Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-06-12
THE PATRONS OF HUSBAN-
DRY.
A Graphic Description of the New
Secret Order--Its Plan and
Purposes.

existence, apparently in the space of a
single night. The city of Washington
was its birthplace, and remains its
head centre, but IFS branches already
penetrate every State in the Union.--
Even Canada bows the knee to the
"Worthy Master" who called this
mighty organization into being, and as
SUPERINTENDENT Of the Agricultural
Grounds at the capital he may be seen
any day attending to his duties, as the
fisherman who raised the box which
contained the enormous genie from the
bottom of the sea. :.
This society has nothing to do with
politics, except in an indirect way. Its
yranges are composed of all the ele-
ments which compose the different par
ties. 1t is simply union to promote
the welfare of the tillers OF the soll.-
The farmer asks, "Why should we be
paid fifteen cents a bushel for corn
when this same article costs the consul
mer eighty-fve?"
Why does poor widow pay sixty
five dollars for sewing machine that
costs the manufacturer only fifteen?"-
When a man is nominated for Con-
gress, the question is not asked wheth-
er he is Republican or Democrat, but
the grange SAYS: "Wlll he go for the
extension of patents? Is he liable to
be bought by the railroads? In other
words, is he the staunch and loyal
friend of the husbandman?" In this
way, but in no other, politics sways the
organization.
Years ago the spark which kindled
fhis flame originated in Philadelphia,
and it came about in ihis way: The
City of Brotherly Love was blessed
with a very wealthy citizen, who died
one day and bequeathed large fortune
to his son. Now, the young man dld
not emulate the majority of the rich
mems sons who are acting their little
rart in various dissolute ways, but he
settled himself in the path of virtue,
and made science his sweetheart. He
adore6 chemistry, and as he progressed
in his studies he realized the intimate
relations that exist between the culti-
vation of the soil and his favorite stu
dy, and in his Don QuixOte enthusiasm
he determined to start on lecturing
tour to the farmers of the West. In the
meantime he applied to William Saun-
ders, Esq, the present founder OF the
Patrons of Husbandry, who was then
the editor of horticultural journal, to
ascertain by what means he could call
an audience of agriculturists. Mr..
Saunders told him there was no way to
bring these widely scattered men to-
gether by any ordinary notice. Living
long distances apart, removed from the
railroads and printing offices, they were
as inaccessible as Selkirk on Juan Fer
nandez, and in their isolated condition
as weak as the wrecked mariner on his
isolated island. From that hour Mr..
Saunders bent every energy of his
mind to develop plan by which the
husbandmen mighs become powerful
by union alone. He saw the iron and
steel men, also the sewing machine and
railroad men, strong as their own iron
and steel; and he said to himself, "The
farmers must forge chain, and we
must fight Satan with his own Wea-
pons. The poor farmer is like the sim
gle skirmisher, brought down by the
first sharpshooter of the enemy. Let
US advance as an army" So far their
blows have fallen heaviest on what are
called the "middle-men." Iowa, who
leads the van, last year saved $3.50, 900
in her purchases of agricultural impIe-
ments. By means of this order the
farmer bought direct from the manu-
facturer, while the middle-man or
agent had to step aside. In the fall or
early winter of 1867 a small knot of
thinking men assembled in the Office
of the Superintendent of the Agricultu-
raj Grounds in Washington. These
men loved the earth for its own sake,
and honored the men whose brown
cheeks and hard hands make it posi-
BILE for the other kind to live. Organi-
Zation became the watchwOrd, and at
this meeting a part of the ritual was
formed. During the month of Febru-
ary name was found for the baby, and
it was decided to call the order ''The
Patrons ofHusbandry," and that which
would be called lodge in Masonry or
Odd Fellowship in the new order is
called a grange Mr.. Saunders has al
ways opposed secret societies, but he
found that something of this kind must
be adopted to insure coherency; be-
sides, as this society intended that its
highest offices should be eligible to
it was necessary to draw line
of purity OmeWhere-at least. there
should be certainty that an incoming
member was worthy to be presented
to their wives and daughters.
Says one of the highest officers Of the
Patrons of Husbandry: "We must
have women with us everywhere; suf-
frage for women is coming; We have |
the certain means of knowing that
which even the press cannot find. We
have taken a broad stride in the worlds |
we have given women her
true place. We not only make her ell
igible to our highest Office, but we have
three places which only 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
and blessed by their hands,
The National Grange possesses no di-
rect power over subordinate oranges.
Each grange must be self-supporting,
and either stand or fall by its own
weight. Now that it has become such !!
q power, some designing men wish to
make it political machine; Others
wish to turn it into grand insurance
but the National Grange |
reserves advisory power, and says
"Let every subordinate grange become
an insurance company and take care OF
There is no reason why |
a house burned in Minnesota should be !!
paid for in part by South Carolina. The
great man who originated the scheme,
if such it may be called, is the farmers
true friend, and so long as he can pre-
vent it no absolute power will be in
vested IN the high authorities at Wash
ington.
During the year 1872 new oranges
were formed to the number of one
thousand one hundred and five.-
Among the items of expenditure for
printing we find the sum of S3,344 Sc,
and since the order was introduced
there have been issued for gratuitous
distribution one million seven hundred