The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-09-11
Defending the Grange.

n NV loIiA hFtlilg'F, fclutlnI tie UT-
tacks Of Chas. w. Green upon tie Or
der, at the Anti-Secret Society Conven-
ton held some weeks ago at Syracuse. y.
Y, made this able defence Of the Order.
its principles and its officers:
The Order IS essentially pIliIanthropic
IN its origin and modes Of working: its
founders among whom Mr.. Sanders !.
one = ihe most widely known, so far
from being, as Mr.. Green represents
them, ''dignitaries without dignity"
given to vulgarity," and linen who
would hardly lie received into decent so
cIety, are men Of refinement. culture
and of most genial and benevolent
disposition. SO Ter j. it from briua,
true that they have sought to continue
themselves in Office for the sake of Der
sonaI gain or honor, that, at the expfra-
ton of their first term. all of Them with
drew from Office, and but two the Soc
retary and Treasurer. would permit
themselves TO be reelected. Mr.. Sam
ders the first Master of the Na+fon,I
Grange, refused absolutely a reelection
and when he was compelled by the Ma
uonaI Grange to accept the laborious
and thankless Office of Chairman of tI,a
Executive Committee he p;It himself nm
der the order Of the other officer. Th.
revenues Of the National Grange. under
the great and healthy increase OF the
Order, are now of considerable aU3ouur
the aggregation Of millions of IfftIas.
but every dollar Of its expenditures be-
ing accounted for, and its books are now.
as they always have been, open TO the
examination of every member OF the
Order. There is no contingent or secret
service found, no money to be used
IN bribes, or 10 be squandcrcd bv
pampered officials or expended for no.
litical or other sinister purposas Tha
salaries Of all tie officers of the National
Grange, though they are the hardest
worked men in the United States. are
less than those which any wholesale ,uer-
chant pays to his clerks: and il is true
to-day that the saiaried officers OF the
National Grange are poorer than they
would have been had they remained in
their several previous avocations. The
records OF any secret society in this or
any other country may be searched in |
vain for nobler, purer and more patri- |
otic showing than these earnest and |
patient men have made and can make |
of their connection with the National |
Grange. The whole story OF t!,a con |
nection of the Grange with polite md |
political parties IS equally false, and to |
any member OF Ihe Order is perfectly
absurd. The constitution of tie Ma
tional, State and Subordinate Oranges |
requires that no political or partisan
topic should be discussed in the Grange.
and no rule is more strictly enforced.
The members of the Order are from all
political parties and from every shade or
section Ofeach, and their political views
ire never questioned or influenced in the
irange. Belonging 10 the great a.ri-
cultural class it is fair to presume tlas
hey will seek TO have the State and Ma
ional legislation such as will promote
md facilitate, IL the highest and widest
ense, the interest Of agriculture; undas
hese are affiliated with all others. they
will not probably wrong any others.
They are. SO far as We know, unit in
avor of honesty, capacity and economy
n the management of National and
state affairs. But even these principles,
Sainst which no sincere patriot can raise
my objection, cannot be discussed in
he Grange.