, 1874-06-03

auu oAl,cnu1turoB for tho pNst year.
i, NotWlthstandinK tho ingenuity displayed by
tho presentation OF specific Inducements, such MS
tMo promise OF sa!tnEs in tho exchange Of farm
proaucsa for needed supplies, and tho shrowd
APPEALS 70 SECTIONAL AND CLASS FnEIUp1CE8,
tue bussncss laugaishcd until tho popular. mind
1879 md 1879 Of astounding municipal and ma
tlonal frauds, perpotratcd through tho agency Of
corrupt legiulatora. Promptly ayailing thom-
selvos n oi the favorable opportunity. and follow
boldncss and enterprise blaxcd the way for thcn1,
tlioy hyo encouraged and stimulated tho AMI
mositios OF those whose information ia most
liuttod. until they have produood sttperEeatod
almoom, threatening indsoriminate destruction
to good and evil alike. Thoy olal1n that their
primary purposes aro social and educational nd.
vAncomant, and yet thoy out themselves aiool
from association with other o1assea than slolr
own, and from tlle poor as we'll ~ tho mora inlo-
pcndont among themselves They are iuouseat-
ing cfannishnoss among poorlo wlloao boast tB
aocal equality. Tholr ssstem OF oduoatlonn
IN hs original a8 their social syatom that IL, 1t
was original many centuries ago wien narrow
minded bigotry tolerated 10 departure from tho
ca,abils1lcd creed OF tho Jo1yish Churoh-ante-
dating tho Christian ora. They, the Maators
presume to sduoato tho farmor iu Ills political
dutios. and Oh to hls commercial relations. and
yet carefully preclude praBontntion Of both
e;las OF tho questions under discussion. They
spend hours and days In 1oarnlng aud rooting
s'tIo beautiful unwrittcn work " Of tho Order, =
sEssELEss MuMstEny AND WASTE or TIME.
They uttorly ignore tho progressive civilization
represented by tho remarkable growth in powor
sud influence OF tho public press. II thoir neu-
bers htggeht any goud i1oas thsy aro 1nononn-
@ fayorod d. onos % WHO havo paid their IS towards
tho support Of t1oir Worthy Masters" " aud
ittnerant deputoB. The oxceAsive wasto OF
timo to which rofcronco has boon matto Do
bars tho discussion Of topics hish ,l,o shoMid as
ounaion moro than ali o1so is tho
arecnl aud only real iuducemont for association.
Titus tho educational advantage Of tho mootinga
In sacrificed, or II not, is perverted to tho inctl-
constant alarm manifested by nanagora Of tho
Order lest Homo educator with viowB at Variance
with their own should stoal inside their aSates,
il suggestive that tllore Ia a hidden motive
prompting their rigid oxcluaivenoss.
Lot l1s nor for moment consider tho nature
Of tho obligation which pledges each member to
1SvloLAnLE sEcnEcY.
pcrhnps my own oxperionco will iustratc this
sufficiently. rs all carly advocate OF far,r1srs'
co-opcratigo associations, my attention was
directed to this particular organization. Boon
after it began to mako headway in Iowa,
aoma editorial comment and suggestive
questions called FORTH vory promptly, COM
1l1unicatioua from tho Grand Deputy, Coi.
ca,tIss, setting forth II in glowing language h9 t,s
TO promote, Names of those whom held in
high eatcem woro given al indorsera to It's ILL.,
tegrity. / regret that somo OF these arc now
Mouopo3izug Grange commission agcnts, protit-
ing from their Identification with tho Order.
After whilo tho Master Of the Mississippi State
Gra1ge cnmo to Tenuesaeo, as = special deputy
from tho National Grange, to organize butti-
cent number Of subordinate Oranges to com-
pleto Stato organization. He came TO Jackson,
where thcn resided, and, upon invitation. quito
a number Of gentlemen mot with him, IIe pre-
Hcnted the plan OF the organization, and mado o
very favotabio impression upon thoHc present:
Questions wcro asked AZ to how far the pledge Of
secrecy dcbarrcl tho expression OF Individual
opinion, aud worc nBNerol by full disclaimer
OF any intent to dobar tho frocst discussion.
Tho 0rdcr was wholly good, aud tho most thor
ougl investigation was courtcd. 1t was further
draw rs it might suit Ills pleasure. Prompt
ed by lesiro to nssiat in any good work.
and feeling no captous antipathy towards any
organization which was engaged IN tho cause
had espouBed, I consented to joining tho Grange.
Az there was a sufficient number Of members
present to 70 into an election Of officers, md ro-
ceiyo tho private instructions, only tho plodgo
was administered to those present aud future
day sot for tho completion Of the ceremony.
it was just before tho Convention or Congress-
in meet,ng and fbrming tho acquaintance Of tho
NATIONAL GRANGE pIoS1TAn1Es.
They we're there, and lid meet thotn, but happily
uuder circumstances which AFFORDED mo AL oppof-
tunity to discover tho private character OF several
Of them. lliaco7ored that they we're dignitariea
without dignity. that thoy lad mot there ~ spios
upon our nctio aud as rlotters for oir disconlht-
uro. As they Expressed 1t, they had mot on their
own business. IdiDcoyorea too, that their power
vas 80 abrolute that when they said to subordi-
nato ''tabo no part in this meeting" la forthwith
ohcyed. I discovered that the Chaplain not only
prayed, but indulged in vulgarity, In common
With hla business aasoclates. In Tact, discov-
cred that they we're men who would hardly DO
Auf4 .&rI $rS rift1%t RI
My ardor MAS cooled eftectually, md 1t oc-
cured to me that this grand Order, which ,yas
presented With such flourish of trunpots, it's
merits di1coursed OF i'll such honeyed phrase.
would, like homo other OF tho gront schemes OF
the prcBent day, be
PROPER SUBJECT FOR INVESTIGATION.
It Is needless to say tint furLhor instruction
into Grango-mysterics was not sopght in tho
regular way. For timo I hositatod about
mating diract attack upon this Ordor. Into
thousands OF honest men and w0inon had boon
iuycigletl, under tho impression tint thoy Nero
promoting tho public interest. Careful and
pleasant criticism Of tho most obnoxious fea-
in hopes that there would he sntflcioat integrity
among new members Of tho National Grange to
DISCARD tlloso specillly Objectionable features.
Those criticisms weto published in tho st. Louis
| papers just previous to tho meeting OF tho Nm
tional Orange, but instead Of ,rccoiyIng candid
consideration, prominent plomhors Of tho Order
| pounced upon mo, and, with onvonomed bittor-
moss and unbecomug personality, aought to Grip
pic my opposition by destroying my business
| and my porsonal character. Fortunately tho
| u!liof spokesman wan = prolific writer, and
promptly noticed everything said Of tho Order.
Dy keeping him we'll stirred up, he has onlight-
| cnod tLe poop!e nomewhas Oh to tho anllnus
which prompts tho action OF tho National
Grange. Ono Of tho first oxproHa!ons at its an-
| mus! meeting was decidedly as against the abo.
lition OF secrecy. Such proposition could
never be entertained. Annoyed beyond meas
ure by tho discussion Of t1loir Weaknesses,
| Master Allen at last charged mo with violating
my SOLEMN obligation, aad admittod that my
| action in 80 doing had boon the subject Of dis
caAsion by other mombers Of tho National Grange
| aud coaed hfs articlo with tho touching appeal
"Take tho advice OF u friend now, sud lot III
| alono. have no deaira to Anrm yott, aud know
that you cannot harm us." Could he hayo known
how auxtouslY1 had awaited tho official m
uouncomont OF that construction upon tho
Grange obligation ho would probably have hesi-
tatcd botoro putting it In prl'it. Admitting 1t to
bo 40 hold, there arc million or moro Of Amor
| lc8t citizana who haY0 Joined IN orEanization,