The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-03-05
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES.

Profoundly impressed with the truth
that the National Grange of the United
States should definitely proclaim to the
world its general objects, we hereby unan-
imously make this declaration of the pur-
poses of the Patrons Of Husbandry.
/. United by the strong and faithful tie
of agriculture, we mutually resolve to la
Dor for the good Of our Order, our country
and mankind.
2. We heartily endorse the motto; "In
essentials, unity in non-essentials, hber-
| ty in all things, charity"
3. We shall endeavor to advance our
cause by laboring to accomplish the fol-
lowing objects: To develop better and
! higher manhood and womanhood among
ourselves to enhance the comforts and
attractions of our homes, and strengthen
our attachment to our pursuits; to foster
mutual understanding and cooperation !;
to maintain inviolate our laws, and to en-
ulate each other to labor to hasten the
good time coming to reduce our expenses
both individual and corporate: to buy less
and produce more, in order to make our
farms self supporting; to diversity our
crops, and crop no more than we can cul-
tivate: to condense the weight of our ex-
ports, selling less in the bushel and more
on the hoof and IN fleece; to systematic
our work and calculate intellgently on
probabilities to discountenanee the credit
system, the mortgage system, the fashion
system, and every other system tending to
prodigality and bankruptcy. We propose
to meet together, talking together, work
ing together; buying together, selling to-
gether, and generally acting together for
our mutual protection and advancement.
a. ror ao1n ahol
litigation as much as possible, by arbitra-
tlon in the Grange; we shall strive to Sc
cure entire harmony, good will, vital
brothelhood among ourselves, and to make
cur Order perpetual; we shall earnestly
endeavor to suppress personal, local, sec
tional and national preludices, all un-
healthy rivalry and all selfish ambition.
Faithful adherence to these principles will
insure our mental, moral, social and ma
terial advancement.
T. For our business interests we desire
to bring producers and consumers, farmers
and manufacturers, into the most direct
and friendly relations possible. Hence, we
must dispense with surplns of middle
men. Not that we are unfriendiy to them
but We do not need them. They are sur
plus, and their eXactions diminish our
profits. We wage no aggressive warfare
against any other interests whatever On
the contrary, all our acts and all our ef-
forts so far as business is concerned, are
not only for the benefit OF the producers
and consumers, but also for all other inter-
ests that try to bring these two parties IN
to speedy and economical contact; hence
we hold that transportation companies of
every kind are necessary to our success,
that their interests are intimately connect
ed with our interest and harmonious ac-
tion is mutually advantageous. Keeping
in view the first sentence In our declara-
ton Of principles of action, that individual
happiness depends upon general prosperi-
tY, we shall therefore advocate for every
State the increase IN every practicable way
Of all facilities for transporting cheaply to
the seaboard, or between home producers
and consumers all the productions of our
country. We adopt it as our fixed purpose
to open out the channels IN natures great
arteries, that ths life blood of commerce
may flow freely. We are not enemies of
railways, navigable and irrigating canals,
nor of any corporations that will advance
our industrial interests, nor of any labor
ing classes. In our noble Order there is
no communism, no agrarianlsm. We are
opposed to such spirit, and the manage
AACAb Va any OO4 HO4dSAOn VI CuJcI pIl6C
which tends to oppress the people and rob
them Of their just profits. We are not en-
emies to capital, but We oppose the tyHan-
ny of monopolies. We long to see the an
tagonism between capital and labor re-
moved by common consent and by an en-
hghtened statesmanship worthy of the
nineteenth century. We are opposed to
excessive salaries, high rates of interest,
and exorbitant per cent. profits in trades.
They greatly increase our burdens and do
not bear proper portion to the profits of
the producer. We desire only self-protee-
ton and the protection Of every true inter-
est Of our land by legitimate transaction,
legitimate trade, and legitimate profits.
We shall advance the cause of education
among ourselves and for our children by
all just means within our power. We es-
pecIally advocate for our agricultural and
domestic science and all the arts which
adorn the home, that they be taught in
their courses of study.
8. We emphatically and sincerely assert
the oft-repeated truth taught in our organ
ic law, that the Grange, National, State or
Subordinate, is not political or party or
ganization. No Grange, if true to Its obli-
| cations, can discuss political or religious
questions, nor call political conventions,
nor nominate candidates, nor even discuss
their merits in its meetings; yet the prin-
ciples We teach underlie all true statesman
ship, and, if properly carried out, will tend
to purify the whole political atmosphere of
our country, for we seek the greatest good
for the greatest number; but we must al
ways bear it In mind that no one by be-
coming Grange member gives up that
inalienable right and duty which belongs
to every American citizen to take proper
interest in the politics of his country. On
the contrary, it is right for every member
to do all in his power lsgitimately to inhu-
ence for good the action of any political
party to which he belongs. 1t lis his duty
to do all be can in his own party to put
down bribery, corruption, and trlckery /;
to see that none but competent, faithful,
and honest men, who will unfinchingly
AtAnd by our industrial interests, are nom
mated for all positions of trust, and to have
carried out the principles which should