The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-12-03

I was amused at reading, sometime
since, in that prominently wise-or
otherwise-paper called the Nation, u
demonstration of the decline of the
grange movement. The thing was as
clear to the writer as was the proposition
of the impossibility Of navigating the
ocean by steam to DR. Lardner, who
demonstrated that it could not be done,
just at the very time a thick-headed Eng
lishman was pushing his steamship across
the Atlantic ocean with what the learned
doctor would have styled the most stupid
success. l have thought Of this latter
incident quite frequently during the few
months past, as | attended some Of our
grange picnics, and always in connection
with these predictions and assertions Of
the failure of the great agricultural up
rising, made by the wiseacres of the
press.
What these great gatherings of the
western farmers must indicate, begins to
be appreciated by US, now that We have
our own grange picnics. 1t seems to me
that even the Patrons do not begin to
comprehend this movement, so sponta-
neous and so mighty. Thousands Of
people, and those Of the rural districts,
gathered together on the same day, in
different localities, actuated by single
impulse, and having in view common
object-this, | say, has greater impor-
lance than we have yet given to it. So
far from the movement having exhausted
itself, it has not yet assumed definite
form. 1t simply indicates mighty rev.
olution in our industrial organization. 1t
is to the old industrial order what the
gathering at Runnymede was to the
power Of kingly rule in the feudal times
the conquering of new charter Of in
dustrial liberty for the sons and daught-
ers of toll. What with the production
Of food, thoroughly organized by the
grange, and the products of all commodi
ties used by the food producers, as thor
oughly organized by the Soverigns Of In
dustry--these latter becoming an organ
lied market for the farmers while the
grange again becomes the organized
market for their productions what,
with such reciprocal production and con
sumption $" organized, the industrial
world cannot accomplish, he would be
bold man who would predict. The func-
tons of the mere exchanger or middle
man, as exchange is at present conducted,
would of necessity cease, and the work
be carried on through the agents Of these
producers not as now, by
class whose interests are inharmonious
with, if not actually hostile to labor, but
by those belonging to the laboring classes.
The thing called profits-upon which so
many middlemen grow wealthy, and
which is, in fact, that part of produced
wealth which the producer never gets
would remain with the producer to en-
rich him. Labor would then receive its |
just reward, by equitable distribution.
This is the great problem OF our time
Well may the men who live upon trad
ing in the products of industry-the men
of money alone-look appalled, upon the
wonderful movement of the grange, ac-
as it now is, by the growing
of the organization of the
other productive industries-for out of
these organizations comes power, and
with power in the men of toll will most
come that reorganization of the
distribution of the proceeds of labor that
will give to labor its equitable share of
he worlds wealth. j. f. Byrnes, in
Farmers Friend.