The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-09-26
HoYT & CO., Proprietors.
The Patrons Of Husbandry.

LIN - l. SO wa -
The Patrons Of Husbandry.
An Order bearing the above name, and meet
inc with unprecedented popularity, has been
;nst;t,,ted throughout the United States, for
the purpose of centralizing power and influence
in the hands of agriculturists, encouraging
them 10 mutual protection and assistance, and
securinr to them the benefits and advantages
Of organization, union and cooperation. It's
objects are legitimate and wholesome, there IS
nofhnSnhng about it, and we believe that every
respectable tiller of the soil will find it to his
interest to enrol his name upon its list of mem
hership. It is g very old and trite maxim, that
stin union there is strength" and men engaged
in other pursuits have long since appreciated
the wisdom of the adage, and reduced Its doc
trine TO successful practice. Merchants nave
organized Boards of Trade, Exchanges, and
Chambers of Commerce; Physicians have
Sormed Medical Associations Tradesmen of
all names have established Guilds and Unions !;
shese all have one common object in view,
safaely the consolidation of the power and IN
siuence of their respective professions and arts,
and the psonotion of the interests OF their
several brotherhoeds and fellowships. Why
should the agricultural community De the SOIL,
tary exception to a general rule7 Why should
they be divided among themselves, and not
avail their calling of the advantages offered by
combination? It is marvellous that they have
not long since perceived the necessity OF asso-
ciating themselves together for the promotion
and furtherance of their common welfare. Al l.
any class of people stand sorely IN neeo oi
combination and concert of action 1t Is the ass-
ricultufal public While they are the corner
stone, base and main pillar OF society, wnile
their sturdy hands have supplied WORKSHOPS
and manufactures with the great staples OF IN
dustrv and while their productions have fur
nished ailments to commerce, enabling IL 10
freight the groaning locomotives OF q Thousand
Railroads with their ponderous loads, ana 10
whiten every sea with the snowy sails OF Its
rich argesies, the farmers themselves the source
of all its wealth, have been the prey. OF middle
men of every kind and character, the victims
of every species of speculation and extortion.
They have toiled and drudged through sun
shine and storm, titled the earth during the
heats of summer and before the blasts OF Win
ter. wrenched abundant haryests by their stall
wart arms and iron wills from the stubborn
ground, only to see idle, lazy and pampered
drones reach forth with ayasicious grasp ana
wrest from them the fruit Of their labor, ROB
them of their hard-earned honest gains, leav,
ing them but bare pittance for their own ana
their family's support, and for the education OF
their sons and daughters. This is all wrong,
mo idler has right to feed upon the substance
of honest industry. But why is it true that tor
thousands Of wears he has been exercising such
a privilege with impunity? 1t has been the
result of absence of union, Of want OF comu-
nation and organization, amcng the agr1cultu-
raj community Leading isolated lives, distant
from each other, every individual thinking and
acting BY and for himself, holding no consults-
ton with his neighbor5, and seeking no Co
operation with them, destitute of all bond OF
fellowship with men whose interests were iden-
teal and homogeneous, the farmers have been
completely at the mercy OF men possessing
precisely those advantages OF which they STAND
In need. Combinations of traders, and manu-,
featuring associations and guilds, have PAID
them just what they pleased for their proouc-
tions. and charged them exactly what they saw
proper for their supplies The farmer, there
fore. presents an anomaly, to be found among
men Of NO other pursuit in the werld, to wit,
that of allowing the purchasers of his com,
modities to fix their price. BE is not allowed
to assess their value but quietly submits, TO
take whatever the buyer is willing to give him;
The merchant demands what he or the Board
of Trade estimates as the value of his mer-
chandize. the physician charges for his services
in accordance with the regulation of the asso-
cations fee-bill, the carpenter and brlckiayer
require the wages fixed by their Guild or
Union, but the farmer, whose labor never ends,
who plods like beast of burden through all
seasons and weather, and has heretofore, from
want of organization and combination, been
comnalIed to take whatever his masters in the
market allowed him for his produce.
The Patrons of Husbandry propose to make
the tilleys of the earth masters instead OF beg
ears in tho markets of the world. They. pro-
nose. too, to deal directly with first hands, IN
the sale Of their produce, and in the purchase
of their supplies, and not through commission
houses and middle-men. By selling through
their Grange agent, to the manufacturers and
millers, they mean to save and place IN the
pockets of their members the heavy per cent
age that is now reaped by men who ought to
and hereafter will be driven into the produc-
tive force of the country. Just reject tor
moment, what revolution will be efectea IN
the production of these States by the additlon
of the whole force of middle-men, their clerks,
employees and capital to their agricultural
industry. Just think, too, OF the immense
sum of money added to their agricultural
wealth by saving TO the farmers the per cent
ape at present absorbed by this class of men.
The Patrons of Husbandry will likewise en-
able the agricultural community to enter the
market as wholesale, instead of retail, buyers
of their staple supplies This arrangement
will effect another saving of about twenty-five
per cent or one quarter of their present expen-
ditures for these articles. AS wholesale pur-
chasers and shippers, they will charter their
own vessels and cars, and thus effect another
important saving in the matter of treights. ..
These are some of the numerous dement's
that this Order is destined to confer upon the
agricultural community. There are other and
grave reforms that so formidable an organlza.
ton will necessarily achieve, but we 90 not
Tbev Will be undertaken and carried out in
due time, as soon as events ripen opportunity
The Society is a secret one, for obvious rea-
sons. While it assumes no jurisdiction over
Religious or moral questions, and ignores polltl,