Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-02-12

)WARD NONE; WITH CHART
Y, MINNESOTA, THU
GRANGE IDEAS.
Address Of GRAND Master Adams Before
the Nattonal 1 Grange.
i At the first days session of the
National Grange in st. Louis, Grand
Master Adams delivered the following
address:
Brothers and Sisters qfthe National Grange:
The work of the National Grange for the
past year has been almost exclusively one Of
organization. 1n this direction its success
Las been such as to excite the constant won
der OF even its own members, whi,e those out.
side the gates have beheld our growth with
undissuised amazement. At our last annual
meeting there were represented nine State
Granges. having under their jurisdiction
about 800 subordinate Oranges. To-day
there are State Oranges in thirty.two States,
two Territories, and tho Province OF Quebec.
in the Dominion Of Canada, all of which are
to-day present through their chosen repre-
sentatives. and claim under their jurisdiction
neasly II, 600 subordinate Oranges in America.
The causes which have led to this great up
rising, which have rendered the work OF or
ganiZstiOn possible, aud even easy, are few
but grave, and mainly Of . nature never con.
templated by the originators Of the order. In
its inception it was intended to be chiefly
social and educational institution, something
after the nature Of farmers club, only more
comprehensive in its plan, including both
sexes, and rendered more attractive by Z
pleasing ritual and the subtle charm OF
secrecy. 1t was intended to bring together at
frequent and stated periods the agricultural
population, to interchange views, discuss az
ricultural, literary and scientific questions,
and cultivate the social amenities OF civilized
lite. In short, it was intended to improve the
stan ling OF the ti!lers of the soil, men.
tally, morally and soclaiiy. As such it has been
Though some other features, which have been
engrafted on the parent stock ut q later date,
have occupied q more prOmint mt place in the
eye OF the public than this, yet it cannot be
denied that none are OF equal importance to
the permanent welfare of the Order and its
members, for. really, moral wealth, mental
power, and social culture lie at the foundation
OF al real progress. There is danger that, in
graphing with the gigantic questions Of the
hour, We may lose sight Of the rock on which
When the first subordinate Grange had
been organized, one OF the first and most
proper subjects tor discussion was, how to
make tw, blades OF grass grow where one
grew before. During these discussions the
tact soon became prominent that how to sell
crops VAS fully % knotty question as how to
grow them. 1t came to the conviction of
bushel Of wheat, while the man who ate it
paid $1.20 for it. We were selling corn at 20
cents per bushel, while the consumer was pay
ing 80 cents tor it. In what We bought there
was the same discrepancy between: first cost
and what we were obliged to pay. For now
ers, sewing ng-machnes. plows. musical iustru-
ments, etc., We were paying from 80 to 200
per cent. above the original cost. We asked
ourselves whether this amazing difference was
a necessity, or the result OF circumstances
over which we had control. The solution of
this problem soon became leading idea in
the Order. Subordinate Oranges, County Coun-
cils, and State Oranges have gwen this one
point more thought and attention than per-
haps any other. and I am happy to know that
satisfactory progress has been made,-mil-
Order,-and still the outlook 10, that We are
as yet only on the threshold Of this great
work. Almost universally we find manutac.
| turers and consumers equally anxious to be
relieved Of so much as is possible Of the loss
IN transit occasioned by surplus of middle.
! men. Most OF those manufacturers OF small
agricultural implements have been found
ready to sell to Grangers at wholesale rates.
| With the manutacturers OF r&apers and NOV.
ers the case has been different, not that they
were qnwi'l 'liug to do so from any principle or
prejudice, but no one state was strong enough
to show them that they could offer . more
| certain market for their wares than could be
obtained through their present system Of
| agencies.
In such cases as these it is the duty Of the
! National to lend its aid to the State Oranges,
| or by itself grapple with the difficulty. The
subject Of cooperative stores is one in which
subordinate Oranges have manifested much
| interest, but the want Of definite information
as to the most approved and successful plan
tor conducting them has prevented their gen.
eral establishment. am Of opinion that the
National Grange should propose careful and
elaborate plan for such stores. using therefor
the abundant materials which the experience
of the Rochdale and other societies afford.
This would be hailed with delight by thou
sands of Patrons who are now cropping in the
dark.
Transportation OF farm products to market
is an outgrowth Of and properly part Of the
same question, and part which has laid firm
hold on the conscience OF our people. In q
country Of magnificent distances the trans
portation OF heavy farm products by wagons
Railroads are : necessity OF the times and
circumstances. Fully recognizing this, the
Government has kindly fostered and literally
| subsidized them. The people have heavily
taxed themselves to aid IN their construction,
expecting substantial benefits in return.
si,ion that rail roads, even a. now
conducted, add immensely to the develop
ment of the country and the convenience Of
the people; still, in our inmost soul, we feel
deeply wronged st the return made f0rsthe
end and liberal spirit We have shown them.
Rates Of freight are often exorbitantly high
| and frequently changed. Often . larger bill
is charged for short distance than = long
! one, thus discriminating against places, and
often higher ra.es are charged one individual
than another, thus discriminating against
guess what it will cost to send it to market,
for we are the slaves Of those whom We
have created. What IL the remedy2 Where
lies the difficulty? For even in our own ranks
there is = Babel Of opinion. Some advocate
new routes East, subsidized BY Government.
either rail or canal others would have new
roads made BY private enterprises, and trust
! 90 competition.
The first OF these would require many years
before they can afford the relief which we
want now and, besides, will surely develop
into other Credit Mobi!iers. The second will
only add one more link to the chain which
now binds us hand and foot. I see no solution
for this question but tor Congress to avail it.
self Of its constitutional right to regulate com.
merce between the States, and for the States
themselves to regulate the tariffs within their
OWu UOuuucIlcDs 1u6t tuuS TjRut IL VeSCet1 III
the government OF the States and nation
seems wholly clear: When railroad is to
be built. the line Of which crosses
my private property, and I do not
wish to have this property mutilated,
frankly 30 inform the rsilroad. Government
now steps in and very properly says: This
railroad is for the development of the state,
| and on the ground that the public good de.
mands it's construction, You must sell hem
your right Of way aud We will allow you a rea-
sonable compensa ton therefor" Now, it
seems clear to me that the same government
which can take my land for the public good
railroad, 'The public good demands that you
carry freigats and persons at reasonable
rates, which you henceforth must do, ana We
will decide what those rates shall be-"
As we'll as any one fully appreciate the diff
fcu!ties which are in the way of traffic fixed
Dy law-I can easily see where it may some
times work hardship and even actual wrong.
But it is amazing-it seems to me prepOster.
ous-that disinterested men are not as COM
pa.nt as those interested to fix rates which
shall be jU..r the railroads and the people,
To rely on competition for reliet will only
bring renewed disappoii tment. Our past his
tory shows that the rapid increase of lallroads
has only resulted in more gigantic combina
tiOns.
It will doubtless be difficult to induce our
National Legislature and most OF our State
Legislatures to pass any such law which will
be sufficient, for there IL no money in it. The
propositions which will be most likely to meet
witt, favor in those august bodies will be the
building of new railroads, or digging vast
canals, which will allow them the opportlnlt
to spend $5O, ,OO0, 900 or 500, 600 QUO. which We
will at least have the producers privilege of