The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-18
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
Declaration ofPrinciples by the
National Grange, at its Re-
cent Session in St.
Louis.
In Essentials, Unity; in Non-Essen'
tials, Liberty; in ali Things,
Charity.
NO AGGRESSION ON OTHER INTERESTS
NO CoMMUNlsM-No AGKAhlANlSm
TIE GRANGE E0E-PARTIsAN.
Memorial to the Cotton States.
PREAMBLE.

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 purposes
of the Patrons Of Husbandry.
GENERAL OBJECTS.
/. 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 indorse the motto: In
essentials, unity in non essentials, liberty
in all things, charity"
SPECIFIC OBJECTS,
8, We shall endeavor to advance our
cause by laboring to accomplish the follow
ing objects:
To develop a better and higher man.
hood and womanhood among ourselves.
To enhance the comforts and attractions
of our homes, and strengthen our attach
ments to our pursuits
To foster mutual understanding and CO.
operation.
To maintain invioate our laws, and to
emulate each other in labor to hasten that
good time coming.
To reduce our expenses, both individual
and corporate.
To buy less and produce more, in order
to make our farms self-sustaining.
To diversity our crops, and crop no more
than we can cultivate.
To condense the weight of our exports,
selling less in the bushel and more on hoof
and in fleece.
To systematic our work and calculate in-
telligently on probabilities.
To discountenance the credit system, the
mortgage system, the fashion system, and
every other system tending to prodigahty
and bankruptcy
We propose meeting together, talking
together, working together, buying togeth-
er, selling together, and in general acting
together for our mutual protection and
Advancement, as occasion may require.
We shall avoid litigation as much as pos
sible by arbitration in the Grange.
We shall constantly strive to secure en-
tire harmony good will, vital brotherhood
among ourselves and to make our order
perpetual.
personal local, sectional and national pre-
JUDGES, all unhealthy rivalry, all selfish
ambition
Faithful adherence to these principles
will insure our mental, moral social and
material advancement
4. 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 surplus of middlemen,
not that we are unfriendly TO them, but We
do not need them.
Their surplus and their exactions dimin-
ish our profits.
We wage
NO AGGRESSIVE WARFARE
against any other interest whatever. On
the contrary, all our acts and all our eff
forts, so far as business is concerned, are
not only for the benefit of the producer
and consumer, but also for all other inter
ests that tend to bring these two parties
into 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 interests, and harmonious ac-
ton is mutually advantageous, keeping in
view the first sentence in our declaration
of principles Of action, that Individual
happiness depends upon general prosper
ity."
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 pur-
pose to ''open out the channels in nature s
great arteries that the life-b blood of com.
merce may flow freely"
j.,
BILE or irrigating canals, nor any corpora
tons that will advance our industrial inter
ests, nor of any laboring classes.
In our noble order there is no commun
ism, no agrarianism.
We are opposed to such spirit and man
agement of any corporation, or enterprise
as tends to Cypress the people and rol
them Of their just profits.
We are no enemies to capital, but we op
pose the tyranny Of monopOlies.
We long to see the antagonism between
capital and labor removed by common con
sent, and by an enlightened statesmanshil
worthy Of the nineteenth century.
We are
OPPOSED TO EXCESSIVE SALARIES
high rates of interest, and exorbitant pc
cent. profits in trade. They greatly in
crease our burdens and do not bear prou
er proportion to the profits of producers
We desire only self-protection, and tn
protection of every true interest of GU
land by legitimate transactions legitimat
trade, and legitimate profits.
We shall advance the cause Of educatio
among ourselves and for our children, b
all Just means within our power. We e
peclally advocate for our AGRICULTURAL an
industrial colleges, that practical agricu
ture, domestic science and all the arts Whic
adorn the home, be taught in their cours,
of study.
THE GRANGE NON-PARTISAN
5. We emphatically and sincerely asse
the oft-repeated truth taught in our orga
ic law, that the Grange. national. state
subordinate, is
NOT APoLrrICAL OR PARTY. ORGANIZATION
:. No Grange, if true to its obligations, CT
discuss political or religious questions, n
can political conventions, or nominate ca
uluates, nor even discuss their merits in
meetings
Yet the principles we teach underlie
true politics, all true statesmapshin and
properly carried out will tend Ia n,,r
the whole political atmosphere of our con
try.
For we seek the greatest good to {
greatest number. But we must ALWAYS h,
ltln mind that no one by becoming
tren OF Husbandry gives up that inalie,
pie right and duty which belongs to eve
Amerlean citizen to take a proper inter