the farm
to tho commercial mctroolls of tho
country, had made such charges for
the scrvlco that no margin was left
for prollt, or oven a living compen
sation to mo producer, every tiling
llko this being absorbed by ware-
cert means of dofense, and though
very llttlo seems to have lou ac
complished of a practical nature, a
spirit has been manifested among
tlio people which neither tho rail
ways nor tho legislatures can nflord
to disregard. "Central Illinois," says
The Chicago Tribune, "Is nearly n
unit In tho purpose of fighting the
railroads to tho bitter end. The
focr has extended Into Iowa and
house, steamboat, and railroad char- Indiana. Wisconsin and Minnesota
ges. I very distinctly remember ! will catch It hv mid hv Tim wimn
ttroS
ufucturers In tho country, I found "" Tennessee, nnd 'It will extend
that It would cost mo mnro to have 'South simultaneously with the mnvo
my furniture conveyed from Port. I ........ .1.,. -v.ii. !.. u
I..... I I.. All .. "'.'.' ' !.. ... . ."" ".- .""IH-IIVJl.
.nun 111 wiiihiii,y, nil nii'iiiiii'r.1. iiihii 1
had paid for It in New York ami for
freight charges from thence to Port
land. I of cour.-o bad It brought up
on wagons. At tho tlmo of my wri
ting this article, the railroad charges
for currying wheat and other pro
ducts from Douglas county amount
in an auMiiuie proiiiniiinn. j-.ven mo
river charges have always, until tho
The situation which tho Western
.grain-growers and stock-raisers havo
to faco Is serious enough. Tho roads
upon which they depend for trans
portatlon control legislation In somo
of tho States, and are rapidly gaining
tlio mastery over It In others. Con
solldatluu Is gradually putting djwn
Board of Education.
Urricr or ScratixntNDdT or 1
1'cnuc Instruction,
tiiUCU, On-jon, April 1Mb, I9IH. )
On tho -4th of April, 187,1, pursuant
to call, tho lloatd of Education of
the State of Oregon, together with
a majority of tho professional teach
ers heretofore selected to assist ut
the semi-annual examinations, met
the
u Eviminlnir Hoard.
Kieh member will itruiuro tho nuos-
(I.itirr-iitiil conduct the examinations
hi the branches assigned to him, un
der the gvtier.il superintendence and
control of the enllro Hoard.
Tho adoption of additional rules to
govern tho details of tho examina
tions was ticicrrcti until me meeting
In July.
Candidates liny prcpiro themselves
for examination in tho several stud
ies by consulting any of tho standard
text-books In thoso branches. Tho
following named hooks nro mention
ed as Indicating tho probable seopo
of tho examinations, to-wltt Itoblu-
inH.llcm.nt tlieoillCOOI tlio unor. ... Arlliimnllp. r nrk'Mnrniiimiii-..
Intendcnt of Public Instruction, tOiOuvot'sacoirriiDliles.Sncneorlansvs-
urrangotho necessary preliminaries tent of pcnir.anshlp, Hurnos' U. S.
for tho coming meeting In July. IJ!!8'V ''Peter Parley's" Universal
i.....i. n....... t v n... a iJiisiory, jiryiiiiiuimoiniiioii a iook
Present: Governor L. K Grovcr, S. keeping, Anderson's General Hlsto-
.. ........in, .j.v...j ... ....v,
organization of the present oiuioil- ,,., 1,1 ... n,i ' .,, ' . .,., ..
tl.,1. company, been such as to iiinkn co" I'0'1" " mul where rival corn
It Impovilblo for tho farmers In (huimlM havo not yet united underone
"I-iiit t-'iiiiiiiicf in Kciiu lurnip, I iiiiiiiiik11'"-1
Dotatoes. and imiliv other farm urn. 'mmm (.. n
ducts to Portland, and this too while ihIihiiIIhu'wI
that city was obtaining theM! needed1, "mlm 7
sup.Hes from California, through fori' w"a,
chIi-owners, who niw that If they j thus n lint;
appreciating knowledge of the fact
that even superior isiwers In this
department of Industry will as cer
tainly produce superior results as
they would Ifexerelsed In any other
business or occupation.
Hut a comparison In favor of tho
Convention docs not end here. The
farmers wero more illgnltled than
wcro tho members of the la.-t Legis
lative Assembly; and they seclned
to havo a far hlidici' kciiso of ilnlv
and rcsiHinsllillliv which Imwlleil
them to promptness In action and a
degree 01 earnesiness in lalsir which
would admit of neither Inclination
nor yet of time for speaking simply
to be IiimkI. The open, frank, man
ly, and hone-t expre-Uu of tho
countenances of these men would
under any clrvtiiii-lamcs check it vil
lain In his advaiue to oner n bribe.
I regard the u.Mmblliig of this
Convention iisMirnllleiint of the fait
that the practical agriculturists of
ineci'iiniry naveat li'nglh rcallrcd
tho necessity for concert of action
In order to their obtulnlng a remu
nerative price lor ineir products.
Hitherto. Orciron tillers havonl111n.it
lontlnuoiisly failed to obtain oven it
moilerately reniuncrutlvo price for
tho great staple product of the conn
try, however high tho price paid at
l,lverKMil. Wo have hero the best
wheat cnunlry In tho world. Aim
tenia! government has given the
land to the farmers, and yet they
linn themselves getting wmrer from
year to vear, notwithstanding their
Minim' iiMiignim iiiiiusirioiisiiniiy.
Unaccustomed to iloso reasoning
mid to accurate reearch, many men
of this 1 lass of our population have
been (terplexeil as to tho causes of
siicn an extraordinary result. Thev
always knew that usually ilm ml.
gent hand and consenting brow re
ceived 11 Mismiuingumi even encour
aging reward. Hut thev hut-n rmimi
that In sumo exceptional and unex
plained manner tho ample products
ui ini'rr yruiMv Harvests nave raiieti
to leave them evennsmull rehluum
or yellow mIii to ilutho their fami
lies and to educate their children.
At length thev see clearly enough
that avarice has preyed ukii the
root of their mice grow lug prosperi
ty, and that canltaiNts mul mlilill,..
men have Kpimiprlrited the laUirof
tnrir nanus, nun. in short, that they
sowed lit toll mul others reaped the
products of their lalmr. To din-over
nnil apply a remedy fur this evil,
seems to have been the object of the
(Vnveiitlon. On this Miljeet there
was at ilnt somo dillerouco of opin
ion. Upon the whole, how over, I
think It may ho atllrmcd that they
at length very generally agreed uion
tho iieceNslly of having warehoiues
of thelrown In which to store their
grain, Ac., until the ollcrlng of a re
munerative price. Hut, In order to
up-river counties to send turnips, 1 management they hnvo generally
i uu iocs, mm many otiior iiirm pro-como to some sortofamutunl under-
hlch enables them to on-
hatover tariff they plcac
lllltf fllixnll fsltiltnllsta linv.t
Would hao these nrodui'N fttr nr-milrntl llio tuiu-np In isil.fi n. 1...
living remuneration for the toll of .r "'' nn ' by a mMvn """B0 In
tho producer. All tho farmers In tlio their rates of transportation to make
Willamette valley iilxmi Oregon City fortunes Inn slnglo day, at tho ox-
11.. y; .iiHiimoneii iruii raising ior me pCnbo of the productive classes. It
cls",; t'er'Ste, v S '? tl.ll that tho ml. ways take
hli.lt the thing Udng done. "Com- three-quarters of the farmers' grain
moil sense and financial skill ought 'as toll for carrying the other quarter
Si . . B,v'"" ,i .i" 1r',"r,M" lllr: . to market. Out or 11 hundred acres
Itallsts to see that If they would U... vii.n nmu-..,. ...in....i.. ..i..
make a business for their limts and I !" Vc,'irn 'Br?J or ,l'ul,v"i only
riMdstho churges for freight must 1 twenty-five forhlmself, mid seventy
not only he below, hut greatly below, 'five for the railroads. Nor Is Ibis
tho nolut of the Prohibition of urn- Hu. null- .nl.Ww.i ,.r ....,. .,1,1., 1 .....
"- imu .iim UHIJVVI III UIII'IIIIII, ViUIII"
Allexrlenco In Oregon has hlth- j;c,,,,on Jm ,n?1 mo l!,,,1,,e,,c0 ,,
erto shown that w hen n rival eompa-, ",0 Breat trunk Hues, nud the result
ny 11111 reuuceii ireigui cuarges to a "iiiiuueruiisuiscriiiiiiiaiiouoy winch
living rate, the farmers have not felt competing points nro favored, nnd
The oldej HiiniMiny, grown is.wer- """" I,"'I'-'w nro mado from
fill by extortion, has employed tho nosto'itoChicago.i.iooiniles.cheaper
acctiniubited wealth gathered from than fromChlcago to Karl vlllo, which
tho farmers' fields of laborious toil. !.. .,!,. 7-. .,,11..., ti. .. ..
1.. ..mi.I. .!,... 11... ,m ii... " v". "v '"" Jjnun
stood ready to he . the i.r,K TppV.- f''.ttumwa to Hoslon Is T.cent
This being done, the prlies were !H'r hundred pounds, while from
again put up, and thus the farmer Somonauk, on the same road, 200
m.iiht to pay for destroying his miles nearer, It Is SSients. In other
irieiui. worus, tno ( nicago, iiurilngton, and
With facts and opinions such as Qtilncy Itallro.ul charges the Somo
these 1 sought to po-ess tho minds nnuk proilucer It) cents 11 mile for not
with which I eaiiio In loiituct. that cnrrvliiir his eniln 200 mllr
others might M'o nud feel thenbso-l There Isiistutiiteofllllnolsngalnst
lute necessity of giving their Imsl discrimination of this kind, but It
ness to the recently organized steam- hns not been enforced, nnd tho roads
Isuit (ouipany. I did this because II havo.Nhown a dlsjiosltlon to defy it.
am guru that It atrords the farmer A bill, however, has recently liccu
his only exlstlinr means of L'cttlmr1 Introduced in tho Stato Lni'Lininm
anything for his labor. I and passed unanlnioti-ly through the
nut there is another rea-ou why senate, lmoslngn cnulty of $100.
not only tho farmer but all other 000 for a repented violation of llm in w
classes should give their juttrouago.and muklug It tho duty of tbo Kail
to tho oiiisislilou coniiianv. Kverv.road Commissioners !to Instltnli. n
dollar uild to Mr. llollnday for el- suit uimn tho application of anvcltl-
tner irelglilnr tmssago goes to Uer-" r.en tne cost to ho stu out of the
many, nftcr dciluctlmr the exnenses Stnte Treasury. This hue. If lmnrsi.
01 running 111s isints 111111 01 opcrat- iy emorcen, nnu coupieu with an en
lug his road, for the purpose or pny-'aetmcnt fixing a maximum tariff,
luir Interest oil about ill.000.ooi) of would doubtless relieve Mm wvnton
borrowed money, it cancels 110 Or-1 farmers for the present. Hut It would
egon indebtedness after coming Into only postpone, not avert, tho conflict
his hands, but u at once felt as an between tho coplo and tho railway
exhausting drain. Not so, however, , monopolies which Imiieuds In nil
tho money paid to tho other oroppo- partsof thocountry. The represent
sltlon company, which Is In every utlves of tho reads nt tho Illinois
sense it domestic or home company, 'capital declare that If tho freights
which receiving, for example, say .were reduced even one-sixth they
lllty dollars for freights unit passive, could not pay dividends: but why?
pays It out In Oregon to somo one Tho roads cot but n moderate sum
who pays It to the next creditor, and to build, and their legitimate running
ho again to another, until, thus clr- expenses are not a quarter of thclr
eulaftng among us from hand to revenue. Tho truth Is tho coiiiimu
haud, It cancels even thousands of les have watered their stock, by stock
dollars of Indebtedness In thocouoe dividends, until, If wo cult trust the
of the year. icpcakers at one of these Westorn
I would like toeay more, but froico tanners' Conventions, four him.
will not permit me tocontlmionMih-drcU dollars' worth of original stock
is mm iiuivuicii to twenty inous
and dollar' worth i" ami upon all
this enormous Increase, ns well as
iixin the outlay required to Influence
legislation, buy up unprofitable coin-
Idling nmus, 111111 iigut the law, they
and Syl. ('. Slmpvn, Superintendent
of Public Instruction, of tho Stato
Hoard of Kducatlon, and Profs. T.
M. (latch, H. L. Arnold, I. Allen
Macruni nud A. J. Anderson. Ab
sent: Prof. J. W. Johnson.
On motion, It was resolved that tho
professional teachers selected to as
sist at tho scml-annunl examinations
aro ex officio mcmlfcrs of tho Stato
Hoard of Kducatlon, whllo sitting as
tho Stato Hoanl of Examination, and
are entitled to vote 011 all questions
relating to tho examination of teach
ers, nnd tliu granting of certificates
thereon.
Tho State Hoard of Examination
having thus being organized pro
ceeded to consider tho regular busl-
iiesn of tho meeting. After long anil
and careful ilelllieration tho follow
ing regulations wero agreed upon
to govern tho examination of appll
cants, nnd tho
and certificate
Julys
1st. Candidates for I .lie and State
Diplomas will bo required to present
satisfactory evidence of good moral
character, nnd of marketl miereint In
teaching for 11 tieriod of nt least threo
VPilN. nnn vnnrrtf it'hloli imiyf littt.n
lieen In the State of Oregon. They
must nlso IU KltUrili(nrv- nvmnln.i.
tlons in tho followlm? fimiwlms r
sitxiy, in addition to 1 1 10-0 required
ov iaw 111 oruer to ooiain county cer
tfllcates, to-wlt: Oeneral History,
Algebra, (leometry, Comiiosltlon,
Kngllsli Literature, Hook-keeping,
I'llVnloloL'V. Natural I'lillrwmiliv
Theory and Pracllco of Teaching,
tno conslliutloii 01 tho United States
and tho Constitution nnd School
UIWS 01 1110 fttate or Oregon.
i. Toobtalnn life diploma theaiiiill
cant must answer 00 per cent, of tho
nuestlons In each brunch rnrrocilv
To obtain n Stato diploma, good for
ry. Hrooko's Aigobm ntid (Jeometrv.
Hart's Composition, Shaw's or Hurt's
English Literature, Steclo's 14
Weeks In Physiology and Natural
Philosophy, Pago's Theory and
Pructlco of Teaching or tomo other
L'ood work on that sublect. Snunder's
or Wilson's or Parker nnd Watson's
Itendcrs, Webster's system of or
Urography. Candidates aro warned,
however, that tho examinations will
not ho confined to tlioso or nny other
text-bookf. It Is tho purpose of tho
Hoard, to oxnmluo fully nnd freely
upon tho different branches of study
without particular reference to any
text-books w Imtover. Tho best prep
aration on tho imrt of tho candldnto
will therefore bo an Independent and
thorough knowledgo of tho tublcctt
of tho vnrlousschool studies In which
hu is to be examined. Tlio exami
nation uKn the Constitution nnd
school laws of Oregon will prolxtbly
lio directed mainly to tho history nnd
text of each of thoso Instruments.
Ti. ..n.l .....l.. ii.i.m.nl ...III I... A. II.....
i .u I'm i.iuini illinium win iiu luiliiw-
ed. Closo study of tho Instruments
themstlves nnd of tho prominent
I'nintliiir .if 1ii,,i,,,,na"'',clsns tothelrorlglniie.,wlllliotho
granting of diplomas bt ,)rCpnriU,0 ff t10 candidate.
M at tho meeting In I Svr. C. Simivon,
Sup't of Public Instruction.
Ject 1 uiuy resume In another mini-
lieror tlio runner.
ClII.UMIU.I.A.
lA'ulsmul A
Hell llolhuUy, C. II.
1'. AllkfllV IIUVl' nilsl arlli'l.-s nt Inonr. '
I scntatlves to the Legislature to havo
that law amended, nr luv mi Ilm
AivorUlug to the Scotch purs, I lUillroud Commissioners wiioso duty
strain cultivation i rapidly winning' It will be to execute the law. or, fall
Is way InHvotUiid us well as In Kng- Ing In theso measures, lay Ihclr
and. hands tmon tbo courts, u rl..i .r.
six years, no must answer 80 ier
vein, in iiiu quesiioua 111 cncil imiucil
corrvclly.
SI. Candidates for Stato eertinentes
of tho first nnd second grades must
present satisfactory ovldeueo of good
and moral character and of marked
tuccem In teaching for n period of six
mourns, iiiey must also pass satis
factory examinations In Klnninntnrv
Algebra. Hook-keeulmr. Plivslolopc.
Theory nnd Practlco of Teaching,
and School Laws of tho Stato of Or
egon. In addition to the branches In
which candidates aro required to bo
examined by County Superintendents.
i. To receive n Stato eerllflcntn nr
the first crude cood for two vears tlm
applicant must attaliHH) er cent, in
examination In each stndv. Tn r...
celvo aStitto cerflllcato of tho second
gruuo good tor six months, ho must
reach K0 per cent. In examination In
each study.
5. Testimonials as to moral charac
ter and success in teaching for overy
grade of diplomas and certificates
must ue signed uy at least ono person
known either actually or by reputa
tion to some member of tno Hoard
of Kducatlon.
0. Examinations for nil kinds of
diplomas anil certificates will lie con
ducted as far as possible In writing.
Hut candidates will bo examined
orally, of courso, In reading; half tho
questions in mental arithmetic will
lie propounded and answered orally,
nnd In orthography tho words to bo
spelled will bo ''given out" by somo
0110 of tho Examining Hoard. If
deemeu expedient by tho Hoanl oral
exercises may bo used also In tho ex
nmluatlons in somo of the other
branches.
7. Ten questions will be asked In
each study 1 and tho questions will bo
valued upon such a scale that the ag
gregate credits upon a jterfect exam
ination for a Life or Stato diploma
will l 1,000.
8. Kxtm credits will be given, nnd
CltOI'8 IN CAI.Il'Oll.NM. TIlO Pctu-
liuim Ar(iiH says tho crops In Soiioniu
County uro well advanced, and though
tliero Is much complaint of drought,
It Is safe to count on nearly an avcrugo
yield. The heavy fugs and dews thut
always prevail during tho mouths of
May and June, are almost certain tn
Insure good crops In Sonoma and
Marin.
The crops on tho west shlu of tho
Snu Joaquin Vullcy uro like to prove
almost an entire failure beyond the
Point of Timber, at which place they
promise fairly.
In Fresno County, during March,
thousands of acres or land were seeded
which, owing tn tho drought which
1111s ensued, win not muKu iiuy.
The. Fresno Kepotllor says tho
continued drought precludes any bono
for the Into sown grain, and fore bodes
III fnta to all cereal crops.
Wool. There Is a general disappoint
ment In the wool tnulo. Tho msrkct
fur the hist clip commenced with a
general effort to bear down prices, so
ns to ptircluiKo from gruwersut modcr
ato rules. Hut fanners, In view of tho
trade the year before, refused to sell ut
such prices. 1 fence the sunie bear
down ami hold buck policy has mostly
continued up to tho present time.
Tens of millions of pounds of foreign
wools have been Imported and used at
a decided loss, rather than meet tho
views of our wool growers, and allow
tt-fta f ft nilvilllfm Aullm ifiinu..u li.ii
I--..S.V" ....1 v 4niiiu(jiuirn unvri
at least in part, refused toylold.aiul dull
Iirices nuvo prevailed no long, it Is
very likely tho effect will run over to
tho next clip, when prices will be still
lower. Perhaps the, dealers bail not
Intended to thus keen tlm u-mit nnr.
kets down, through the year; but tho
tlmo Is upproachlng when they will
begin to make arrangements to buy
the coming clip as low as possible.
Sew JiiiyUinii iUrmer,
Douoras Coi'STV. The Kugeue
Journal learns from Mr. Sharp, who
la Just down from Uohemln, that tho
prospect for that camp tho present
season It very flattering. Mr. Hen
dee, of San irancisco, will soon put
up a ten-stamp mill on the ground
owned by Jesse Ilnrker. of libuglas
County, the rock of which propoaU
about $23 per ton from the cropping.
Plucer mines were discovered last full
on tho southeast side of the Hohcuila
inountalii, which It I said will pay
3 a day to tho hand. About eighty
Chinamen will gu to theso dlgiiiugs
In a few days. Mr. Knott's workmen
are expected up In n few days to
resume operations w Ith the mill which
Is already on tho ground and every
thing bids fair for a lively season.
Acloso and revised calculation of
the stocks of wheat now in Great llrit
ulu shows that an additional impor
tation of 6.S75.O0O nuartitra wiiil
M.000,000 busbeli will be required
during tho balance of the current
' I " " w.-
Harvest year.