The Grange advance., 1874-10-21
AGRICULTURAL.
Why Join tho GEaDko.

We OAUcO ut6I 4OOIACo VI su4o AAuU
and to answer them would be to fully
set forth the work which the Order. con-
templates. We may say that It is
founded to benefit the farmers, but hoao
can it benefit the farmers ? Will it en-
hance their riches? Can the farmer
make money and save money more
readily in the. Grange than out of it?
We might say yes and no at the same
time The Order is established to ben
eft agriculture, to improve the condi-
tion Of farmers as class, and, in a
measure, it helps financially the individ.
ual who belongs to it but it is far from
our purpose to urge any argument OF
this kind to induce farmers to connect
themselves with the Order. Those men
who can get no broader views Of the
work which the Grange contemplates
than the bringing to the individual GER
tain trade advantages is> certainly too
narrow minded to be @afy advantage
to the Order: The Grange may, on the
other hand, prove advantage to him,
though he may not to, the Grange, by
bringing him in contact with more lib
eral minds and developing him into
broader, better, more useful citizen.
This view may seem visionary. But for
a moment call to mind many Of the
hard.working farmers among your &C.
quaintances, who have isolated them
selves from the salutary influences of
society-men who have amassed wealth,
not SO much by making as by saving
money. Stern necessity compelled them
at first to their habits of economy, and
their constant application Of physical
force from early morn till late at night,
day after day, and year after year, with
out giving time to thought: in fact ig-
noring entirely mental and social cul-
ture. Is itstrange that the sensibilities
of these men become blunted They of
ten make Of themselves and their fami-
lies slaves to the constant drudgery of
the farm, even after they have laid by
wealth sufficient for a comfortable and
generous living. Will any one pretend
to say that an institution which will
furnish social enjoyment and intellectu-
al food for the mentally emaciated far
mer is working in vain ? Is it not then
a praise~erthy undertaking to attempt
to lift our farmers up, to exalt the pow
er of the mind, to induce them to think
more and carry on the operations of
their farms intelligently, and to save
wisely instead Of meanly, to work indus
triously and intelligently instead Of in
cessantly and slavishly :?
The means which is likely to work
immediate gain to the individual is a
reduction Of prices for cash. The sys.
TEN Of long credit is curseto the far
mer. 1t enaules men who are better
schooled in business affairs, sharpers
and schemers, to beat the farmer, both
in selling to him and buying of him.
The Grange then would encourage
the cash system Of purchases. 1twould
do away with store accounts and petty
debts. AS a means Of bringing about
such a desirable change, it provides
that its members have pecuniary in
ducements provided for paying cash
down. This is perfectly Legitimate,
and cannot fell to do good for the poll.
cy Of contracting petty debts is 4 bad
one for the farmer or any one else. If
man must owe money let him owe it
in a lump, with definite understanding
as to when it is to be>paid. La that
way he knows what ia efpected Of him
and he can maintain 3n untarniehed
credit. Then We SPY tie lesson Of cash
payment, which tho Grange teaches, is
good lesson and must accomplish
much good.
But many say che Grange is a politi-
cal organization. 1t cannot be cousid-
cred in any sense partisan, nor even 20
litical, except so Far as it serves to en-
lghtea the farmer, furnish him with
the means and education and awaken
him to his own interests.
The secrecy whick is such bug-bear
in the minds Of many good people only
serves as a means Of harmon y and
makes it possible 70 hold together and
in working shape the farmers of the
North, the South, the East and the
West. It furthermore enables them to
keep out Of the Order designing politi-
clans and corrupt sohemers who other
wise might gain admittaace and con-
troll and briag into disrepute their hon-
est efforts for reform. The secrecy of
the Order gives it strength, homogene-
BUSINESS, effectiveness, and makes it
possible for the Order to perpetuate it.