The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-07-17

Gus, and IN some parts of the country
where the politicians have looked for
him with strnining eyes, but have thus
far failed to recognize him in the flesh,
he is almost as mythical a. a Kuklux to
Georgia darkey. But the Granger il
coming. lie is frequently about some
time before he is recognized. lie is n
great and powerful man in the far West,
where his brethren are many and his
progeny legion. But no pent-up Utica
will answer him. lie is just now pour
ing over the Allegheny Mountains in
astonishing numbers. But few months
ego he had not a single lodge in the
State of Pennsylvania, and the State
Ring aud the city Ring, and the little
court house Rings in the various counties,
stole on aud slept sound regardless of
him and hi- But the other day he was
at Nlcchanicsburg, in Cumberland
county. with great turnout of his pco.
pie. and showed beyond doubt that he
was at home in the East Us well n. the
West. aud ablc to smash thing generally
if be was - minded.
There we're sharp eyes bent upon ,hi.
smiling little village while the Granger
was there. Some people thought his
ambition was rising already, aud that
finding himself unexpectedly formidable
he would begin to cut capers, break
states and other political fixing, and
dance around in the exuberance Of hi
strength. to the certain discomfiture Of
all parties, his own among the rest. But
he did nothing of the kind. He caemly
resolved to ignore politics, and went into
secret session on his own business, which
is understood to have related principally
to the purchase of his supplies, and the
sale and transportation of his crops. Iii.
conduct on this. as on 50 many other oc-
casions, was disappointing to Others 4; but
nobody can say that it was indiscreet.
It is indeed strong evidence that the
Granger is sensible, sober.minded, solid
kind Of person. who j. in no danger Of
getting drunk with his new prosperity,
and seeking strange adventure outside Of
his appropriate field of labor.
But who and what is the Granger ai-
ter all? lie goes of to deliberate in
room with the blinds down, has pas,
word. and signs and grips. and allows
nobody to hear what he says or TO see
what he does. He must have many Sc
crets. Most assuredIy he has aud The
San, looking down impartially upon ev-
erything mundane, and imparting health
and vigor to everything good, knows
what his secrets are. In the first place
they relate entirely to his own affairs,
aud it Is for that reason alone that he
has failed to crafty the general curiosi-
ty by publishing them at large. For
instance. the Grangers make their hard
living by tilling the scii. When one Of
them begins life it is great matter to
him to get his reaper, his mower, his
threshcr, and his hundred other machines
and implements as well as his household
furniture, his clothing and his groceries,
his one-horsc shay and bi, parlor organ,
at something near half the price of the
retail merchant or the manufacturers
agent, Thi, he does by cooperation of
Others situated like himself; but how
aud when he does il Is one OF his secrets,
and very precious one At that.
In like manner, when at the end of
season of incessant toll he secs his fields
yellow with the harvest of bread and his
fattcd herd lowing in the pastures, he re-
fleets that he and the consumer of all
this produce are frequently situated far
apart and that host of intermediate
agents and traders absorb large portion
Of its value in money. lie resolved to
put in his own purse the difference
between the price paid by the consumer,
less transportation and the price usually
paid To the farmer. lie does ihi. by
means Of the Grange; but the precise
method Of it is another of his grand
secrets. When he has accomplished
these two capital. operations, he has
made and saved enough to make hi.
business profitable, and to give his wife
and children some of the luxuries aud
advantages in which the families Of
hourishing middlemen are commonly in.
dulgcl
An association which promises him
such results, and which ut the same
time vindicates the independence of him
and his class, opens to him Il prospect
full of roscate and radiant hue as com
pared with the scrvilc and hcsgarly con
dition from which he i. rising. llcreaf.
ter he will, like other glasses of men,
combine with those whose Interests are
identical, aud do himself the Justice of
which he has hecn 50 long deprived I
His power in virtue of this widespread
and coherent organization may well he
considered tremendous. A million Of
members to-day will be two millions by !
the next spring, and when they begin to
hold back crops or send them forward
according to their own good pleasure,
New York and Chicago, Wall street aud
the produce exchanges, will begin to
count new and terrible. because un.