The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-02-19
Platform 81 the Gragcrs.

Proclamation of the National Grange.
The National Grange of the Patrons Of Hus-
bandry at Thursday session 10 ST. Louis pro-
claimed to the world the general objects and
purposes Of the order to be-: Fisrt. United by
the strong and faithful tie Of agriculture,
we mutually resolve to labor for the good OF
our order, our country, and mankind Sec
ond. We heartily endorse the motto, "ln
essentials. unity, non-esssntials, liberty; IN
all things charity" Third. We shall en-
deayor to advance our cause by aboring to
accomplish the following objects: To de,
velop better and higher manhood and wo-
manhood among ourselves; to enhance the
comforts and attractions Of our home and
strengthen our attachments to our pursuits j;
to form mutual understanding and cooper
alton: to maintain, inyiolate, our laws; to
stimulate each to labor; to hasten the good
time coming; to reduce expenses, both in
dividual and cooperative; to buy less and
produce more in order to make our farms
self.sustaining to diversity our crops and
crop no more than we can cultivate; to con-
dense the weight Of our exports, selling less
ia the bushel and more on the hoof aud in
fleece; to systematic our work and calcu-
late iutelligently on probabilities; to dis
countenance the credit system, mortgage
system, fashion system, and every other
system tending to prodigality and bankrupt
c.. Fourth. To bring producers and con-
sumers and farmers and manufacturers Into
the most direct and friendly relations posi-
BILE. We are opposed to excessive salaries
high rates of interest and exorbitant per
centage profits in trade, as they greatly in
crease our burdens and do not bear the
proper proportion to the proper profits of
producers We desire only self-protection
and protection Of every true interest afforded
by legitimate transactions, legitimate trade
aud legitimate profits Fifth. We emphati-
cally and sincerely assert the oft-repeated
truth taught in our organic law that the
grange national, State or subordnate-is
not a political or party organization. No
grange, if true to its obligation, can discuss
political questions, nor call political conven
tons, nor nominate candidates, nor even dis
cuss the merits 10 its meetings Yet the
principles we teach underIie all true politics
aud all true craftsmanship, and if properly
carried out will tend to purify the whole pc
litical atmosphere Of our country Sixth
Ours being peculiarly farm rs institution,
we cannot admit all TO our ranks; many are
excluded. Seventh. 1t shall be an abiding
principle with us to relieve any of our op-
pressed aud suffering brotherhood by any
means at our command Last but not least
we proclaim it among our purposes to incul-
cate proper appreciation of the abilities and
sphere of woman, by admitting her to mem
bership and position in our order. Implor-
ing continued assistance of our Divine Mas
ter to guide us in our work, We here pledge
ourselves to faithful and harmonious labor
for all future time, to return by our united
efforts to the wisdom, justice, fraternity and
political purity or our forefathers.
A memorial to the Patrons Of Husbandry
in the cotton States was also adopted. 1t is
an argument in favor Of mixed husbanary
in the South, instead of expendiug the en-
ergies Of the people in raising sirgle crops