The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-11-06
THE NATIONAL GRANGE.
Declaration OF Purposes OF the Patrons
of Husbandry.

"a AAussAGAuAEs
Profoundly impressed with the truth
that the National Grange of the United
States should definitely proclaim to the
world its general objects, we hereby,
unanimously, make this declaration of
purposes of the Patrons of Husbandry.
1. United by the strong and faithful
tie of agriculture, we mutually resolve
to labor for the good of our order, our
country and mankind.
2. We heartily indorse the motto ::
8 In essentials, unity in non-essentials,
liberty in all things, charity"
3. We shall endeavor to advance our
cause by laboring to accomplish the fol
lowing objects TO develop 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 inviolaEe
our laws, and to emulate each other in
labor to hasten the good time coming.
To reduce our expenses, both indiVid-
ual 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 eondense the weight of
our exports, selling less in the bushel
and more on the the hoof and In fleece;
less in lint and more In warp and wool.
To systematise orr work and calculate
intelligently on probabilities. To dis
countenance the credit system, the
mortgage system, the fashion system,
and every other system tending to pro-
digality and bankruptcy. We propose
meeting together, talking together,
working together, buying together, sell
ing together, and in general acting to-
gether for our mutual protection and
advancement, as occasion may require.
We shall avoid litigation as much as
possible by arbitration in the grange.
We shall constantly strive to secure en-
tire harmony, good viii, vital brother
hood among ourselves, and to make our
order perpetual. We shall earnestly
endeavOr to suppress personal, local, sec
tional and national prejUdices, all I'M
healthy rivalry, all selfish ambition.
Faithful adherence to these principles
will insure our mental, moral, social and
material advancement
4. For our business interests. we de-
sire to bring producers and consumers,
farmers and manufacturers into the
most direct and friendly relations posi-
surplus of middlemen, not that we are
Hnfriendly to them, but we do not need
them. Their surplus and their exac-
tiOns diminish our profits. We wage no
aggressive warfare against any other
interests whatever. On the contrary, all
our acts, and all our efforts, so far as bu-
siness is concerned, are not only for the
benefit of the producer and consumer,
but for all other interests that tend to
bring these two parties into speedy and
economical contact. Hence we hold
that transportation companies of every
kind are necessary to our success, that
their interests are intimately connected
with our interests, and harmonious &C
ton is mutually advantageous +; keeping
in view the first sentence in our decla-
ration of principles of action that " in
dividual happiness depends upon gener-
al prosperity" we proclaim our settled
conviction that we cannot expect to help
ourselves in any form that involves the
injury of others. We shall, therefore,
advocate for every state the increase in
every practicable way, Of all facilities
for transporting cheaply to the seaboard,
or between home producers and con-
sumers, all the productions of our coun-
try. We adopt it as our fixed purpose
/ to open out the channels in natures
great arteries that the life-blood of COM
MERGE may flow freely" We are not
enemies Of railroads, navigable and ir-
rigating canals, nor of any corporation
| that will advance our industrial inter
ests, nor of any laboring classes. In
| our noble order there is no communism,
no agrarianism. We are opposed tC
such spirit and management of any cor.
poration or enterprise as tends to op'
press the people and rob them of then
! Just profits. We are not enemies to cap
ital, but we oppose the tyranny of mo,
nopolies. We long to see the antsgo-
nism between capital and labor removed
by common consent, and by an enlight-
ened craftsmanship worthy of the nine
4 teenth century. We are opposed 10 ex.
4 cessive salaries, high rates of interest
and exorbitant per cent. profits in
| trade. They greatly increase our bur.
! dens, and do not bear proper proper
ton to the profits of producers. We de
sire only self-protection and the protee.
ton of every true interest of our laud
/ by legitimate 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 es-
! pecially advocate for our agricultural
/ and industrial colleges that practical
/ agriculture, domestic science, and all
the arts which adorn the house, be
1 taught in their courses of study.
5. We emphatically and sincerely as
/ sert the oft-repeate6 truth taught IN our
organic law, that the grange, national,
state or subordinate, is not political OF
party organization. No grange, If true
I - A. u, 4
or religious questions, nor call political
| conventions. nor nominate candidates,
nor even discuss their merits IN its
meetings. Yet the principles we teach
underlie all true politics, and true
craftsmanship, and, If properly carried
out, Will tend 10 purify the whole polit-
ical atmosphere of orr country, for we
seek the greatest good to the greatest
number. We must always bear in mind
that no one. becoming a Patron of Hus-
bandrv gives up that inalienable right
and duty which belongs to every Amer
lean citizen to take q proper interest IN
the politics of his country. On the
contrary, it is right fot every member to
do all in his power legitimately to IN
fiuence for good the action OF any
political party TO which he belongs. 1t
his duty to do all he can in his own party
to put down bribery, corruption and
trickery to see that none but compe-
tent, faithful and honest men, who will
unhinchingly stand by our industrial
interests, are nominated for all posi-
tons of trust aud to have carried out
the principle which should always char
acteTize every grange member, that The
office should seek the man, and not the
man the office. We acknowledge the