The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-05-07
THE NATIONAL SPONGE (cRANcEl

The AgricuI u,aI a,.,r Of the
State L9eglster, a f,iu,,r, aud one of
the leading an@ eaf7Icsi working
members of the Of0er Of the Pat.
rons of Husbandry of this State.
speaks thus PLAINLY OF The corrupt
dolngs of the National Grange:
The proceedings of the air tight
corporation the (Natiopal Grange,)
are very slowly leaking out. The
hurat World of March l4th, in civ.
ing Summary of the Constitutio,
OF the State Grange of Missouri. az
amended since the meeting of the
the National Grange, has the follow.
ing paragraph relative to the pro.
vision in their Constitution for rem.
resentation in the National GRANGE
The State shall annually elect as a
delegate to the National Grange.
one of its members for each fifty
thousand fourth degree members in
the State, and one additional dele.
gate for each fraction over thirty
thousand this arrangement for rep.
resentation to take effect from and
after the adoption of the fifth section
of the third amendment to the Con-
stitution of the National Grange.
Can any Patrons of Husbandry
tell us why they are sot informed of
the proceedings Of the National
Grange? If they really amended
the plan of representation in the pat
riarchal head of our Order, why
have not the representative reliev-
ed the anxiety of the membership
upon the subject !? There can be
but two reasons. One is a cold con-
tempt for the intelligence, the rights
and the interests of the Order-a
naughty disdain for the feelings Of
those who pay the fees es these
who lavishly expend them. Or il
is part OF the scheme to perssm-
ate in power the relentless leeehas
who are living luxuriously spen shs
magnificent fund yearly paid in te
our National Treasury. They knew
the storm was raising for repreeen-
tative head, and they dare not ad-
journ until something was done to
allay or deceive the mem bers op the
subject. The National Grunge
has evidently attempted to make
this secret proposition to the State
Grange, keep it from being kno~ i
or urged by outsiders, and by the
operations of the ring OF this great
figure head of our Order, induce a
third ofthe small State Oranges, who
have not been initiated into "tricks
that are vain, to reject the PROPOSE
ton, and then the patriarchs, down
from whom come all wisdom, will
inform us that they have proposed
to yield their power, but the Grang-
ers have refused to accept it. This
silence-this determined secrecy by
all the members of the National
Grange is not accidental-not a nec-
essary consequence. But our Nation
al Absorbents determined in their
recent conclave to let no inquisitive
one tempt them under any circum-
stances to reveal one single word,
fearful that the whole plan would be
defeated if word of warning
should be sounded. And how stu
diously has it been carried out.
Some eight or ten States Changers
have been held since the meeting of
the Star Chamber at St. Louis, and
yet the only item that has leaked out
is this item in the constitution of the
State Grange of Missouri. The
amendments of the constitution are
no secret matter-the constitution
itself is a public document, and all
should know under what law they
live and the representative should
be our agents, and not our masters.
The truth is our organization is con-
Quoted under system of terrorism.
No organ ofthe Order dare say q
word against the doings OF the rich
which has heretofore ruled, and now
rules the Order in all its departments.
The organs (newspapers) are making
immense fortunes out of this popu-
lar uprising Of the people, and no
love of the rights of the people-no
indwelling love for righteousness, will
tempt them to utter single word
against our expensive figure head.
They are constantly reminded that
if they do, the funds of the Order
will be used to start organs in oppo-
sition. The Committee Of the State
Grange of Kansas have correct views
of this matter, in their report upon .
Grange organ, when they say
We are firmly convinced, from
observation of the effect IN other
States, as we'll as Kansas, that the
selection of any journal, which shall
be designated as an Official Organ
works serious injury, not only TO
the Grange, but in a great measure
destroys the independence, integrity
and reliability of the paper itself. To
the intelligent public outside OF the
order, the utterance of paid or sub
sidized official organ has uejther
weight OF influence, being CONSIDER
ed as saying only what it is paid to
say. As all official organ, its inde-
pendent criticism of the transgress-
ions in the Grange is cut of, and its
readers must feel that lts utterances
are compromised by its official oblig'
ations. The selection OF one spec.
ial paper upon which the Grange
concentrates its patronage, tends to
place the press of the State IN antag-
onism. The press of the State will
be earnest ce-workers, unless driven
into opposition by special favoritism
shown 10 one paper.
We suppose the National Grange
has proposed amendments, but there
is littledoubt but they will be defeat
ed before the new feeble State
Oranges who can be easily controll-
ed. This is the object of this silence
of the grave. No demand OF the
membership OF the press will induce
single member of the National
Sponge to utter single word 1t is
not merely cold contempt for the
rights and the feelings Of the men,
bership, but it is the silent step of
the representative Of the feline race
for its prey. 1t is dark and deter
mined effort to retain power and
plunder. Mum is the word, and the
command has gone out to the faith
ful leeches not to be betrayed by an
attempt to defend. But in the secret
council it was determined to keep
still and quiet, and that the grum-
blings would soon blow over; and
| o,o,. &c - fou rranpars did Withdraw