Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-02-18

.-'# Members. t| t.'.. .
The National Grange, at it's session
in st. Louis on Wednesday, adopted
the following declaration of principles,
presented by the Committee on Reso-
lutions t... ...-..a ..r.
Profoundly impressed with the truth that
the National Grange of the United States
should detiantly proclaim to the world it's
general object, we hereby unanimously make
this declaration of purposes OF the Patrons of
Husbandry. Be- I..' 1E'H"
United by the strong and faithful tie of agr-
culture, we mutually resolve to labor for the
good of our order, our country and mankind.
2. We heartily endorse the motto: 6 In es-
sentials unity, In non-essentlals liberty, in all
things charity" -..- .E# "
8. We shall endeavor to advance our cause
By labOring to accomplish the following OBJ
jects: To develop better and higher man
hood and womanhood among ourselves to
enhance the comforts and attractions Of home
and strengthen our attachments to our pur-
suits to foster mutual understanding and
cooperation to maintain inviolate our laws,
and to emulate each other to labor; to
hasten the good time coming to reduce our
expenses, both incidental and corporate; to
| buy less and produce more, in order to make
our farms self-supportng; to diversity our
crops, and SOW no more thai we can cultivate !;
| to condense the weight Of our exports,
selling less in the bushel and more in the
hoof and fleece to systemiZe our
work and calculate inteligently on probable
| ities +; to discountenance the credit system.
the mortgage system, the fashion system, and
every system tending to prOdlgallty and
bankruptcy. We propose meeting together,
talking together, working together, buying
| together, selling together, and generally
acting together for our mutual protection and
advancement as occasion may require. We
| shall avoid litigation as much as possible by
arbitration in the grange, We shall con-
| tlnually strive to secure entire harmony, good
will and brotherhood among ourselves, and to
make our order perpetual. We shall ear
nestly endeavor to suppress personal, local,
sectional and national preiudices all I'M
healthy rivalry, and all selfish ambition
| Faithful adherence to these principles will in
sure our mental, moral, social and material
| advancement.
A. For our business interests we desire to
| bring producers and consumers, farmers and
manufacturers, into the most direct and
| friendly relations possible. Hence must
| dispense with surplus Of middle men !: not
tnat we are unfriendly to them, but we do not
need them. Their surplus and their exactions
diminish profits. We wage no aggressive
| warfare against any other interests whatever.
On the contrary, ali our acts and all our efforts
so far as business Is concerned, are not only
| for the benefit of producers and consumers,
/ but also for all other interests that try to
| bring these two parties into speedy and
| economical contact. Hence, we hold that
| transportation companies of every kind are
necessary to our success; that their inter-
ests are Intimately connected with our m
/ terests, and harmonious action is mutually
| advantageous Keeping in view the first
sentiment in our declaration of principles,
that individual happiness depends upon the
| general prosperity, we shall, therefore, ad
vOcate for every state the increase in every
| practicable way of al facilities for trans
porting cheaply to the seaboard. or between
home producers and consumers of all the pi O.
| auctions OF our country. We adopt it as our
| fixed purpose to open out the cham Is III pa-
| ture's great arteries, that the life blood T
| commerce may flow freely. We are not enc
mics of railroads, navigable and irrigating
| canals, nor Of'corpOratlons that will advance
our industrial interests, nor of any laboring
class. In our noble order there is no COM
| munism, no agrarianism., We are opposed to
/ such spirit and management of any corpora
| ton and enterprise tends to opp esq the
people and rob them of their just profits. We
are not enemies to capital, but we oppose the
tyranny of monopolies. We long to see the
| antagonism between capital and labor removed
by common consent ana by IN enlightened
craftsmanship worthy OF the nineteenth
century. We are opposed to excessive sal :
aries, high rates of interest land excessive per
cent. profits IN trade They greatly increase
our burdens, and do not bear a proper pro-
portion to the profits of producers. We de-
sire only self.protectlCn and the protection OF
every true interest of our land by legitimate
transactions, legitimate trade and legitimate
profits. We shall advocate the cause of edu-
cation among ourselves and for our children
by all just means within our power. We es-
peclally advocate for agricultural and indus
colleges th turo
nestle service, and all the arts which adorn
the home be taught in their course of study.
5. We emphatlcally and sincerely assert
that oft-repeated truth taught in our organic
law, that the Grange, national, state or sub
ordinate, is not political or party organiza-
ton. No Grange, if true to its obligations.
can discuss political or religious questions,
nor call political conventions, nor nominate
| candidates, nor even disclose their minds in
the meetings. Yet the principles we teach
underhe all true politics, all true statesman.
| snip; ana II properly carried out will tend to
purify the whole political atmosphere OF our
country !; for all seek the greatesti good to
the greatest number. But we must ALWAYS
bear 1t IN mind. that no one, by becoming a
grange member, gives up that inalienable
right ana duty which belongs to every Ameri-
| can citizen, to take proper part
in the politics of his country. On the
contrary, 1t Is right for every member to do
| all IN his power legitimately to influence for
| good the action Of any political party tc
| which he belongs. 1t is his duty to DO all he
can IN bis own party to put down bribery.
corruption and trlckery to see that none but
competent, faithful and honest men. who will
unflnchingly stand by our industrial intcr
ests, are nominated for all positions Of trust.
and have carried out the principles which
should always characterize every grange
member that the Office should seek the man.
and not the man the Office. We acknowledge
the broad principle that difference OF opinion
is no crime, and hold that progress toward
truth IS made by differences OF opinion, while
the fault lies in the bitterness of
controversy. We desire proper
equality, equity and fairness protection for
the weak, restraint upon the strong in short.
Justly distributed burdens and Justly dlstrl
buted power. These are American ideas. the
very essence Of American Independence. TO
advocate the contrary is unworthy of the sons
and daughters OF our American Republic. We
cherish the belief that sectionalsnl is. and of
right should lbe, dead and buried with the
past. Our work is for the present and the
future. In our agricultural brotherhood and
its purposes we shall recognize no North, no
South, no East, no West; 1t is re-
served by every patron as the right
OF a freeman to affiliate with
any Dartv tho will host carrc ont hi, ,r;,,a;