National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-13
PRINCIPLES OF THE GRANGER

PRINCIPLES OF THE CHANGERS.
The die is cast The fiat has gone forth.
The National Grange has spoken. The
mask has been removed and the politicians
breathe again. They now know that if they
IRE not farmers they cannot be Changers,
but as an offset to all this they may
comfort themselves with the reflection that
Ill politics are banished from the Oranges
80 if they had been admitted they would
have had no occupation there. The exac'
sext of the clause in the declaration O
principles, which was printed in The Ma
TIoNAL REPUBLICAN of yesterday, pu
forth at ST. Louis on Wednesday upon thi:
point, is as follows: 1--WE emphatically ant
sincerely assert the oft-repeated trutl
'taught in our organic law that the Grange
National, State or subordinate-is not 6
political or party organization. No Grange
''if true to its obligation, can discuss politi
zeal questions, nor call political conveR
'tions, nor nominate candidates, nor even
f'discuss their merits in their meetings"
This is honest, frank, clear, and explicit
There is no attempt at diplomacy, no gid
ing of sophistry, no display of rhetoric,
none of the arts of the demagogue used fol-
the purpose of covering hidden meaning,
but ali is plain sailing; SO plain that the
wayfaring man or woman may comprehend
it. "let," continues the address, 'the
principles we teach underlie all true poll
"tics and all true craftsmanship, and, il
"propcriy carried out, will tend to purify
"thc whole political atmosphere of oul
Country"
There are few who will deny that put
rification of the political atmosphere and
An elevation of the political morals of the
country would be beneficial. Such refor-
Hlations are always in order, and to be eff
Gcctivc in our political organizations must
commence with the integral parts compos-
ing them. If the individual members of a
collective body are pure and patriotic, the
Transactions of the organization will bear
The impress Of their inspiration. If the
fountain be pure the stream flowing from it
cannsi be infectious. To this end of moral
elevation and political purity it may be sup
posed il is that the Grange declares its pur-
pose ''to inculcate proper appreciation of
"the abilities and sphere of woman by ad-
emitting her to membership and position
Gin the Order" This is, no doubt, wise
and commendable The influence of woman
is everywhere throughout civilization ac-
knowledged to be both beneficent, moral,
virtuous and humane, and there is no rea-
son to suppose it may not prove as effective
in the Grange as at the hearthstone.
While the Changers are united by the
strong and universal tie of agriculture,
mutually resolved to labor fer the good of
zach other, they assume the broad and
comprehensive motto of Unity in essen
tials; in non essentials, liberty; il all things
charity" They are banded together for
mutual protection and high state of phy
steal, intellectual, industrial and moral de.
vclopment. They would cultivate friend
ship and brotherly love. They would
avoid litigation, and substitute in its stead
arbitration in the adjustment of differences,
Is more equitable and less expensive.
They would eschew credits and mort
cages and fashions as wasteful and i'm
proyident, and advise the cultivation of
no more soil than their labor and means
will enable them to control in independence
They would bring the producer and con-
mmcr into closer relations with each other,
md to this end encourage all means of in
ernal communication. and transportation.
but at the same time make war upon die
atorial and tyrannical monopolies. They
would inculcate industry and economy as
means to that individual happiness which is
necessary to the general prosperity. No
one becoming a Grange member, under
these views and circumstances, yields that
inalienable right and duty incumbent on
every American citizen to take proper in.
terest in the politics of his country. But
this must be exercised outside of and mot
within the Grange The latter is familv
school for the inculcation of correct general
PRINCIPLES, such - children and youth may
lie supposed 70. receive under the parental
roof 10 prepare them for the battle Of life.
Education is to be encouraged and fostered
by all possible means, that the farmer may