Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-09-27

rice and tobacco, the special articles upon
winch all our foreign commerce as Nation
Is Dased, ana without which the fery re-
venues and life OF our National Cover /.
ment must weaken and lanpuish and the
very articles that not only feed and fatteu
millions of natural worms that exist on the
yet green leaf of the plant, but thousands
of human worms, who, as middle men.
press the life blood out of the lint thereof.
and leave scarcely drop for the poor la
borer that made and produced it !; articles
that the dominant weight of national
grange would have direct interest IN
cheapening; an interest that, as business
men, mono could blame them for exercising.
Then, as the object is not political, and
as no partisan tests can be made or dis
cussed, there seems to us no fair reason
why we should belong to the National
Grange, even If it were open to our produc-
ing people!
But the door of the National Grange be-
ing closed to the main body of our people.
the demand has come from them for some
organization that proposes some relief and
We, in obedience to that demand, with hes
itation, with distrust as to our Judgment to
start an enterprise to us so grand, vet so
necessary, have ventured to organize an
original order, firm league of confidence !;
have adopted constitution, bylaws and a
ritual, and in respectful Difference to all,
have elected the officers of the Supreme
League only professionally and after the
full organization of sufficient number of
subordinate leagues proves that the organ
ization is approved by the persons it is in
tended to benefit, then, upon due notice,
the league win elect by ballot officers of
their own free choice.
But while addressing ourselves to the la
boring farmer of every race and natio- ali
ty, and inviting them to calmly weigh and
examine the objects of our order, its machi-
merry as to its practicability, you will de-
termine for yourselves whether you will
join us in our grand enterprise, and if its
benefits are not apparent to you, we have
no argument to make to convince you.
We have no grand flourishes to mako in
our favor; we have no defences to urge in
anticipation of attack and opposition; we
desire to put the carse on an honest and
truthful basis, and do our business accord
ing to the forms and laws of business.
Railroads and telegraphic lines being
completed, time and space are annihilated;
the producer and manufacturer or foreign
purchasing agent are brought, as it were,
face to face. We. propose to do our owu
trade direct through our own sworn agent
OR, in other words, to do our trading our.
selves, and sell for the highest price we can
gst and buy at the cheapest market we
can find.
This needs no apology, no defense. five
can sell our cotton at the entire cost of one
dollar per bale, and get our supplies one
hundred per cent. cheaper than we have
heretofore, it wOdld be folly in us to refuse
to do 80, and it would be but piece of i'm
pudence In others to interfere with us in
such pursuit.
We are fully aware Of the difficulties in
our way at the very beginning of our en-
terprise. Most of the cotton of the poor la
borer is encountered for rents and supplies
These honest debts must be
paid before the cotton 10 moved.
We are assured that in all cases where
the landlord or the merchant insists on his
legal right to have his money before a sale
OF the cotton, that we can obtain money
necessary to pay the charges, from New
York or Washington capitalists, and all
they require is the same surety that our
own bankers take and have in advancing
cash to buy cotton for shipment to New
Orleans for sale. We are assured the casb
will be here, and for our use and benefit.
Therefor the coming crop advances will
be needed by ereat many whose close
have not yet emancipated them
from debt and destirution. This want we
are sure the Leagues can meet because the
credit of the many will be more
safe than the credit or ability of the indi.
vidual.
The order is not intended to aid those
who are too Idle and improvident to aid
but for those who are willing to
elevate themselves by their own muscle and
brain, and by our combination and small
eues from each collected into one fund will
soon enable us to give all necessary advan
ces ourselves and thus cmancipatc oursel-
YES from the domination of the capitalist.
We do not propose to make a war on
capitalists, but simply to do without them
as far as possible. We are not in our faith
or tendency agrarian because by mutual
aid and the help of divine providence we
all are in an humble and independent and
pregnant way to be land owners and small
ourselves.
Our constitution and laws doubtless will
be found to be defective in MANY particu-
lars, but they viii give the Substantial idea
of tho objects and purposes of the order.
II the objects arc good and give promise of
any relief to you, our utmost ambition is
grained, II we have succeeded in giving a
start and tone to our ideas so as to eniiut
the Judgment and labor of minds wiser and
older than ours, we are satisfied and pledge
ourselves to labor in the cause under d.
rectors whose brain is wiser and nobler
than ours.
We simply start an order without refer
once to State, Parish or county lines we
make the headquarters ct Shreveport. La.
TO be changed if the voice of the order shall
70 determine, and should this effort of ours
engage the attention aud interest of our
farmers and laboring producers all infor-
nation asked for will be cheerfnlly given
oy X. ). Looney, G. D., Reuben white A.
.. D., or Z. w. Durant, tho Recorder of
our Supreme League ut Shreveport.
In conclusion let US urge the fact that
1ur order is of universal application to ali
agriculturists as class, and whether the
proud of his race and calling.
shall read this address in his carpeted
rooms, or examined and explained to the
brawny man in his rude fioorless cabin, we
address all and each as brothers in the same