Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-04-16
The Patrons OF tiusharagy.

~A ~
Much interest nal Seen aroused
throughout the United States upon
the sub,ect Of tho FSfatfotts OF Illus
baudry." and fnnuincrabfc inqairies
made as TO Who arc they
isit?
s~ociaticn of persons, males over
eighteen, and females over sixteen
wears Of are. Interested in a~gricultur.
nj nursutts, aud bound together by
mystic ties for.the purpose ofmatual-
f,cucet and protection. The orgaul-
EATON consists Of subordinate or TO-
cal Grenges, STATE Oranges. and Il
National Orange. The wor,t Grange,
derived from tho Latino rsnam, sun
piy means a farm whh all itsUutht,
buildings, lots and fields, and is there
tore a moro appropriate AMI SYM
bolical word that either. cksp os'
lodge.
Accordingly to tho ,eoastitutionn OF
the Order, there arc nine male II
four female officers In each local
Grange elected annually. The pre-
siding officer is styled the Mastcr.an
if not reelected, is ofccurse n Past
Master. The State Grange has like
wise nine offscers, and its membership
il composed of the Masters and Past
Masters of the local Oranges: hence
there must be nine local Oranges in u
State before there can he a State
Grange. The National Grange Is
composed of tie masters and past
masters of tho State CHANGERS.
This beautiful organization prevents
concentration of power in the Ma
iional Grange, located at Washing
ton city and The cMtire system conSu-
tutes a grand network of recipro-
cal assistance that spreads all over the
thousands agricNiturists through
out the Union who may become Pat
rons. LII this organization the little
State of Rode Island, represented by
her single Master, has the same Pc.
tent voice in the National Courcil
that Texas may have: and Missouri
if represented with ability, is equal
ly powerful there with the great
State OF New York.
So much for the, organization.
What is the object?
1t proposes to further the interests
of agriculture in every possible way.
The organization of u Grange in any
locality induces a community OF
thought, thereby Increasing the So
ciality of the neighburhood and i'm
proving it intellectually. If the Or
der did nothing more than this, who
could its advantages 10 the
people of this Union, q vast majority
Of whom r agricultulists? And
throughout the South. this, feature
II the Order should commend Itself
as q sort of quickcning spirit diviucly
appointed; for all are Interested in
agriculture, and at this moment So
ciety seems to be rapidly segregatiug,
and ctilirca by the thousand are
growing up in ignorance. To check
this disintergatlon, to lanish igno-
rance from our doors, to elevate the
farmer intcIle .tualsy and 10 teal
him he has mind.as we'll as muscle. i:
one OF tie grand objects OF the Pat
rons of Husbandry.
But it goes further. 1t proposes tc
impress upon the farmer The MOURN.
full, but long since patent truth, that
lie has heretofore been the pack-horSC
tor all other parties; that he has been
the dupe, the very ~scape-@oat, OF
spectators and middle-men of every
shape, size. color and description:
that he has rights which from igno-
rance. he has never dared maintain:
that if he has the energy and patience
to labor diligently. from seed time to
harvest, he sht uld have intelligence
to know what he has never known
the true. proper marketable value of
his ~hard-earned products; that if III
this organization ends may be aimed
ut and effects may be produced which,
in the future, will relieve the farmer
from that industrial tl.raldom to
which he has been subjected in the
past. These, and many others SINH
lar lessons. practical every whit, and
profitable to the MUD, do tie Pat
rons of iIusbaudry teach to those far
n,ers all over the Union who will
unite with the Order; and where
fore should any farmer refuse to dc
SO?
The advantages accruing from or.
g%anization need not be- discussed il
this article: they are trite to every re.
1iecting mind. We're il otherwise, We
would seldom hear of osrdsefTrad
Chambers of Commerce, Trades Tn
ions and the like. Mercantile men
commercial men, professional mel
and mechanics OF every kind nppIt.
Gratefully the value to their respcctiy
vOcatIOus of union, concert and sil
glcncss of purpose. But %1ar!ueI
everywhere have always acted as tho
their vocation aimed al. nothing, alt
as if their duty was to labor patient
". yea in and year out, to produc
for market something that other PEG
pl. set a price upon.
But, says straightforward, your Or
der Is . secret organization. To b
sure it is, and is therefore, to b
priced; otherwise, it. would have II,
cOhcsivcness. Ask any man ii Iii
most valuable thoughts are not KEEP
to himself? Why do all dcliberativ
bodies hold their executive sessions
(thcir most important mcctings) i
secret? Ask the merchant why hi
cost mark is an enigma. Wherefor
are VIC taught that u right hand
should not know about the doings {
our left? TO our mind this objectio
is futile.
But you admit women, says al
other; do you advocate woman
rights? Fortunately, the comstit,
ton precludcs the Introduction
any political or religious discussio
in the work of the Order, but it +.
quires a certain proportion offemal.
in every Grange. This wise prov
sion will enhance its social wortl
The presence of woman will give {
the Order virtue, dignity and chara,
ter. Were farmers never seen in tiiei
associations wi. h the outside worl
except i'll tho company of womcl
they themselves would be far pure
men, Incidence, ignorance, profanit
v%ulgarity; aud all the baser emotion
o fman's nature are ever held in abe
ance i'll the presence Of pure and r.
fined women. t.t- -
The Patrons of Husbanhry incu
cate charity, sobriety, energy, indu
try, economy, and honesty. Heuc
any farmer becoming a Patron cam
be injured in person or estate. b
may.by cooperation with his fellow
greatly benefit himself, and exte,
his bencticcnt influence to the
around him.