Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-02-19
Platform of the National Grange of
the Patrons Of Husbandry.
ST. LOUIS. February

the following report of the Committee on
Resolutions, presented by Mr.. Wardlow,
of Florida, and adopted it unanimously
DECLARATION OF PURPOSES
Profoundly impressed with the truth that
the National Grange of the United States
should definitely proclaim to the world its
general objects, we hereby unanimously make
this declaration of purposes of the Patrons of
Husbandry:
FRATERNITY.
F'irSt-United by the strong and faithful tie
of agriculture, we mutually resolve 10 labor
for the good of our Order, our country, and
mankind.
Y-LIBERTY-CHARITY-
Sec0nd-We heartily indorse the motto ::
In essentials Unity; in none essentials Lib
erty; in all things Charity"
COOPERATION.
Ibird-We shall endeaVor TO advance our
cause by Iaboring to accomplish the following
objects: To develop better and higher man
hood and womanhoOd among ourselves; to
enhance the comforts and attractions of our
homes and strengthen our attachments to our
pursuits; TO foster mutual understanding and
cooperation; TO maintain inyiOlate our laws,
and TO stimulate 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
plant no more than we can cultivate; to
condense the weight of our exports,
| selling less in the bushel and more on
the hoof and in f1eeces; to systematic our
work, and calculateintelligently on the proba-
Dlhues; to dlScountenance the credit system,
the mortgage system, the fashion system, and
! every other system tending to prodigality and
bankruptcy. We propose meeting together
talking together, working together, buying to-
! gether, selling together, and generally acting
! together Tor our mutual protection and ad-
| Vancement, as occasion NAV require We
! shall avoid litigation as much as possible, by
| aroltratlon In the Grange. We shall constant
| ly strive to secure entire HARMONY goodwill
and vital brotherhood among ourselves, and to
| make our Order perpetual. We shall earn
estly endeavor TO suppress personal, local. sec
tlonaI and national prejUdices, all unhealthy
rivalry and all selfish ambition. Faithful ad-
herence to these principles will insure our
mental, moral, social and material advance
ment.
NO MONOPOLY.
Foevtb-For our business interests we de-
sire to bring producers and consumers, farm
ers and manufacturers, into the most intimate
relations possible. Hence, we must dispense
with surplus of middle-men, not that we
are unfriendly to them, but we do not need
them. Their surplus and their exactions di-
mlnish our profits. We wage no aggressive
warfare against any other interests whatever.
On the contrary, all our acts and all our eff
1orts, so far as business is concerned, are not
only for the benefit of producers but also for
all other interests that try to bring those
TWO parties into speedy and economical con-
tact Hence we hold that transportation
companies of every kind are necessary to
our success; that their interest are intimate
~ connected with our interests. and that
harmonious action is mutually adyan-
tageous. Keeping in view the first sentence
OF our declaration of principles of action, that
individual happiness depends upon the gen
eral prosperity" we shall therefore advocate
for every State the increase in every practical
bic way OF all facilities for transporting cheap
~ 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 the life-blood of commerce NAV
HOW freely. We are not enemies of railroads,
navigable and irrigating canals, nor of any
corporation that will advance our industrial
interests, nor of any laboring classes. In our
noble Order there is no communism. no
agrarlanism. We are opposed to such spirit
ana management of any corporation or enter
prise as tend to Cypress the people and rob
them of their just profits. We are not enemies
TO capital, but we oppose the tyranny of mo-
nopolles. We long to see the antagonism
between capital and labor removed by com
mon consent, and by an enlightened statesman
ship worthy of the nineteenth century. We
OF interest, and eXorbitant per cent profits in
trade They greatly increase our burdens,
and 90 not bear proportion to the profits of
producers. We desire only seIf-protection and
the protection of every true interest of
our land by legitimate transactions,
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
especially advocate for our agricultural and
industrial colleges that practical agriculture.
domestic science, and all the arts which adorn
the home be taught in their courses of
study.
NOT POLITICAL BODY.
FJu-We emphatically and sincerely assert
the Oft-repeated truth taught in our organic
law, that the Grange-National, State or sub
ordinate-is not political or party organiza-
ton. No Grange, if true to it's obligations,
can discuss political or religious questions,
nor call political conventions, nor nominate
candidates, nor even discuss their merits in
Its meetings; yet the principles we teach un-
derlle all true politics, all true craftsmanship.
and, If properly carried out, will tend to purifv
the whole political atmosphere of our conn
try, Tor we seek the greatest good of the great
est number; but we must ALWAYS bear If in
mind that no one, by becoming a 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 legitimatelv to
influence for good the action of any political
party to which he belongs. 1t is his duty to do
all he can in his own party to put down
bribery, corruption and trickery; to see that
none but competent, faithful and honest
men, who will unfiinchingly stand by our in
dustral interests, are nominated for all posi-
lions of trust, and to have carried ont the
principle which should always characterize
every Grange member-that the office should
seek the man, and not the man the office.
We acknowledge the broad principle that diff
ference of opinion is no crime and hold that
progress toward truth is made by differ
ences of opinion, while the fault lies in
the bitterness of controversy. We desire a
proper equality, equity and fairness; protec-
ton for the weak, restraint upon the strong
in short, justlY-distributed burdens and Justly
distributed power. These are American ideas,
the very essence of American independence,
and to advocate the contrary is unworthy of
the sons and daughters of an American
Republic. We cherish the belief that section
alism is, and of right should be, dead and
buried with the past. Our work is for the
present and the future. In our agricultural
brotherhood and its purposes we shall recog
nize no North, no South, no East no West. 1t
is reserved by every Patron as his right as a
freeman to affiliate with any party that will
best carry out his principles.
MEMBERSHIP
Sirtb-Ours being a peculiarly farmers |
institution, cannot admit all to our ranks |
Many are excluded by the nature of our Or
ganiZation, not because they are professional !
men, or artisans, or laborers, but because they |
have not sufficient direct interest in tilling |
or pasturing the soil, or may have some inter |
est in conflict with our purposes; but we ap- |
peal to all good citizens for their cordial CO. |