Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-01-08
JOHN COVER Editor.
The 0rangefs-Sectsrian Stesis-
Incomes.

farmers or any other OF the ihous''iai
e,as,es of our citizens will take too
dsep an interest in politics. The Her.
aid has always urged them to be
nyompt in their attention to all pri-
mary meetings, and especially on cleo.
,ion days TO forego their potato dig.
ging and corn pulling and vote for
good men to fill the Offices within
their gift. If they do not attend the
primary meetings the whole machin-
cry of government is captured and run
by professod politicians.
The formation of Oranges into q
a secret and exclusive fraternity, we
venture to suggest, is of doubtful ex.
pediency. This opens a wide door
for demsgogues end imposters and
slick .tongued deceivers to enter into
the fold in farmers garb and make
their living BY. artful deception. Funds
have to DO collected to pay Ur'o ass'U-
gate expenses and officers of new
government. Extensive voluntary as
sociations cost almost as much as the
State; there 10 the same necessity
for chief and subordinate officials for
revenues and disbursements, and such
associations are not protected against
the fraud Of its officials rs political
government 10 protected. Hence if
villainous treasurers dscamp with
Grange money it is one of the misfor-
tunes that 10 unavoidable. But the
organization may on the whole be ben.
sicial, notwithstanding these losses.
If the Changers would shield them
selves from becoming the prey of
skilled impostsrs and practiced scamp
they should admit no one into their
society but practical farmsr-not q
fancy farmer who makes his money
out of an Office, tape measuring, ped
ding pills or selling bad whiskey, and
then spends 8 part of it in filling the
soil by proxy.
Tho Emperor OF China to honor az
riculture plows a furrow every year
with golden plow. The Changers
should have nothing to do with such
farmers ss he. The true Granger
should not only be practical farmer
but he should rely upon his business
for his living and the support of his
family. Let the applicant show he
has raised corn, wheat and oats for
successive years; let him show his
palms hardened by toll; let him show
that he depends on his farm for bis
livelihood, and then his brothers may
initiate him and trust him with their
money and with the best interests of
their society. We hear that the head.
quarters of the order of Patrons of
Husbandry is at Washington. Here
are hundreds of oficials-sone draws
jnS els, others $50 and General Grant
himself more than 800 per day.
These officials, whether native or for
sign, are by habit, education and con-
dition as far separated from the toiling
farmer IS If they inhabited another
planet. If Grange officials would
avoid social and political contamins.
ton, let them fly from that city with
all the haste that Lot fed out of So
dom.
But after all that can be said for
and against the movement, the Grsng-
ers have it in their power not only to
elevate the agricultural classes, but
they may become valuable political
element from their own nature and in.
ests, being opposed to all extravaganza
state expenditures, to the perpetusl
efforts of the Official classes to double
their salaries, and to the attempts of
sectsrian organizations to open the
door into the public treasury.
Almost every year large sums have
been appropriated to support orphan
asylums, soldiers and sailors homes
for the snteebled and destitute, and
other organizations of q semi.religious
chsracter-privsts institutions locate
ed in the cities-thst are willing TO
be benevolent if the state will furnish
the money. We hope the Changers
will put quietus upon this fraud. We
could suggest, if it were not prssump-
ton, 3 great many reforms which
would protect the interests of labor as
against capital. Our national revenue
is falling short of tho present expen-
ditures. Some people talk of supply
ing the deficiency by restoring the
tariff on tea and coffee. This may be
we'll enough. But should not the tax
on incomes in some form be restored !?
If man, be he merchant, banker or
farmer, realizes say $4,000 above all
his expenditures, can he not afford TO
pay small percentage to the govern.
meut, when his net income may be
more than say s2o. 900 per year The
worst set of Horace Gresley's life was
30 oppose the income tax. he said 1t
made the rich man swear 70 lies. So
the laboring classes must endure the
burthen Of unequal taxation to ease
the tender conscience of the million.
aire