The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-04-17
ANOTHER GRANGER.

The situation as pr esented in your paper,
to an outsider might be somewhat amusing
In the first place farmer pops his head out
of his window and rouses his neighbors
with the cry that he is being robbed
Hold on Keep cool |" cries another farm
er. BE economical don't buy canned
corn or peaches, or patronize patent right
agents." "Don't be in such stew" cries
Mechanic" "you are no worse off than
the rest OF US. There is robber in nv
cellar; but don t make any fuss" do
keep quiet" cries another, cor strangers
will think this is not safe place to live in
and will not move here"
Ye. no one denies that the farmer is be-
ing robbed-robbed by the middlemen,
and most shamefully robbed by the rail
roads. But as soon as We combine for our
own protection, universal cry Is raised
against Us. We are advised to "keep cool"
and not be agitated; to be more economi-
cal; to take better care of our stock and
farming implements; in fact, to do any
thing or everything but demand our own
rights. We are treated like spoiled chill
dren, who are we'll enough off, but don't
know it, and are whining for something we
don't know what. II we do nothing but
whine, then laugh at us; but believe
some have found, and more will find, that
we can bite as well as bark.
Just here Mr.. Mechanic" let me whis.
per word in your ear Is it quite fair
for the pot to Call the kettle black ?" Who
taught the farmers the idea of combining {?
Did you never hear Of mechanics uniting
Tor their own protection? Did you never
hear OF Trades Unions, Knights of St.
Crispin, and SO on without end! What
mechanical trade is there that has not
somewhere its Trade Unions If you were
in an Eastern. city, you would be now join.
ing in the universal howl, with your own
brethren, about the rights OF Labor against
Capital We farmers of the West are but
doing what the mechanics of the East
have been doing, and doing successfully for
years. Then is not one of trade profession
the last to raise the cry against US for fol-
lowing your own example and uniting
against our oppressors. But, Mr.. "Me-
chanic," give US your hand we ought not
to quarrel, for our interests are the same.
We consume each others products, and are
mutual benefit to each other, and the
middlemen stand between us, living on us
both.
The years of the war was the millennium
Of the farmer. He as well as every one
made money. Since the war ended prices
have continued falling, and now, the pres
sure is coming doubly hard upon the farm
ers. Freights which were raised the high
est of all during the war, are now as high
or higher than ever. Also the great army
OF sharpers, who, during the war made q
business ofswindling the government, now
have turned their attention to the great
carrying trade, and are swindling the pro-
ducers. This is too notorious and their
'.little games" too many for me to notice
To break up this great swindling ring, and
to reduce and regulate the freights are tine
great aims of the Grange movement, and
If we but succeed In the one object of re.
ducing the freights. We will deserve the
highest honor. All the movements in
Congress and the State Legislature to this
end are the direct result of our organize.
ton.
A kind of secondary object is a wal
against middlemen- but what middle
men of some kind are necessary, but thai
there are altogether too many of them
Every man that is too lazy to work, and can
scare together few dollars, sets up for Q