Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-06-14
FARMERS COLUMN.
PATRONS OF HusBASDRY.
Nature and Ceremonies Of the Organ
s - izafion.

5 - izafion.
The papers have contained such fire.
quent illusions of late to this new or
der that readers, both on the farms and
In. the cities, are growing curious about
it. They want to know what it is for,
and how much there is oft Thanks to
''Oliyia, The Philadelphia Press, we
are now able to crafty In some meas.
ure this very reasonable and laudable
curiosity.
The organization of this order, is
rather complex. At the base is the
subordinate, local or neighborhood
grange; above this is the State
grange: at the apex, the ma
tional grange, of which the chief du-
ties are ITO collect and disseminate in
formation for the benefit of the whole
order, TO place State oranges in coop
eratiye communication, and advise
subordinate oranges with reference to
matters of special interest" In the
subordinate grange, there are four
" degrees "-"laborer of maid" (ac-
cording to sex), cultiyator of shep
erdess, " harvester or cleaner" and
"husbandman or matron." The fifth
degree-"Pomona, hope"-is obtained
on entering the State grange, which is
composed Of the masters of subordi-
nate oranges and such masters wives
as are 'matrons." Thesixth-"F Flora,
charity'-is obtained on entering the
national grange, which is composed of
the masters of State oranges and such of
their wives as have taken the previous
degree. For the seventh" Ceres,
faith all members of the national
grange are eligible after a years SER
vice. This degree has charge of the
secret work of the order, and is the
tribunal for trying impeachments.
The gentle reader will already have
noticed that the Patrons are
as free from the prejudice of sex
as Miss Anthony herself could desire.
One of the head centres rs quoted as
saying: Suffrage for wemen is COM
ing, we have the certain means of
knowing that which even the press
cannot find out. We have taken
broad stride inSthe worlds progress
we have given woman her true place.
We not only make her eligible to our
highest Office, but we have three places
which only a woman can fill. You
may call it the poetry of our order, but
it is part of the foundation as well
as principle, for no person can become
member until they have been consecra
ted and blessed by her hands" This
ceremony ofconsecration and blessings
so original that we make no apology
for reproducing "Olivia's" account of
1t verbatim. Indeed, it wouldbe treat
ing our subscribers very shabbily. to
abridge a syllable. On a remote
platform, she says, in the hallwhere
the meeting is held, may be seen the
three women whose charming hands
must consecrate the new aspirant
The first is Flora, named from mythol-
ogy. Her brow is bound with flowers,
and if the proper season is at hand, they
trail in garlands garments, which are
as feecy as the clouds. From the pro-
fusion before her she selects a speci-
men and presents it to the new Access
sion. To the innocent young girl she
presents lily. To the juiceless old
bachelor a sprig of rue. The woman
who represents Ceres is usually mat
ron. Her ripe forehead is surmounted
with crown of straw, which is dotted
with golden grain. She bestows upon
the candidate handful of her treas
ures, or, perhaps, an ear Of corn, after
her part of the cremeny is over. Last,
but not least, comes Pomona, symbolic
of the riches of harvest and autumn.
A glorious woman she should be.
When the candidate has passed her
hands nothing more can be done for
him. He is full fedged Patron of
Husbandry." We should add that,
after these imposing ceremonies are
over, and the business is all transacted,
the grange resolves itself into a COM
mittee of the whole on having a good
time-in warm weather, usually ad-
jOurning to outdoors.
Does this seem like child's play?
The middlemen, grain spectators ETC.,
haven't found it so; it is estimated
that the farmers of Iowa alone have
already saved $3.50, 600 by buying their
machines directly from the nanufac-
lures through the grange. The rail-
road people, too, and the politicians
have their own opinion on the subject
a society that is rapidly extending over
the Union that took in l, Jos new To-
cal organizations last year; that now
claims to be receiving members at the
rate of from 300 to 500 a day, can in
dulge, if it chooses, in very singular
and even puerile ceremonies without
FORGETTING its claims to respectful con-
sideration.