The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-10-01
HE Annual Address 90 the STARE
Grange Of gEissisAfppi.
BY L. o. BRIDEwELL

representatives of 10000 farmers. lil1
lhls; but, when it it Is remembered. tina
I. tnese constitute only small fraction =
the o0O, OOO farmers of this vast nation
organized on the same basis and striv;n,
to accomplish the same ends. as ourselves
: TO stand here TO discuss the great object.
of this organic tion, becomesa responsible
reality to one, who, although a student
the greater part of his life, has not been
much in the public eyes.
The theme sir, is boundIess-for in :,
ard about it are all themes.
Agriculture, in fact, is the germ from
winch has grown up every good to man.
impressed upon humanity when it fell
from that position little lower than the
angels as the universal cause for disobe-
dlence, 1t is In the divine economy. the
nursery of true nobility, God fearing and
God-loving men and women-iconoclast
OF the false idols of religion, in morals
and In politics, always pointing out the
| sure and certain road to the final healing
OF the nations. From it came manuftc-
tories, from both came commerce, and
! from the three combined. comes the
diffusion of true religion, and the definite
and legitimate civilization of all man.
kind.
These three are equals. They are the
trInItIes OF the earth. They should work,
advance and prosper by that grand element
OF self-relianoe, which is the essential to
success in all industries. They should he
syntagonstic in the highest sense of that
term through all of these qualifications.
Antagonlsms do not exist here naturally
this IS always the result Of unjust or
unwise legislation. Normal antagonisms
only exist between the principles Of evil
and of good. These grand elements of
the industry of men, are all good, and
the jealousy and war that have grown up
between capital and labor, is the work of
corrupt men, who have produced the
enmity by the perversion of natural law. |
and by the abuse of the delegated powers |
of the government in special legislation. |
Now, while there are only great facts |
standing out as plain to the eve and mind |
of the thinker, as the law of promise in |
the heavens, how little do they seem to
impress the rulers and law makers of this |
nation aye, even the agriculturalists and |
laboring men themselves? Who are but
in the broad road OF the nations.
Il X X X >:
There is no royal road in agriculture. I
The spade, the Implement of thousands
Of years, represents the last stage in the |
progress of agriculture, for neither steam I
nor gang pillow can never rival ii In cult I
walton; but what is the hand-shuttle and I
weavers beam, which made their advent |
with the spade, to the steam engine,
turning, in oeaseless motion, at one time,
ten thousand spindles? Thus capital and /
wealth, and machinery, and knowledge, +
can, at short notice, double and quadru
pie the power of the manufactures, while
the best protected and most favored agri-
culture, advances slowly, and only shows
beneficial results through ime-taking and
expensive experiments,
Here then is presented the present
position of the agriculturalists and labor
ing men of the country, as a body, from
Maine to California, and as examined
from a national and governmental point
of view. What do they propose? VIII
they remain the hewerS Of wood and
drawers of water, the mere lahorers and
agricultural drudges of the land that the
corporations, rings and monopoles may
gather wealth and concentrate power;
may fill the offices and riot in corruption?
Truth, justice and the glory of the past,
aye! YOUR own manhood and liberty all
forbid
Who, yes
.sWho with heart and eyes
Could walk where liberty had heen. nor sec
The shining foot prints OF her Deity,
Nor f. el those God-like breathings in the
which mutev told her spirit had been
there"
Let it always be remembered that you
are nearly 5000, 600 strong, while the
power that binds you, can be numbered
in thousands and that YOU are still free
men.
The remedy for the evils the people
this day suffer, is apparent; and is IN the
hands of the people, and the day is not
distant when it will be enforced. Yes,
in the Patrons of Husbandry rests the
power. if iudiciouslv used once more to
place agriculture on her high seat, equal
in mower and influence with the most
favored and most exalted, the gracious
queen of the fruitful fields and abundant
barvests, crowned with the rarest blooms
plucked by Flora, and enjoying in
rich profusion the luscious fruits Of Pa !
mona
While we criticise, while we attack the
government for its special legislation for
the benefit of other industries, and ITS y
which have become a {
burden to the laboring man and farmer, ,
we must also be Just As Patrons, we have ,
no personal quarrel with the manuf'ctur
pr. we only ask equal consideration !
And let it be understood, the farmer
,sLs no special legislation for himself. nut S
demands that all industries be left by tbs
government to that element of self-rell- {
1nce. which is the essential TO, and will {
,ocura real success. Agricultural labor i
mas no fears, if such policy be established, {
for it can at all times readily pFotect {
tselt AGAINST capital, and wealth, and {
rings, and monopolies. Our cry TO tne :
in common phrase, Hands {
1ffl" and let al industries be tree. linen {
we say to all, God-speed We are ready /
% say it to day, especially to the infant
springlng INTO existence
throughout the South. our speaker IS 1
proud that he is able to say, that he STANDS G
before you, clad in cotton and wool raised
BY Mississippi farmers, the warp ana
Toof of which has been cunnlngly RASH c
oned by Mississippi mandatory; ami S
a true Patrons, we should give all aid to !
home enterprises. 1t can he repeated I
again. that we have no quarrel with other I
industries, for they are our ehlldrln, even {
if they have become somewhat purse
Droud: but we have serious cause OF
quarrel with that Congressman or Legs
Iator who casts his vote for the purpose {
Of promoting any especial interest by raIs-
ing barriers to the equal advancement OF
o4hors He who does so Is not only worthy