Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-04-02
ADDRESS,
BY the Master Of Grange. ?. of
H., Oh the occasion Of his Re-
firing from Of
hce.

SISTER AND BROTHER PATRONS -
From time immemorial it has been
considered part of the duty Of Il pre-
siding officer, to make an address
>ometime during or at the close ofhis
administration to the body over which
he presides, and therein to give the
views he may entertain Oh the object
or objects for which they are organ
lied. In accordance with this Gus
tom it is my privilege at the close OF
my term of office, to make you u
short address upon some If the top
les upon which we, us farmers and
Patrons of Husbanlry, are especially
interested, and first | wish to return
you my sincere thanks for the conf
dence you have placed in me in Sc
lecting me as your presiding officer
for the last two years, and further, |
wish to thank you for the uniform
courtesy and respect which you have
extended to me, both in the Grange
room and rs private citizen.
All our deliberations have been
marked by a degree Of harmony that
has been truly gratifying to witness,
and while, perhaps, we cannot point
to our year of labor as entirely salts
factory to all, yet we believe that it
has not been entirely barren Of good
results.
We are often asked by persons
outside OF our order, what is the OBJ
ject of the Grange? What do you
expect to accomplish by organizing
tie producing classes? Nearly every
interest, from the railroads to the
bootblacks, have formed organiza-
tons for their mutual benefit and adj
vancement. In our large cities we
see daily in session, Boards OF Trade,
Chambers of Commerce, and bank
ing associations. In the religious
world we see church conferences,
Presbyterian Synods, Evangelical
Alliances. In the social would we
see long list of societies in daily
session. Our manufacturing centers
are all we'll represented by trade UNI
ions and combinations Of capital and
labor. In fact, turn about every way
you will you find nearly every inter
est united and protected at every as
sailable point. In fact, it would
seem, from a hasty view of the field,
that association had become contag
ious, and had t.ken possession of ev-
cry part of society. Let Il bill be i'll
troduced, either in Congress or
State Legislature, that seems to affect
the interests of these unions, and how
soon do you see their agents and at
torneys, well equipped with the sim
ews Of war, on the ground ready to
prevent the passage OF the measure.
These unions and associations go on
year after year, and scarcely excite
a comment; but when the producing
classes began to unite their scattered
forces, it created no little stir among
the dry bones, and every species Of
motive was attributed to them, from
the repeal of the tariff on salt to the
adoption OF the doctrine Of French
Communism. Hence, from outside
pressure of other interests it became
a necessity and convenience for the
organization of the producing class
eS.
The farmers living detached from
each other, and sep .rated by consid-
cradle distance, meeting but seldom,
and then for the most part on urgent
business, there can scarcely be said
to be an interest in common, on
which they consulted for the com
mon good. Being isolated, each has
undertaken to contend, single-hand-
ed and alone, with all the comblna-
tons that have been formed against
him and it is hardly to be wondered
at that SO little progress has been
made. for one do most truly be-
lieve in the maxim that God helps
those who help themselves, and
whether the sentiment be strictly Or
thodox / shall not stop to inquire,
but if we wish to better our condi-
ton, and leave the world little bet
ter for having lived in it, we must
make y proper use OF those lawful
means which are within our reach,
and among those means | consider
the association called the Grange, if
carried on and conducted as it might
be, to be a powerful auxiliary. The
first object OF the Grange is, as it
should be, the cultivation Of our So
cial natures.
Living detached from each other
and cut off, in great measure, from
the benefits Of lectures and public
entertainments, the life Of the farmer,