Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-11-06
THE GRANGE.
Public Address by State Lecturer y.
w. a. wright at Grange Hall.

ID State Lecturer J. w. A. Wright,
who is now OIL visit to Southern
California for the purpose of meeting
the Oranges of Los Angeles, San Ber-
nardino and San Diego counties, de-
livercd public address at Grange
Hall last night. Owing, no doubt, to
insufficient notice, the attendance was
somewhat short of what it should
have been, but still there was fair
representation of citizens within and
without the Grange. Mr.. Wright
was introduced by Mr.. Thos. A. Carey
and in an easy and agreeable way
proceeded to deliver an address
of about an hours length. He stated
on commencing that it had not been
his intention to deliver n public ad-
dress in Los Angeles, but it was
deemed advisable to do so in order that
those on the outside might be inform
ed of the principles and objects of the
Grange, leaving out of course, its Sc
cret work. The Grange had been
made secret organization, not that
there was anything in it to be asham-
ed of, but merely following out the
principle of business secresy which is
essential to the prosperity of all under
takings, public and private. The first
organizations of the kind which eX-
isted--the old Farmers ClubsAwere
not successful in improving the con-
dition of the farmer. 1t is II notable
fact that while almost every other
kind of business yields an income that
will provide the luXuries and elegan.
cies of life, the husbandman receives
but livelihood, q meagre return for
his toll. 1t was estimated that the
TURNER'S once owned about fifty
per cent. of the assessed land
of the country while more
recently, their interests had fallen to
thirty-tive per cent. There must be
something wrong in the political sys-
tenn which brings about such result.
1t is the object of the Grange to dis
cover where this fault lies, and if pos
sible, to make farming generally v more
profitable. Ia this there is no desire
to infringe upon the rights Of others,
but the movement is made simply for
self-protectiOn. The Grange organiza-
ton dates back to 1867 and has been in
existence seven years, although only
known in California for the past eight
cen months. The idea originated with
Mr.. o. H. Kelly, who was connected
with the Government Agricultural De-
partment at Washington and visited
the Southern States soon after the war
TO look after agricultural interests
there. On December 4, 1867, the Ma
tional Grange was organized in Wash
ington. In January, 1872, there were
1900 Oranges throughout the Union;
in January last there were II 600 and
in July last 10000. The total mem
bership now in the United States is
nearly two millions. From October ],
1873, to October /, 1874, the increase of
membership in our State was $4,000.
A year ago there were in existence
three or four thousand subordinate
Oranges; now there are nearly twenty
thousand. Still some people call this
u mushroom growth and predict its
early dissolution. 1t will last as long
as the principles upon which it is
founded last and as long as there is
necessity for agriculture.
The speaker then reverted to the
Declaration of Intentions adopted by
the National Grange at st. Louis, and
said that he could not do better than
take the principles therein set forth
for his text. He then read in turn the
articles of the Declaration, with rum
ming comments upon them, beginning
with the grand words of the motto,
In essentials, unity; in non-essen-
tials, liberty;sin all things, charity.n
The objects of the Organization as
briefly set forth, are: Er.4
To develop a better and higher
manhood and womaIlhood among
ourselves. as Ae-in ais.D.s
TO augment the comfort and attract
iveness of our homes.
TO foster mutual understanding and
cooperation. 600 f@
To reduce expenses, individual and
combined.
TO condense our products and man
ufactures; Less in bulk and more in
fleece and hoof; less in lint and more
in warp and woof.
To discountenance the credit sys-
tenn, fashion system, and every other
system that leads to prodigality.
TO meet together, buy together sell
together and act together. nf
TO avoid litigation by arbitration in
the Grange.
TO suppress personal religious and
national prejudices.
The business relations governing
the Grange were thus enumerated:
TO bring the producer and consumer
nearer together.
No communism and no agrarian-
ism. ~
Not opposed to capital, but opposed
to the tyranny of monopolies.
Opposed to excessive salaries to offi-
cials. -..
TO advance the cause of education
in practical agriculture and domestic
science. ar . ~. b.
TO cultivate and advance the proper
sphere of woman. r1.7-<r,7 --5-rs e
In the course of his remarks the
speaker touched upon all the open
questions of the day which are brought
up in the discussion of the Grange
movement. He mentioned the late
failure of Il. E. Morgan's Sons as eff
fected and designed by the enemies Of
the cause. He commented favorably
on the progress making in the agricul-
tural department of the State Univer-
sity. The middleman also received q
share of attention, but was dealt with
fairly ard generously. The speaker
thought that we should dispense with
the surplus of middlemen-not with
the whole class. Did space permit we
would be glad to follow Mr. Wright
through the whole course of his argu-
ment, but must be content with this
brief summary. His remarks were
listened to with the deepest interest
throughout and there was an air of
earnestness both with the speaker and