Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-17
The Grange Convention.

ger Of being prostituted to serve the
purposes of designing men. We
have upon several occasions given
warning of this danger. This warm
ing was given in good faith by us,
and has been shouted i'll the ears of
Grangers by hundreds of the earnest
friends of the Order, who were not
willing to sacrifice the permanent
good of the Order to gain a Temporal
ry political victory. The leaders
have until recently persisted in say
ing that the Order was not to be
made a political party. Thousands
have been induced to join it by such
representations Now at the open
ing of political campaign, when
the real design of the movement
must come to the surface, and the
object of these months of drill and
discipline more fully appear, 1t is
perhaps not improper to review the
ground over which we have passed, !,
in order to see whether or not we
have been led astray, and profit SO
far by the lessons of experience.
A call for a Grange vention for
the county, to nominate candidates
for the offices to be filled by election
this fall, appears on another page of
this sheet. Now since the Grange
in this county has proven just what
it has all the time pretended not to
be--a political palty-we may be
pardoned for copying some editorial
remarks from the VOTER of March
10Th last, to-wit:
We areonly seeking for the
truth now, and should be glad TO
know whether the Grange is a p0liti-
cal party or not. Capt. Biain, Deputy
of the State Grange for this county,
said in his speech at the Mass Meet
ing few days ago, 1.-The Grange is
not political organization it ig-
nOres party"
If the Grange is wearing mask it
| is time it were taken off. If it is a
political party let it be so known
and acknowledged. That it should
have its secrets is entirely legitimate;
but its leaders are culpable if they
practice deception in order to induce
men to join them. If it Is a worthy
institution it cannot afford to wear a
false face or be mirepresented by its
/ friUds. Ii its .purpose ia II step De;
tween the present parties, ignoring
both, and set itself up as third par
! ty, let it boldly declare its design ut
once, that all men may act with a
full understanding Of the matter, and
not be led into the movement hood
winked.
We have no disposition to discour-
| age any from joining the Grange.
| We find no fault with its openly de-
clared objects as we understand
them; but yet, we say if it is sailing
under false colors-if it is not what ii
seems-it should at once boldly run
up its true flag, and if right,
fight it out on that line" from
| the start. The destination Of the
craft should be known to the
crew before they ship for the voy-
age.
We have always urged farmers to
attend our conventions and see to
the choice of delegates. If they
choose, they can make our Demo
cratic and Republican conventions
exclusive farmers conventions.
They have nothing to do but attend
! the calls and choose such delegates a.
they like. They have the numbers,
and the power is entirely in the
hands of numbers, if they will attend
and can agree. We know Of no dis
position on the part Of any party
or class Of men, unless it he
the capitalists who own the
railroads, to prevent such action
| by the farmers. There Is certainly
no combined force in this county who
would even set up wooden guns to
frighten Changers, much less under
take real fight. Our interests are
all with the farmers, and Il fight
against them would only be for self
destruction. If the farmers are pre-
pairing TO meet any formidable foe in
this county they arc arining against
All imaginary enemy. We are glad
to see them awaking to thought and
action; aud hope that wisdom may
preside ut their councils and their
own and the country's good be the
ultimate psults Of this uprising
among the farmers. While the
Grange continues in honest endeavor
to promote the industrial interests Of
the country, it shall be our pleasure
to lend any assistance we can; but
designing wrong, in Grange or party,
we shall not hesitate to denounce
whenever the pubic good demands
it.
Still firm i'm the belief which
prompted the writing Of the above
that the farmers should have
their organizations for mutual
Improvement, for consultation and
cooperation for the advancement
and protection of their own inter-
eats, and that their present organi-
zation, If not perverted, would be
found useful to them as class and to