Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-06-14
The Power of the Grange.


Somebody says people must be-
come corrupt before they will have
corrupt Government. This is q little
too strong. 1t is nearer the truth to
put it thus: When people become
careless of their power and Indifferent
of their rights, they are almost GER
tain to have their high places filled
with corrupt and incompetent men.
The people of the United States are
not corrupt, but they have grown neg
ligent of their duty as freemen-they
have failed to exercise the right of
suffrage wisely-in too many in
stances not at all. Party leaders be-
came corrupt and the rank and file,
having lost faith, grew Indifferent,
then reckless of results and finally re-
CARELESS of consequences. The man.
agement of elections fell into the
hands of corrupt leaders and such vot-
ers as they could corrupt. But the
masses had neither part nor lot in
placing the men in power who con-
trolled the Government. No party
could show clear record and no par
tvs leaders were worthy of the conf
dence of the people. There was no
choice and the honest masses for
time remained away from the polls.
d., Tho ,,,nanc tha. Goxorr hn-
came corrupt, but the people were not
so. The fight for the spoils of office
was the fight of the corrupt factions of
the different parties. The forced alb
dication of King Caucus was the first
indication that the people were pre-
pairing to cleanse the Government.
The refusal to heed the crack of the
party whip, was still more ominous
sign of coming reform. Then followed
independent organizations and indie
pendent tickets. The people were be-
coming aroused. They saw their lib
critics endangered, their rights invad-
ed, and the instinct of self-preserva-
ton so long dormant began to show
signs of life. But the bad men of the
old bad parties flocked into the reform
camp, and in little time the stencil
of corruption pervaded the nostril of
the honest neil who had given their
time and labor to the work of cleaning
the Augean stables. Thoughtful vot-
ers saw that the fate of an indepen-
dent party must be that of the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties. They
saw that the reform so much needed
could not be attained through a new
political organization and they real
lied that other means must be resort
ed to. The Grange was heard of soon
after these thinkers began to antici-
pate the result of new party expert
ence. The farmers came to the rescue.
The Grange, county, State and
national, aggregated a power before
which party organization melted like
snow in the Summers heat, and by
which party platforms were estimated
at their true value - nothing. By
this great non-political power, party
leaders were weighed, and in most in
stances found wanting. The real
work Of publication began with the or
ganizatoin ofthe Grange, and has pro-
crossed with its growth. Just so long
as the Grange power remains neutral
remains on-political-just SO long
will the Vaccinations of corrupt poll
ticians come to naught. The efforts
of party leaders to force the Grange
upon political platform is intended
as the opening wedge which shall
rend it to fragments. To convert the
Grange into a distinct political organ
ization is the hope of the corruption
ist. While the Granger votes for such
men as he believes honest and compe-
tent, he is beyond the reach of those
who would deprive him of his power,
but when he becomes party, he ex-
poses himself to the dangers which
beset all parties.