Litchfield enquirer., 1875-04-15


 your paper, at different times, two or three articles in regard to a new irstitu- tion in this part of the country. called ''The Order of the Patrons of Husband ry," the members of which go by the name of Grangers. These articles seem to have been written in spirit of inquiry. stating doubts that their writers enter tained as to the new institution being a benefit to the public, and asking for in- formation. To these enquiries, the Gran gers have made no reply; unless one short article which, instead of telling what the Changers were going to do, confined itself to what the merchants did not do, can be called one. They seem to be much ad- verse to answering objections brought up by outsiders, or to stating their plans and anticipations in an open manner. as is and should be the custom of organizations for the public good. Perhaps their Grange organizations teing secret, their method of accomplishing their great end of get ting two dollars worth for one is so, too. In that case, it would seem that they were either vastly selfish Ill keeping so vaiu- able secret from the rest of mankind, or very blind to thelr own interests in allow ing outsiders to express the opinion un- contiadicted, that the Oranges are only useful in enabling their members to say Don't you wish you knew ?" to outsiders.
 It is said that the object of the Oranges in this state, instead of being that for which they were established in the West namely, fighting railroad monopolies- is to resist the exactions of merchants. In the West, if newspapers are to be befev- ed, they have in some cases been too sue cessful for their own good. Sundry local railroads with small business, and useful chiefly to the farmers along their lines, found that on account of the oppressive laws enacted in the Granger interest. they could no pay expenses, and were therefore obliged to stop running. The farmers thereupon found themselves much in the condition of the owner of the goose that laid golden eggs after he had killed that remarkable bird. They were victorious, but discovered that in future they would have to cart their produce to market at two or three times the cost, of send ing it by rail. It is to be hoped no such fate awaits the business men of this coun- ty, but if it is so to be, it may safely be predicted that the victory will be still more unsatisfactory. ---..-4
 We hear these reformers are going to take business into their own hands and provide themselves with the necessaries they now procure at stores. That is, they are going to be merchants and farmers at once. Now one of the chief character istics of the growth of Civilization and Business Prosperity in the world, has been a greater and greater division of labor, and it was found, long ago. that a man could accomplish much more by devoting himself to one trade, profes- blOU, UT OEduCu OA DuSAACoS CAOAuoASCAys and depending upon others for every thing not supplied by it, than by trying to do everything for himself and like Rob 1nson Crusoe, being his. own tailor, boot maker, architect, and doctor. The Gran gers propose to go backward and push up stream towards the condition of ''Ye No ble Red Man, before ye wicked, pale-face middle-man tempted h1m with firearms and fre-water. No monopolies got hold ofwampum.
 The Oranges, seemingly vexed that any one else should make any money, are go. ing to try to manage two kinds of business at once. They want the profits of the merchant as we'll as the gains of the farm CT. This must be their object, for they cannot claim to be fighting a monoply. If there is monoply in this case, the there is one in every trade and profession existing.
 |. We cannot in the present state of soc- iety live indepently, and it is necessary. in every community that is self-sustain- ing, that there should be representatives of all trades and callings. and where, for any reason, the same person hes to com bine two or more trades or crafts, they are cramped and weakened in consequence. It is where there is traffic enough to give the different branches of business the largest field and widest separation, as in large cities, that their prosperity is great est. Farming and business would not go we'll together. No industrious farmer could spare time from his farm to at tend to the latter, and unless he does, he must hire some one to do 1t for him, which he would find quite as expensive. as employ ias snnaa ono who made 1t his reeulax business.
 The Changers would confer a great fa- vor by dispeling these doubts that have arisen in their silence, and which would doubtless be found groundless should they speak. If not permitted to do this, they are bound in humanity to tell those who do not till the earth what they are to do for dry-goods and groceries when stores are no more, and inform poor merchants, now shivering in suspense, how soon they must look up a new e,a- ployment. GFIhE sf~5I SKEPTIc
 Roxbury, April 1875.
 Cornwall.