Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-02-19
WHEELING. IA, Feb. Is, 1874.

| Iy waiting Tor aevcrnl months 10 see
the efforts Of the Grange crowned
with the good results which Capt.
Blain, Mr.. Edwards and several 9TH
ers told us they would be, when they
were travelling over the county max
ing speeches, urging the farming
community to at once form combina-
lions or Oranges for mutual protection
against the intrigues of the merchants,
lawyers, doctors, shippers, etc., etc.,
who were daily shipping their life
blood, a. II were, and growing fat OIL
their labors. In consequence OF those
speeches many of the farmers were
led to believe that they were the most
terribly oppressed class Of people up
on the earth, and many OF them, with
none but the purest motives, fell In
| with the idea that IL was Of the great
est Importance to organize themselves
into bands, and II possible thwart the
designs of those who were intent up
on their ruin.
The result was. that many Gran
ges were organized, and the farmers
were very much elated over the bright
prospects before them. They had
long looked for the day when they
would be on an equality with men OF
other avocations. They imagined
they could raise the misty veil Of the
future. aud see bursting through the
dark clouds Of monopolies and combi-
nations which had so long overhung
their pecnniary sky, the brilliant
light of the sun Of equality and pros
perity. But alas! alas!! all their
bright prospects vanished as the fog be-
fore the rays OF the morning sun, when
the very institution itself, ttbe Grangel
upon which they had based their
hopes, began to develop itself into a
political party, or rather to yield itself
up to few wire-working politicians
of the Democratic party, who wanted
office and cared nothing for the farm
ers' interests.
This was enough to cause them TO
lose confidence in the Institution, for
they went into it with the under
standing that ii was to take no part In
politics, and that It, was to oppose all
species OF monopoly. and right in the
face of all this they tried to establish
store monopoly, by making their
members all trade at one house, thus
encouraging the very evils to which
they claimed to be SO bitterly opposed,
and by so doing nipped the good that
they might otherwise have accom-
plished, right In the bud. Indeed,
we do not believe that there ever has
been an organization that so utterly
failed to carry out the principles and
objects for which 1t was organized as
has the Grange. And notwithstanding
| we have common interest with the
farming community, we think 1t
would not be bad policy for the differ
ent Oranges of our county and State,
to follow the example OF Marion
Grange, Hamilton Co., Iowa, and see
IL they can not organize an institution
better calculated to their benefit. And
while we believe IL Is right that the
farmers should combine themselves,
to more perfectly watch their interests,
we do not believe they should try
to pull down any other class Of indi-
viduals for the purpose of enriching
themselves. We believe In living and
letting live; and any institution ad-
vocatiDg any other principle is incom-
petible with our Republican form Of
government, and should be ut once
blotted out of existence. and receive
tho hearty condemnation Of every
honest lover of liberty In our land.
We believe this organization was in
stituted by designing men, intent up
on plumber, for self, and not for the
pur poses which the honest niassen OF
farmers thought 1t was. We do not
attach one bit Of blame to them, but
the instigators and leaders are the
men to blame. Our sympathies have
always been with those who Joined
the Grange with pure motives, and
the more now, because they have been
80 badly gulled.
We hope the day Ia not far distant
when their eyes may be opened, that
they may see where they stand, and
take steps to throw Off the yoke OF
tyranny which they have taken upon
themselves unintentionaiiy, and re-
solve that for the future they will not
enter any organization that is not
com patible with the spirit Of our Re-
publican institutions.
CoxMBNTs.-Our friend III. tells
some plain truths In very plain Ian
gusge. So far we have no objection