Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-12-19


ity Of their originators to develop and
set forth plans free from features of
distfust, and that would be calculated
to- meet the approval Of the Order,
But as yet no plan has been suggested
that eommends itself to the intelli-
genee Of the Order, though ingeni-
ously robed in all the appearances of
fairness. Had these speculative OBJ
jects possessed laudability and present
ed freedom from all evil tendencies,
especially from creating a spirit of dis
trust among US, they would have been
readily grasped by the Order. They
would have required no coaxing, no
extraordinary reasoning to make them
see their interest. The Objectionable
feature presented to my mind by the
supply store system and all other spec
ulative schemes are: First, they are
departures from the main objects of
the Order and entirely out of the
sphere of the farmer. They are cal
culated to unduly attract the minds of
husbandmen. from their engagements
in forwarding the primary objects of
the Order-6lling their minds with
hopes of gain that never can be real
lied. Secondly. they will engender q
spirit of jealousy and distrust in the
Order. The farming class not being
educated in mercantile craft; it would
be a difficult task to convince them
| that justice had been done them if
their hopes were not fully realized,
and they would too readily come to
the conclusion that they had been
handsomely defrauded by their better
informed and more fortunate breth-
rem. Thirdly, they will clog the Or
der and retard its progress by creating
for the farmer a multiplicity of voca-
tons that be has no knowledge Of
their advantages .or disadvantages,
| calling him from his home and his
business that should not admit Of
neglect, to some distant point to hear
discussed and have his mind filed
with wild schemes of speculation that
would never profit him so much, in all
probability, as he would lose by that
days attendance. You are mistaken"
says one of the advocates, we de not
propose for the farmers to assume any
other vocation. In establishing these
supply stores, we onl'- require that
they put in the money to build the
store, and we will manage the affair
for their special interest" Fourthly,
they will bring host of enemies up
on the Order without any eommensu-
rate advantage. Our community is
fragmentary, and every integral class
forms part, and every class created
by the legitimate necessities of society
is indispensable to the we'll being of
the whole. The mercantile class was
called into existence by the. absolute
wants of society, and is indispensable
to it's well being, and any attempt on
the part of of the farming class to in
jure them, by supplanting in business,
would be incompatible with the prin-
ciples Of right and justice, and derog-
atory to the character of our noble
Order If the farmers, as class, be-
come so unmindful of their duty and
| interest, as to assume the double occu-
patton of merchant and farmer, the
reasonable presumption is, they will
fail in both, after mourning the ILL.,
will of the mercantile class andthe
disrepute of having made vain and
futile attempt to break down, or at
least mar, the interest of one of the
legitimate glasses of society-one, too,
that has always given credit and honor
to our nation. 1t is my honest con-
victlon, that if this goodly Order ever
accomplishes any important good for
! the farmer, we will first have to aband-
OF all those delusive ideas of specula-
tioa and cease from building air cas-
ties, and pursuing every phantasma-
goria that crosses your path, which
are but the offspring of FESTIVE, dis
tempered mind. and give your individ-
cd attention to the promotion of the
original objects of the Order. | un-
derstand it to be an agricultural or
der, and in no wise mercantile, for the
Improvement of that art, and for the
purpose of raising the standard of ed
ucation among farmers, as set forth by
the preamble of our National Consti-
tuition, which says:
THE soil is the source from whence
we derive all that constitutes wealth
without it we would have no agricul-
ture. no manufactures, no commerce.
OF all the material gifts of the Gre
ator, the various productions of the
vegetable world are of the first i'm
portance. The art of agriculture is
the parent and precursor of all arts,
and its products the foundation of all
wealth. The productions of the earth |
are subject to the influence of natural |
laws, invariable and indisputable.-
The amount produced will consequent
ly be in proportion to the intelligence
Of the producer, and success will de- |
pend upon his knowledge of the action
of these principles. Hence knowl- |
edge is the foundation of happiness.
Then, it becomes our duty as true
Patrons of Husbandry, to first use our |
utmost endeavors to develop these no.
bic aims, aud so shape our works and
actions, as to gain the cooperation Of
all good and wise men, and endeavor
to rise from our humble condition,
Phenix-like from our own ashes, upon
our own merit and the merit of our
own wise and good works.
The primary objects Of the Order
were certainly designed to have two
fold effect: First, TO ameliorate the |
condition Of the farmer. Secondly,
by that amelioration to strengthen the
bounds of their union. The establish
ment of good schools for the mutnal