The weekly Louisianian., 1874-03-07
TIE CHANGERS PLATFORM

Mr.. Wright, Grand Master of tho
State Grange of California, has written
"a declaration of purposes of tho
PATRONS of Husbandry," which the
st. Louis Convention has unanimous
" adopted. The National Grange
thereby becomes great social union
OF nearly eight hundred thousand
people. The platform announces that
no Grange is a party organization,
and that political questions are cxclud-
ed from discussion. The only infiu-
ence that the Order can have upon
the politics of the country is through
the education and development of
individual character, each member
being left at liberty to belong to any
political party that will best carry out
his principles. 1t is noticeable That
while the platform proclaims the non
political character of the Order of
Changers, it announces that tho
principles taught by the .)rder underlie
aA true politics and all true statesman
ship, and if properly carried out will
tend to purify the whole political
atmosphere of our country.
The Patrons of Husbandry are
thereby party devoted to the develop
ment Of priciples, and not to the aid of
political machinery. Politicians NAV
learn that the Patrons will find princi-
pies to which they will adhere, but
that they require some other body of
men to furnish the party. If the
Republican Party will announce it's
determination to put down bribery,
corruption and trickcry, and to exc
cute measures for the amelioratlon OF
the industrial interest in which tho
Patrons are concerned, it may receive
their sutfrages.s Otherwise they will
vote with some other party.
The standard of DEVELOPMENT for
the individual who comes out of the
Grange lolge-room to be O voter is
likely to be very high. While tho
Patron can be nothing industrially
but farmer, he has human interest
in his country and in mankind. He is
always progressive conservative,
recognizing natural laws, and he can
not De a Communist or TN agrariau.
In order that he may arrive at q
comprehension Of right principles of
when he is outside of his
Grange, he is, when inside of it.
taught to know the value of higher
and haxe u profound reali-
zation of the qualities of higher
Farming is to be made
lovable, and home OIL
attraction. Economy in home and
government is to be considered necess-
Try, not mean. The Grange is to be
. place for domestic meeting, school
'or adults, q social caucus for tho
oerfecting Of plans of living and of
aboring. 1t teaches O man to bo
aeither selfish nor bigot.
The industrial problems which are
% influence the political action of tho
;itizen Patron arc very plainly an
and their solution is sucges-
ed. The platform proclaims an agres-
i've warfare against no class but that
II the middlemen. Capital is to be'
but tyrannous monopolies,
they oppress the people, arc
. Oe opposed. Earnest efforts are to
70 made for sustaining the great
outes Of transportation, and for
reating new: ones. But here tho
'latform, being indefinite in its terms
4 statement, must be explained by
he opening speech Of Grand Master
adams, which, as we said last week.
proposed that the Government should
Undertake to regulate the rates to be
harged for transportation. For any
|artY that offers to supplement Doliti-
al victory with q plan for opening
ilannels OF commerce, the Patron is
y his lodge associations instructed to
ote. The platform, however, offers
70 inducements for capital to become
nvesttd in the construction Of the new
ines of transportation, or for the.
arning Of money in old ones. What.
he Patrons will do if railways cease to,
e constructed by priqate enterprise is
ot plainly old. They Will probably
ote for Government a. =