Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-02-02
agricultural.
From me illustrated Christian Weekly.
a Paragraph from Current HIS
tory.

OF home Is a prOyerh. We have never
seen 4 clearer statement of the nature and
work Of the American Oranges than IN
Lord ROSeberry's speech before the Social
Science Congress at Glasgow
Nowhere has the multiplication Of
unions been more extraordinary than IN
the United States. The very names Of
some Of them are quaint enough, the Al,
vocates Of Justice, the Knights Of Honor,
the Sons Of Toll, the Brethren Of Labor,
the Soycreigus Of Industry But incom-
parsbly above these there towers the o.
gantic association Of the Patrons Of Hus-
bandry, commonly called the Grangers,
great agricultural, cooperative. independ-
ent union. It's progress has been amazing,
Its first Grange or Lodge was formed in
the last month of 1867 there are al this
moment 20,joO,With Isl ,226 members.
At the end OF the wear il l. certain they
will have $4,000, with 100000 men,
hers. The orler J. practically identical
With the agricultural population of siN
states, and with two-thirls OF the farmers
IN ten others In Missouri alone there
are said 10 be 2,lj0 Oranges they are
making way in Canada; Pennsylvania
began the year with SIX lodges, and al this
moment she has SOO. Why this enor-
nous increase The answer j. simple for
it j. alleged that membership adds no,
.ess than 30 Per cent 10 the income OF
the Changers. The California Grangers
have their own feet, aud ship their corn
direct 20 Liverpool. by which they save
$4,000 ,OOO 10 freights in the year 1873
Their vessels bring a. return csrgoes tea.
sugar, coffee, six, and other commodities,
which are retSiled 10 members at cost
prices and q system Is being organized
by which their ships shall return with
loads Of every foreign article which the
members may need They are thus an
independent nation. But they are more.
They have a sOcial,religiOus, and political,
as well a. s cooperative aspect. They
have a secret password, renewed annually.
Grange banks, Grange plough mauufis-
tories, Grange burisl.seTvices They de-
clare that they are going TO labor for the
good Of all mankind, % which they 10.
isnd 70 raise the standard. They mean to
SECURE obedisnos to the laws and general
brotherhood and on the other hand to
suppress fashion, bribery. and selfish am
bition. Their very success has made
them run into extravagances, but that
success Is a social symptom We cauno,
afford to disregard"
The Changers are attracting less atten. |
ton In America than abroad, and, i'll
Lord ROseberry's statements are to be re-
relied on, less than they deserve. They |
give light on the labor problem.
The difference between strikes and CO.
operation is simple, but radical. A strike /
is a combination TO obsiruct industry. |
When il succeeds the house remains IN
sheathed and unrooted, the bricks lie in I
the moulds unfinished and unbaked, the
6res 20 out Of the furnaces, the steam /
goes ont Of the boilers, the wheels Of mill /
and factory stand still, stagnation every.
where but in the grog shops This is the
limit o! 8 strike. Cooperation is com.
bination to promote industry. Il adds as
Sd incentive 10 every mans fidelity, q
prospective share Of the profits. II
threatens every mans idleness with pros
s;ive loss Of profit. II il succeeds
lho haMneT.elOws fall ilsIer on the
shingles. the sparks fy meErier from the
forge, the hres burn hotter in the furnace.
he wheels run their race more rapidly
10 the shops. Business Is dull only in
he grog-shOp;
Hitherto cooperation has not been
brilliant success. But that does not
prove it Is not to be-. The Grange gives
larger promise Of fruitful cooperation
than any similar movement in America.
We DO not wonder that Lord Roseberry,
when he wishes 10 exemplify the benefits
OF union, should come 10 our shores for
an illustration. We only wonder that it
should be left to an English Lord 10 do
80.
The social and industrial problem of
the next decade is apparently 10 be 4 re.
adjustment Of the relations of labor and
capital He who should make 4 study Of
the socialistie and industrial experiments
Of the last century, and then should add
careful study Of the Grange movement
Of to-day, and should, from such study,
evolve the causes Of failure and the pos
sibiGties Of success in cooperation. would
render an incalculabe service 10 the
American people.
Meanwhile We commend 10 our work
ingmen and wOrkingwOmen 10 study the
facts in the paragraph given above. Why
eonfne cooperation to farming Why
eonfne il to the Western states and the
Pacific slope Let the carpenters CON-
bine to take contracts let the eoopers
combine TO make barrels let the printers
combine to print and to publish. No man
can object TO combination to prosecute in
dustry No thoughtful man can look
npOn combinations to obstruet il without
regret. They can only be pardoned on
the ground that they are necessary evils.
The trades-union that shall develop
practical plan of cooperation in work,
will have done more for tie present COM
fort and future elevation of the so-ealled
working classes than BY conducting TWEEN
" strikes 10 successful issue.