The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-02-17
THE CHANGERS.
A BRILLIANT ADDRESS.
COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN GRAN
GERS

4 THE EOLlC1 u fAhhEHc-A ANOlNU COlE
OF wARNrNG--A DEFINITION OF II
FARMERS POSITION.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 1.-THE national grange,
to-day, after transacting some minor bust
ness, read the report oil the committee on
resolutions, presented by Mr.. Wardlow. of
! Florida, and adopted it unanimously. 1t is
as follows: Profoundly impressed with the
truth, that the national grange of the United
States should definitely proclaim to the
world its general objects, we hereby make
this declaration of the purposes OF the pa
irons of h~usbandry: First-United by the
strong and faithful tie of agriculture, we
mentally resolve to labor for the good of
our order, our country, and mankind. Sec
ond-We heartily endorse the motto, ain
essentials, unity-in non essentials, liberty
in all things, charity" Third-We shall
endeavor to advance our cause by laboring
to accomplish the following objects: To de-
velop a better and higher manhood and
womanhood among ourselves; to enhance
the comforts and attractions of our homes,
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 expen-
ses, 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
condense the weight of our exports, selling
less in the bushel and more on the hoof, and
In fleece, to systematic our work. and to
calculate intelligently on probabilities; to
d-iscountenance the credit system, the mort
gage system, the fashion system, and every
other system tending to p~rodigality and
bankruptcy. We propose meeting together,
talking together, working together,
buying together, selling together, and in
general acting together for our mutual pro-
lection and advancement as occasion NAV
require. We shall avoid litigation as much
as possible by arbitration in the grange. We
shall constantly strive to secure active har-
mony, good will, vital brotherhood among
ourselves, and to make our order perpetual.
We shall earnestly endeavor to suppress
personal, local, sectional and national preju-
dices. all unhealthy rivalry, all selfish am
bition. Faithful adherence to these princi-
pies will ensure our mental, moral, social,
and material odvancements. Fourth, for
our business interests we desire to bring
producers and consumers, farmers and man.
ufacturers into the most direct and
friendly relations possible. Hence,
We must dispense with a
SURPLUS OF
Not that we are unfriendly to them but we
do not need them: their surplus and their
exactions diminish our profits. Wewage no
aggressive warfare against any other inter-
ests whatever. On the contrary, all 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 intere sts that tend to bring these two
parties into speedy and economical contract.
Hence we hold that transportation COM
panies of every kind are necessary to our
success, that their interests are intimately
connected with ourinterests and harmonious
action is mutually advantageous. Keeping
in view the first sentence in our
declaration of principles of action that in
dividual happiness depends upon general
prosperity, we shall therefore advocate for
every state, the increase in every practicable
way Of all facilities for transporting cheaply
to sea board or between home producers
and consumers of all productions of our
country. We adopt it as our fixed purpose
to open out the channels in natures great
arteries, that the life blood of commerce may
flow freely. We are all enemies of railroad,
navigable n irregulating canals, nor of any
corporations that will advance our indus
trial interests, nor oil any laboring
classes in our noble order. There is no
communism we agragrianism. We are OPP
posed to such spirit and management
of any corporation or enterprise as tends to
Cypress people and rob them of their Just
profits. We are not enemies to capital, but
we oppose tyranny OF monopolies; we long
to see the antagonism between capital and
labor removed by common consent and by
an enlightened craftsmanship worthy of the
nineteenth century. We are oppose to ex-
cessive salaries, high rates of int rest and
exorbitant profits in trade. They greatly
increase our bardens and do not leave a
proper proportion to profits Of producers.
\ No A0ciro only oolf nrnfQatinn onA p-Ofan-
ton of every true interest of cur land by le-
Ultimate transactions, legitimate trade and
legitimate profits. We shall advance the
CAUSE OF EDUCATION
among ourselves and for our children by all
Just means within our power. We especially
advocate for our agricultural and industrial
colleges that practical agriculture, domestic
science and all the arts which adorn the
home be taught in their courses of study.
Fifth.-We emphaticsllyand sincerely assert
the oft repeated truth taught in our organic
law that the grange-national, state and
subordinate-is not a political or party or
ganiZation. No grange, If true to its Obliga-
tions, can discuss political or religious ques-
tions. nor call political conventions, nor
nominate candidates, nor even discuss their
merits in its meetings. Yet the principles
we teach underlie all true politics, all true
craftsmanship, and IL carried out viii tend
to purify the whole political atmosphere of
our country, for we seek the greatest good to
the greatest number. But we must always
bear it in mind that no one on becoming a
grange member gives up any right and duty
which belongs 10 every American citizen to
take a proper interest in the politics of his
country. On the contrary it is right for ev-
cry member + do all in his power legitimate
ly to influence for good the action of any
political party to which he belongs. 1t is
his duty to do all he can in his own party
to put down bribery, corruption and trick
cry, to see that lone but competant, faithful
and honest men who will unfiinchingly
stand by our industrial interests are nomi-
mated for all positions of trust, and to have
carried out the principles which should al
ways characterize every |. grange men,
| her that the Office shall seek the men