The Republican journal., 1873-07-10
The Patrons of Husbandry.

This new order composed exclusively
and middle States-in fact it has already
spread through them, embracing nearly
the whole agricultural community. Its
protested object is to better the condition
of its members, by securing to them ad-
vantages which it claims they are entitled
to, but which have been absorbed by
other classes. They hold that Legislation
iavors capital in banks, railroads and
other corporations, to the disadvantage of
the aoriculturists that it enables manu-
tacturers to enrich themselves at the ex-
pense OF the consumer Of products, VINO
are largely the farmers, by high tariffs on
imports; and that through their own
apathy traders or middlemen make enor-
nous profits on the goods which farmers
consume. To correct these evils they re-
sort IN the first instance to united action
ut the polls voting for candidates pledged
to their interests; and second, to the es-
tablishment Of purchasing agencies tor
securing the supplies of each neighbor-
hood, or grange.
The societies are secret, with different
degrees of membership like Masonry; but
the lodges, or oranges as they are called,
are almost wholly independent of central
control. But at the polls they all act to-
gether, like a political party, having their
own candidates. A convention OF the OF
der in Illinois, recently adopted the fol
lowing general declaration of principles
This organization is opposed to railroad steals,
tariff steals. salary grab steals bank steals and
every other form OF theving by which the
farming and laboring classes are robbed of the
legitimate fruits of their labor
70 this was appended the following set
of resolutions
First We are in favor of controlling by law
the railroad corporations of our State.
Second. We submit to direct taxation and
duties to meet the necessities of the government,
but denounce As unjust and oppressive all taxa
tion Tor the benefit of special classes.
Third. We are in favor of the present bank
ing system being 80 made that all men by CIV
ing M proper security, should have equal
privileges, so that supply and demand shall
regulate our money market.
Fourth. we opposed 10 all further grants
Of land to railroads or other CORPORATIONS, and
believe that the public domain should he held
sacred to actual settlers.
Fifth. We are in favor of true system of
ctNll service reform. making honesty and capac-
ty the only valid claim for public employment
and we believe that the Office should seek the
man, and not the man the office
If the administration supporters. who
are in a cold sweat Of apprehension over
this movement, We're asked to point out
the objectionable features in the above,
they would find it exceedingly difficult to
do 80. The denunciaton of the tariff
steal is peculiarly appropriate as coming
from convention of farmers To the
farmers of the west the tariff is not mere
ly political question, but strictly
economical one, that Families its influence
through every interest known to them and
their occupation OF little over twelve
millions of the workers of the country.
six million are agriculturists. 1t is a no.
torious fact that for what these six mil
lions produce in the way of staples they
receive no more than they did a dozen
years ago, while for all they buy they
have to pay fifty per cent. additional. 1t
is not all in transportation, for the in
creased cost of which the tariff is primari-
ly and in larger part responsible 1t is
because monopoly Legislation has during
this interval, laid taxes, called customs,
on wooden cloth, blankets, cotton cloth,
iron, steel, carpets, and other textile
fabrics, TO the extent of from forty to
sixty per cent. advance, and has prohibit
ed the sale of similar foreign goods ex.
cept by the payment OF the same heavy
tax. This kind of legislation has been
styled protection, but the farmers of the
west know that it is robbery. They have
Just the same right to demand s'protec-
tom for their wheat, lard, pork. corn and
other products, by the imposition of a
heavy tax, as the more favored class Of
workers have to demand lax of seven
dollars a ton on iron and thirty dollars on |
steel
How long this order may endure or how
successful it may be, time only can tell. |
We do not predict for it long life But |
its extension into New England may be
looked for; and if it serves no other pur-
pose than to act as breaking up pillow to
run through the gigantic abuses that ex-
ist better state of things must spring |
up on their ruins