The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-10-06
PATRONS OF HUsBANDRY.
What a Million and a Half of
Changers are Doing.
Stores, Mills, Elevators, Banks
and Insurance Companies
Scores of Newspaper Or
gans = Rapid Growth
of the Order in the
South.
From the New York Sun.

-
of the Order in the
South.
From the New York Sun.
The nomination of Mr.. Piolette by
the Democrats of Pennsylvania for
the office of State Treasurer attracts
much attention to Grangerism, as he
is known to be the most prominent
leader of the Patrons in that State,
and an incorruptible reformer. But
to one who keeps himself thorough
~ informed on the progress of the
Order of Patrons Of Husbandry, the
nomination Of Mr.. Piolette is only
one among thousands Of signs Of its
rapid growth.
The progress of the cooperative
movement in England is pointed at
as wonder but that has been about
forty years in maturing, while Gran
gerism has swelled to it's present
proportions in about three years.
The truth will be apparent to any
one who carefully examines the facts
that new power is arising, from
one end to the other Of this land, of
sort that is without precedent, and
whose future influence therefore can
not now be measured.
Although the fact is a disagreea-
BILE one to some classes of non-prO-
ducers, it is none the less undenia-
BILE that the rugged health of the
movement arises from its direct bear
ing upon the pockets of the members
While there is much said in Granger
correspondence about the social fea-
lures Of their work-the picnics and
other festivities-the chief burden is
concerning the wholesale buying and
selling they have done through the
machinery of the Order. This is. of
course, different in different States.
In the West large part of the gain
is from the wholesale disposal of
grain, and its handling through
Grange elevators. In the South,
planters have saved large sums by
using the Grange agents in dispos
ing of their cotton.
GRANGE ORGANS.
The newspaper agencies inform US
that newspapers with a nominal cap
ital or $S.OO0,OOO have come to
naught since the panic Of 1873. The
new papers arising to take their
places, in the West at least, seem to
be largely disposed to announce
themselves, even in their titles, as
taking the side of the Grange. A re-
hearsal Of the most prominent
Grange organs by States will do
much to open the eyes OF some peo-
pie to the magnitude Of this move
ment
1t is an interesting fact that scarce
~ any Grange papers are published
this side Of the Allegheny Noun
tains, and there are very many more
in the South than in New England.
In all down East we find no mani
fest Grange organ. and only two or
three public wOrkingmen's papers.
1t is said that many of the mill own
ers will discharge a hand who per-
sists in taking paper that is devot-
ed exclusively to the interests OF
that class.
All these Grange papers are known
to be earnest advocates Of the Pat
rons Of Unsbandry, but there are
scores more not thoroughly identi-
fed with the Order. but working for
it. In fact it is getting customary
for nearly all the Western country
papers to devote a column or two to
Grange matters.
4 TREMENDOUS CONSTITUENCY.
When one considers the fact that
religious. Masonic. and other mutual
aid societies, established for many
years in this country, only support
two or three organs apiece, it be-
comes apparent that an Order that
Is already supporting and giving
tone to several score OF papers must
have tremendous membership and
strong hold upon the popular af-
fectiOns.
There is q singular difference be-
tween the organs Of the movement
in different States. In Ohio, Indi-
ana. Illinois, Kansas and Missouri
they are so taken up, as general
thing, with letters. speeches. and ar
guments in favor Of greenback cur
rency, that they have not room for
many Grange particulars. IN the
Northwest, the original seat of the
movement, they are still at work in
their anti-monopoly fight with rail-
roads. Indeed, the people of this
country, as a general rule, seem to
think that Grangeism simply means
war against railroad extortions. In
Pennsylvania, on tho other hand, the
Formers Friend has heen all sum
mer forcibly illustrating the practi-
cal character OF the Pennsylvania
Dutch and Quakers, Its columns
have been full of letters describing
the picnios that have been held all
over the State. These letters show
ed truly marvellous advance, for
whereas a dozen years ago writers
and speakers were advocating in
vain TO the most advanced comma
mites the benefits of cooperation,
here now were thousands of the old
conservative Pennsylvania Dutch
Farmers throwing themselves heart
lily into the work Of an order. the
chief feature Of which is oo-opera-
tive buying and selling by producers.
EAlINENTLY PRACTICAL.
It is noticeable that though the
long picnic stories in the Friend
dwell mostly on tho crowds that at.
tended this and that festivity, and
tell rather what they had to eat, than
what the speech makers said, they
usually conclude with with a very
practical statement about the thous-
ands of dollars worth Of goods
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