Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-02-26
So 6:range--Its Aasy> and ITS
IbOIEgs.


s,aunch advocates OF the Grange,
We copy it not because we have any
.ntaoonism against the Grange,
,.ut because of its courageous and
friendly criticism. Such criticism
;.needed to purify the Order, correct
H. growing evils and make it more
at;,ient in carrying out the noble
n.yrases whichit announces. rs fund
amental doctrines:
EnrToRs. WESTERN RURAL:-It
hos but recently come to my atten-
tion tina, your Topeka correspondent
Who sketched the proceedings of the
Kansas Farmers Association, states
my position as in direct opposition
70 the Oranges. 1t would appear
that there was studied intent ON
the part of the Grange officials to
make capital out of such misrepre.
sentations, and to treat any adverse
criticism of special features as direct
antagonism. That your readers may
understand exactly the position
occupied, the following brief quo
tation from my address, which was
afterwards published in full, is here
with given:
Trusting that / may not be misun-
derstood, and especially that l may
not be misrepresented in my remarks,
shall, without further explanation,
uroceed to the consideration of the
subject suggested. Recognizing the
Grange as in many respects the supe-
rior of preceding systems OF organi
zation-superior in providing the
means for its rapid dissemination, ii
is the proper organization to improve
upon.
then proceeded to speak of the
great loss Of time devoted to cere-
mony, to the expense of organization
which was insisted was too extrava-
CANT, according to the work per-
formed, and then of the secret
feature which crippled its usefulness
for advancing the measures Of reform
now demanding public attention.
The discussion which followed the
delivery of my address and the pub
lshed action of several of the subor-
dinate Oranges, and more than all
else, the address of Grand Master
Adams at the National Grange
meeting at St. Louis, convinces me
that my views were quite correct
and my position entirely tenable.
According 10 the showing of the
Grand Master, the constitution of the
Order is very imperfect, and its pro-
visions entirely inadequate for Crap
ping with such questions as are now
presented. He admits that some
thing must he done to render the
meetings of the subordinate Oranges
Constantly and Increasingly attract
ive." He says:
During the first months of the ex-
istence of a Grange, the novelty,
preparation of regalia and initia-
tion Of new members secures full
aud interested attendance. After
this there is often want Of amusing
and instructive exercises; the inter
est flags, the attendance falls off,
and the Grange seems to lack vitality.
Herein is the virtual admission OF
my chief objection. 1t is too slow in
accomplishing results. Indeed, it is
an admission that the consideration
of such trivial matters as are above
mentioned is the chief work OF the
Grange for the first few months; GER
tainly enough, ofitself, to discourage
sensible men from wasting time with
il. The remarks of South Carolina
correspondent, an intelligent man
and the Secretary OF a Grange, are
remarkably expressive in this con-
nection. He says:
Our Grange meets once a month.
goes through with the ceremonies Of
inhalation, lunches and adjourns.
1t reminds one of 4 pussy cats gy-I
rations which are continued until
she falls over from dizziness. After
q few moments rest, she RECEIVERS
and Is ready to chase her own tail
again.
In another paragraph he says:
Our blunderbuss has been loaded
TO the tnuzzle for the past eighteen
months, but IL ia SO hard on the trig-
ger that we can't get her off.
Referring again to the Masters
address, he suggests the remodelling
or more definite construction Of
the constitution and bylaws, and
adds:
Many questions have arisen on
points not covered by law. It will
require considerable portion OF this
session to supply these deficiencies,
prominent among which il the want
OF definiteness with which the duties
Of the officers of the National and
State Oranges are described. More
efficient work will ha accommodated