Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-08-07
Shall we have q Granger

L dFLnCF SIIU 10 W DC uSlO III
Fayetteville, to consider the
propiety of establishing a
Grange of the Patrons of Hus-
bandry here. The question at
once arises, What is a Grange?
We answer, it is social insti-
tuition, the growth of a great
all-pervading advance Of the
race. 1t is not political, and
yet it has already acted, and
must continue to act upon po-
litical questions. It does not
pretend to be a scientific scheme,
and yet its very existence de-
ponds upon sociological PROPOSE
lions. And a wider; deeper
and higher intelligence must
follow from its Inauguration
1t does not pretend to be who'll
ly a social proposition. And
yet it is built upon the only
true social basis, the equality
Of the sexes, and in this respect,
while anomalous as practiced
thing, is in reality the first sci
entific social movement the world
has ever seen. Imagine the
people of an extensive rural dis
trict meeting together, husband
and mother, with brothers and
sisters, the affianced and be-
trothed, gravely to engage for a
time, in the most formal man.
ner, in the discussion or adjust
ment of the important interests
Of life, involving political, eco
nomical and social matters, and
in which all participate, without
the shadowing Of caste, or obi
Gus distinction, and then imag-
inc this deliberative body re-
solved into purely social gath
ering, and say if the ordinary
scenes of dissipation and riot
would be likely to occur there,
or rather whether it would not
present a scene such as no coun-
try under the sun ever before
witnessed. There is no other
interest in life, save the agri-
cultural, that is susceptible Of
such development, for there is
no other, as now carried on, in
which the valor Of the man and
woman are so united-iheir in
terests so identical. The
"Grange" is the home, and the
order Of the patrons of Hus-
bandry" is but a higher concep.
ton of what home in the coun.
try should and will be. e.
The Grange Hall will not on.
ly afford a means of instruction
in the material questions Of life
but as a lyceum, library anC
museum, it is destined to be {
centre of intellectual and mora
!, attraction, embracing persons
of every creed and of all parties
discountenancing discussions
not really practical, and ever
those into which enters more of
passion than Of reason-united
by one single yet all pervading
interest human welfare. Il
promises to be harmonious and
enduring. One other feature in
the highest degree scientific
and only to be known in prac.
tice, is its cooperative charac.
ter. Here, again, it meets the
latest requirement of the time
Cooperation is the inevitable
result of intelligent labor, ant
this move in that direction is bu
verification of the truth of
the doctrine Of organized pro
duction. Agriculture could no
advance in its old forms against
the general tendency of all pro
ductive industry, under the pow
err of capital to combine. 1t wa
completely at the mercy of sucl
combinations. It has suffered
severely already by means OF
these combinations = learned
; some dear lessons-"paid it
penny for the whistle" grow
! wiser; and cooperation is tn,
result of It's intnllimnnnn