River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-02-17

But il is amazing--it seems to me preposter-
ous-that dsinterested men are not as COM
petent as those interested to fix rates which
shall be Just TO the railroads and the people
To rely on competition for relief will only
bring renewed disappointment. Our past his
tory shows that the rapid Increase at railroads
has only resulted IN more gigantic combina.
tons
IL will doubtless be difficult to induce our
! National Legislature and most Of our State
Legislatures to pass any such law which will
be sufficient, for there is no money IN IT.. The
! propositions which VIII be most likely 20 meet
WITH favor ~ those august bodies will be the
| building Of new railroads, OF digging vast
canals, which will allow them the opportunity
20 spend $4,000, 900 or 500 900 600. which we
Will at least have the producers privilege Of
| paying. When such amounts as that are TO be
expended, IL Is easy 10 advance a class Of argtl-
ments which usually carry convection 10 leg
lslatOfs, Besides those artificial highways
nature has placed most magnificent river
| right through the heart of the agricultural rc.
glon Z or country, reaching from the wheat
helds OF Minnesota TO the sugar plantations of
Louisiana, which, with small expenditure
can be made capable of bearing on ia bosom
the products OF q continent Even now sin
gle rapids, sand-bar, and q most heartless
tow-boat ring are all that seriously impedes
its navigation
Matters of such importance az those should
receive at your hands most patient iuvestiga.
ton and careful consideration.
The clause of Art. 5 of our Constitution.
watch reads Any person interested in aeri.
cultural pursuits" 10 capable OF such varied
construction that much confusion and msuu.
derstanding has resulted. During the infancy
ct the Order when members were few. cur
strength puny. aud our chief aim simply so
cial and educational, there was little danger
ruiUn Htfa clause iitar9Fly and Al,
ting nearly all who would pay the fee and
consent to join such weak and unpopular
institution. But now all these circumstances
arc changed. To be Patron Of
Husbandry Is no longer OF doubtful
proprety, but the proudest in the land are
knocking at our doors. The Order has be-
came recognized as one Of the great powers
OF the land, and the gates are beseged from
ocean to ocean, by hordes of spectators.
demagogues, small politicians, grain-buyers
cotton-tactors, lawyers, who suddenly dis
cover that they are " interested in agricui
tnral pursuits" 1t is true that they are IN
terested in agricultural pursuits" but only
as hawk is interested in the sparrow.
You would do well 10 give this matter a
most careful review, and by law determine
the proper construction Of the Constitution,
so we may be able TO keep our gates closed
against those whose only interest consists in
what they can make out of us. To have such
admitted 10 our counsils can ouly result in
evil and SOW seeds of eternal strife.
Art IL also demands most serious consd-
Grafton to definitely decide what interpreta-
ton shall be put upon the word political. |
am grafed that our members are substan-
italy unit in the opinion that the Order
should not, in any sense, become political
party. But, 1t the same time, there are ques-
tions most fundamentally affecting our ma.
terial interests, which can only be reached
through legislation. II seems imperative that
such questions be discussed in the Grange.
Shall II be ruled that such questions are po-
Itlcal IN the meaning OF the Constitution
The questions of transportation, taxation,
finance, corruption in public places, were
such a. come home to the conscences and
pockets of our members, and they wish ~
know whether they will be denied the priv
ilege Of cahyassing them on the ground of
politics. This body should clearly set forth
an authoritative Interpretation Tor the guild
ance of members.
Brothers and sisters, the future progress,
preservation and usefulness of our Order de.
pend largely upon our action at this session.
Without doubt, this is the most important
meeting OF agriculturists ever held in any
land. The responsibility resting upon us Is
enormous. The whole country, both within
and without the gates, is searchingly watch
ing our every act-tbe enemy to fluid weak
point to attack our friends hoping and ex-
pecting much good to result. The agricultur-
lists Of the nation are now on trial. The Order
OF Patrons of Husbandry has brought them
together in council, and 1t remains for our
acts 20 prove whether we have administrative,
executive, and business capacity equal TO the
occasion.
With patience in investigation, wisdom in
enactment, iirmness IN execution, and Justice
in all and to all, we may place our Order on
| an enduring basis, and confidently look to the
future in the just expectation OF seeing the
agricultuTists of the country intelligent
happy, prosperous, powerful, drawn together
by a sllken band encircllng the whole land,
and permeated all through with the kindest
sentiments of fraternity.