The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-14
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The seedy politician and political gymnast
who have shifted dinner in the Granger move
ment have been patiently watching the devel-
opments of the meeting of the National
Grange at st. Louis thepast ten days. These
worthless have patiently waited while the MEM
bers were indicted into the thirty-seventh de-
gree of Ceres and Pomona, and talked OF coop
Grafton, of the means to obtainIgeneral intelli-
gence, etc., confidently expecting that at the
proper hour, the national representatives OF
the order would make definite statement OF
political faith which would give the shelved
political hacks an opportunity to become the
leaders and particularly the beneficiaries of a
victorious national party. All the while the
World and other leading Democratic organs
have been telling this half million of voters
supposed to belong to the Oranges of the
West, how fitting it would be for them to unite
with the three million (by the latest Demo
cratic census) Of Democratic voters to achieve
Democratic victory in 1876. The World
and journals of that sort have been repeating
day after day: "Free trade and farmers
rights" while Democratic congressman vote
that the General Government is not compe-
tent to regulate the commerce between the
States with view to give the agricultural PEG
pie cheaper and more prompt transportation
their greatest need. Other Democratic pa
pers have been urging the organization of a
farmers party and the place seekers of that
wondrous organization have been undergoing
q course of voluntary discipline to enable
them to be grangers, if the movement should
take political turn.
At length, at the close of their session, the
National Grange announced set OF princi-
pies for the order which were published in our
issue of Wednesday. One can only imagine
the eagerness of the Nasbys and Pograms of
the political cross roads, after glancing at the
caption, with which they read one by one the
declaration of principles, by attempting to
realize the emotions of one of this class on
approaching the corner grocery after month
of enforced abstinence, His disgust and anger
after a slow perusal, can be best understoodby
imagining his towering passion on finding that
his extract of rye had been generously wa.
tered, or that the misery dispenser thereof
would not trust him for the price of an indul-
gence. That our readers may fully under
stand the excellence of the declaration of
purposes" that this organization of million
members puts forth to the world, we publish
it in this connection:
To develop better and higher manhood and
womanhood among ourselves. To enhance the
comforts and attractions of our homes, and
strengthen our attachments TO our pursuits.
To foster mutual understanding and co-opera-
ton. To maintain involate our laws, and to
emulate each other in labor. To hasten the
good time coming. To reduce our expenses,
both individual and corporate. To buy less
and produce more, in order to make our farms
self-sustaining., To diversity our crops, and
crop no more than we can cultivate. To con-
dense the weight of our exports, selling less in
the bushel, and more on hoof and in fleece. To
systematic our work, and calculate intelligent
" on probabilities. To discountenance the cred
1t system, and every other system tending to
prodigaliLy aud bankruptcy.
In our noble order there is no Communism, no
agrarianism. We are opposed to such spirit
and management of any corporation or enter
prise as tends to Cypress the people and rob
OF capital, but we oppose the tyranny Of mo-
nopolies We long to see the antagonism be-
tween capital and labor removed by common
consent and by enlightened craftsmanship
worthy OF the nineteenth century.
We especially and sincerely assert the oft-re-
Peated truth taught in our organic law that the
drange National, state, or subordinate; is not
if true to its obligations can discuss political or
religious questions, nor call political conven-
TONS nor nominate candidates, nor even dis
cuss their merits in its meetings. Yet the
principles we teach underlie all true pol.
itics, all true craftsmanship, and if properly
carried out will tend to purify the whole po-
litical atmosphere of our country. For we
seek the greatest good to the greatest number,
but we must always bear in mind that no one
by becoming Patron of Husbandry gives up
that inalienable right and duty which belongs
to every American citizen to take a proper
interest in the politics of this country. On the
contrary, it is right for every member s;a to do
fiuence for good the action of any po-
lftical party to which he belongs. 1t Is his
duty to do all he can in his own party to put
down bribery, corruption and trckery; to see
men, who will unflinchIngly stand by our in
dustrial interests, are nominated for all posi-
tions. 1t should always characterize every Pa
tron of Husbandry that the Office should seek
the man and not the man the office.
There is nothing in this vigorous and nota-
BILE expression of purposes which commends
it to that class of politicians who seek person.
al agrandizement by ways that are dark and
tricks that are vain. He can have no more
interest in it than in the Sermon on the
Mount. He recognizes that so far as the gen.
eral action of this national organization is
concerned, the Democratic or any other polit-
ical party cannot expect its assistance. Local
grange leaders may attempt to use it for po-
htical purposes, but they do it in direct viola
ton of the expressed principles of the order
That the organization will have an influ-
ovf;
doubt. An organization of such extent, with
such high views ofindivldnal and public duty
must have salutary influence upon the pol
itics of the country. The thousands of
oranges will turn out into society thousands
of men whose perceptions of political duty
will be quickened and whose purpose will be
to secure better public service. In rare in
stances. the schemer will flourish for time,
but he will be on his good behavior and VIII
be deposed when he shows his natural pro-
pensities.
There has been nothing in the record or
platforms of the Democratic party to COM
mend it to the grangers, and there is not
single declaration of the National Grange
that commends itself to the average politician
of tina. party; and hereafter this class of
Micawbers will take less interest in this agri-
cultural organization. Political "hayseed''
will be at discount, and the politicians who
have heen joining oranges, wearing uncouth
raiment, fourishing goad sticks and such, had
as Well return to their old ways, wiser if not
better men. The whole million of grangers
are not for this particular Joseph.
CONGRESSMAN DAWES speech on the fl
nances of the Government has aroused the
fears of some ofhis timorous party associates
very much as did his speech on the same SUBJ
ject in 1870. From the report sent to the
press we fail to see anything, except the fact
that he thinks the affairs of the Government
have not been managed as economically as
they should be. 1t is said that his figures Of
the expenditures of the last year do not make
allowance for the sinking fund of $50, 900. 900
and that he admitted his mistake. But the
fact remains that the expenditures of the