Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-04-25
THE GRANGE MOVEMENT.

Il
/ Perhaps the history of the world
does not afford just such another in
stance of the marvellous success of or
ganized effort as is portrayed in the
progress of the Grange movement. 1t
battles the power of language to de-
scribe, and we actually stand aghast at
the amazing rapidity with which it has
sped onward. Like all revolutions, it
has seemed to set at defiance the more
sober and deliberatiye rules which
control long-established bodies, and
which have acquired their strength
and efficiency by judicious and careful
forecastings of the future.
Its founders, we are sure, never
dreamed of the mighty results which
would follow, nor stopped to calculate
the widespread influences it would
exert upon the industrial classes and
upon the entire country. They seem
ed to have only vague idea that some
thing should be done to ameliorate the
condition of the ''toiling millions, T"
but how, or in what manner it should
be brought about, they were just as
much in the dark as men could be.
They never thought, for a moment,
that they were laying the foundation
of movement that was destined TO
take powerful hold upon the agricul-
tural and industrial classes of this con-
tinent, and that would ultimately up
heave and send adrift the old order of
things. The truth is, they were being
led by a way of which they simply
knew nothing. The future was seal
ed book to them, and their plans were
circumscribed by an absolute ignor-
ance as to what would ensue.
Such is the history of all great rev.
olutions, ever since the world began,
both in civil, political and moral affairs.
Man becomes the acknowledged agent
In the hands of superior agency, and
he goes forward to do his work as that
agency may direct That agency. in
fact. plants In the soil of the brain the
incipient idea and causes it to germin-
ate and to bring forth its legitimate
fruit. The agent simply steps outu
the scene of action to perform the will
of the over-ruling power, and as that
power directs so must the agent direct
his course. George Washington obeyed
this great principle from the beginning
of the revolution to its final close.
Luther, and Knox, and Calvin, and
Wesley, in the mighty moral reyolu-
tions of which they were the conceded
authors, were led on by the same won
derful agency.
We, therefore, have, in the stupen-
dous movementindieated, all the evi-
denees of stirring, overpowering and
overwhelming revolution, carrying
everything before it, crushing and des-
troying effete ideas, plans and systems,
and inaugurating an era of organized
effort of harmony and good will, and of
happiness and prosperity.
And it is beftting, eminently so, we
think, that such movement should
find its chief supporters among the
tillers of the soil, for one paramount
reason. They are regarded as honest
Whatever may be said of them, in
many respects, no one has yet dared to
question their integrity as class. They
stand before the world unstained by
corruption, and, on this account, can
be entrusted with movement like the
one under consideration. 1t Is now in
their hands. What will they do with
it? Have they the sagacity and the
wisdom to guide and control it? Thus
far they have succeeded we'll. Not Z
blunder, of any note, has yet been
made by them. Every day they are
acquiring more experience and adding
to their stock of knowledge so that we
may safely affirm that they are and
will be masters of the situation
Grange Outlook.