The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-08-11
Have the Farmers Skill TO Succeed !
THE SIGNS OF THE TINES.


.mong the most numerous and most i'm
,ortant class of our population The fer
nent among the producers is no temporary
,bullitiou % feeling provoked by an acci-
lent, and ready 10 disappear at a breath.
During seed time and harvest, while the
farmers were engaged in cultiyatng the
soil and ganering its products, there was |
4 lull in the elements, and with ill.advised |
haste the opponents of the movement con |
rluded that the war had ended, aud that,
like many other uprisings among the peo-
pie, the farmers clubs and oranges of the
Patrons of Husbandry would disappear
aud make no more noise in the world.
NEITHER DEAD NOR ASLEEP
But the wish in this case must have been
father 20 the thought. No one who was
competent 10 form an opinion, who had at
tentiyely studied the character of the move
ment, entertained any such anticipations
To such persons il was known that the up
rising was caused by realization among
the tillers Of the soil of the fact that, while
they were the wealth-producers Of the
country, they were not the recipients OF
the benefits which wealth conters. They
were the makers of wealth which others
entered upon and enjoyed. This unequal
distribution of the proceeds Of labor form
ed basis for complaint The veriest clod-
hopper could not fail to understand that,
while he toiled most laboriously at his Oc-
cupation, his revenues were exceedingly
small, while the profits of the commercial
classes were very large and that while
his own family were compelled to
practice the most rigid economy,
the families of his merchants were
lavish in their expenditures, and Jared
sumptuously every day Why was it 81
Sure enough Why could the agent OF
the producers, the commission men and
the officers OF the railways which trans
ported the produce grown on their farms
% market, appear clad in snowy linen and
glossy broadcloth, glitter in golden buttons
and elegant chains, spend farmer for
tune in a single nights entertainment, while
the farmer himself was poor? These
were questions which presented themselves
TO the farmers mind, and the answer TO
them formed the basis of conviction and
furnished an incentive 10 action. The
farmers were aroused TO make inquiries
they had never made before to study
subjects about which they knew nothin.
before 10 secure information concerning
matters about which they ought at all time
10 have been informed, and To take actor
in direction new to them. The result o
this spontaneous awakening 10 conscious
ness we have seen. Monster meeting
were held, clubs organized, the order o
Patrons Of Husbandry was instituted, anC
the country, from the Alleghanies to tn,
Rocky mountains and from the northern
lakes to the Gulf Of Mexico, was arouse,
30 action.
THE FARMERS COMING TOGETHER.
Concerning these meetings and the or
ganic structure Of the society of the orde
of Patrons Of Husbandry. we do not inten,
tn speak now The readers of the ReDHJ
HcdH are not ignorant of these movement
or Of the character of them. As soon a
the planting season arrived. the tillers q
the soil quietly returned 70 their fields, tn
noisy assemblages were dispersed, aud tn
country became 50 quiet that strange
could not have been made 10 believe tina
perfect storm of passion had 50 latel
swept over. II was during these month
OF toll, from April Ia August. that the pre-
dictiou became common, the Granger
are dead, the farmers movement ha
failed" and 3" | told YOU Sc, was the OK
clamation of some who had never told any
thing except tn re-echo somebody else
thoughts or opinions But the farmer
were cultivating their lands The mono,
Ollsts OF every class enjoyed that peace
soul which steals OYER the human side
our nature after terrible fright, when v
calmly contemplate dangers past But Il
masses were not dead, nor sick nor ev,
asleep Ii was only a. ull in the tempes
The storm has commenced again with vas
ly more force than exhibited by the ell
ments before.
THE MISTAKES OF TYROs IN ASSEMBLE
In the inception Of the movement mi
takes, grievous mistakes, were made n
evil was felt; the remedy not appareI
Unused To the arts OF the politician is
lated among themselves as they werr
awakened by a common impulse, sponta
eOusly, 10 n consciousness of wrongs e
dured without organization almost wit
out social relations among themselve
each one was left to blaze OF
his own pathway to think o
the problem presented in his own wa
Ii was not strange thing, therefore,
when coming together in the character
differences of opinions on the unimporta
issues before them. These first meetin
of the awakened farmers we're very moi
indeed, but the monopolists had little
fear from the farmers while they gave "
to incoherent chattering These fiji
meetings were like the thunder. buri
from an elevated cloud, very loud b
not dangerous, Even among the iarmC
there are some
'smit with the love Of onor-or Of pence
Ocrrun with wit, and destitute Of sense"
Who, 10 show appreciation Of their o,
Importance, dared to iutrude schen
which only fools could entertain.
course every great movement must be G
numbered by just such advocates, for
time at least. and the farmers muvemC
has not proved an exception to the gene
rule. The schemers invaded the cIu
and tho oranges, and divided counsel wi
the discreet and wise. But better M
prevailed The movement was saved fir,
ridicule. The discord has ceased, thong
full men have triumphed, and the peo
have learned many useful lessons.
CONCENTRATION OF FORCE.
The strength Of the movement is MT
greater now tnan III was SIX mOnLns a
There is not so much noise, perhaps not
much parade of force, but the people h;
more unity of thought, stronger soC
sympathies, and move on with cOnvictii
formed upon reason, and purposes matui
by reflection. They have thought
problem out, and now propose to have
new deal.
WHAT AN OFFICER OF THE PATRC
THINKS.
Mr. T. r. Allen, president Of the st
Grunge Of Missouri, and who doubt
worthily represents the intelligent farm
population of the State, has recently gi,
public expression to some Of the views 1
purposes Of the Order Of Patrons Of II
bandry In a recent conversation q
gentlemen repealed the insinuation u
farmers as q class we're less entitled to
spect than other classes. To his min
the tillers Of the soil are in no sense inf
sor, taken as a mass, 20 the commercial
mechanical classes Indeed he thin
that therefs large element in both tn
classes that are mere parasites. who +
upon the productions Of the soil, titled
worthier hands There Is no reason :