Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-07-26
THE GRANGE CONTROVERSY
Letter from Dan Burr.
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa.
Inlv On 1870

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa.
July 20, 1872.
FRIEND ToMAN:-In answer to the ar.
tlcle over the signature of Patron" l
will say it is conceded by all that it
wrenches man terribly to kick against
nothing; but will try and reply without
descending to the depths Of blackguard-
ism, to which my friend seems to have
stumbled at the very opening of his ctad
crate and highly entertaining essay. The
style and finish of the item satisfactorily
accounts for the length of time required
to produce it. In the first place he says
l am either ignorant or have wilfully mis-
represented the order. All / know Of
them is what l have learned from the
Changers themselves, which might have
been exaggerated, from the fact that there
is considerable dissatisfaction expressed
in places where they have been longest
in operation, the majority of them failing
to attain the objects expected, and of
course are ready to give it it's true name,
"humbug."
He speaks of exorbitant fees charged
by "burdensome agricultural agents, who
would no longer be tolerated except for
decency." construe the word "decen-
cy" to mean in this case long time, or
neoer pay for what you get. The un-
grateful but honest old farmer seems to
forget the accommodations that have
been extended to him, at his own request,
not only by the "burdensome agricultur-
al agents." but by the dealers in grocer
les dry goods, and lumber. He evidently
forgets number of Judgments, notes and
accounts Of long standing, against him in
this town for these necessaries. He fails
10 remember that the good conscience he
boasts of ought to be somewhat troubled
by the false promises he has made in re-
gard to the payment Of these just debts
| The Changers are troubled with a bad
memory; they sometimes forget them
selves to such an extent that they mix
sand with the timothy seed they have to
sell, and they pay dearly for it, as By
| ron township "honest old farmer" can tes-
tify to from actual experience. Another
playful trick these Changers ("honorable
men") practice, merely for their own
amusement, is to get n good, first-class
machine, warranted all right, that per-
forms we'll till their work is done, when
all Of sudden it proves perfectly worth
less, and their delicate conscience says
take it back. You don't need it until
next season; your work is done and you
have cheated the dealer out of the use of
the machine and the pay for it. My
"Patron" friend undoubtedly recognizes
this little freak of nature in his own COM
position.
Ho speaks of the fees received by the
deputies and originators of this noble or
der. The selCsacriicing and uninterested
motives of these philanthropic men were
fully set forth in the closing remarks OF
their champion, Gen. Wilson, ia his mem
orablc speech at Steamboat Rock. After
haranguing at considerable length on the
abuses practiced on the "honcst old
farmer" the immediate advantages to be
received (by all except him), and the best
means of procuring them, he wound up
by sayings Il have many things yet ]
should like to say to you but time for.
bids; but il you want to hear from me
more, take the Homestead" Of course
it was for their own interest he advised
it, not to enlarge his subscription list
nor to increase his own business Of fur
nislling the necessary books and docu
ments for the organization of the
Oranges. don't wish it to be understood
that I blame Mr.. w. for allowing the
Changers to pay him for advertising his
own business. If they are fools enough
do it, he should not be fool enough to re-
ject it,
If Mr.. Patron has any more advice fol
"our young reporter" he must give il
over his own signature, as l shall no,
discuss any matter with an unknown
party, and in justice to myself and al
concerned, ask you to insist on the
name of the writer of the next communi
cation. If he proposes to discuss the
relative merits of the order Of Patrons,
and that long.eared kicking animal, IA
Josh Billings, he must do SO over his full
name to insure reply from, yours,
DAN BURR.