Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-26
Aims and Objects of the Patrons Of
Husbandry.
Address OF the Rev. MIR. Howard before 4
National Grange.

Husbandry.
Address OF the Rev. MIR. Howard before the
National Grange.
Worthy Master, BrOthers and Sisters of the
Grange. Ladies and Gentlemen: If the nu.
dience had been composed entirely of men,
beers Of the National Grange could not pre-
sumo to address you with remarks naturally
connected with instruction. There are 9th.
ers in this assembly much more competent
for that purpose than myself. But there are
others here who ARE not connected with our
order, and Ashley Grange has done me the
honor to request me to explain some Of the
ends and aims Of that order. This task
take with the hope Of removing some Of the
prcjudiccs that might have existed against
it. The word grange" is French; it means
farm. and, as applied by us to our organiza-
ton, is most fitting. rs descriptive of band
Of farmers. The homestead of the apostle
of liberty. Lafayette. who left his own fair
France to fight for us was, La Grange, the
Grange. There is poetic and historic pro.
priety in our assumption TO that name in y
struggle of different sort. but not the less
glorious or severe. The farmers of our
country have been considered, rs it were,
The beasts OF burden
of society, that is to say, they were expected
to furnish food and the raw material for tn,
support and raiment of the rest; and the re.
naming portion of the community were &c
derive tho profits therefrom. Throughout
the whole country we arc largely in the ma
jority. The extent OF the majority differs il
different sections of the United States. ~
the South the majority is greatest: in M!
own State Georgia. reaching seventy-iive
per cent of the whole populations; in other
Southern states approximating that amount
IL it does not reach il, and yet this greater
portion Of the community have been in n
sense governed and controlled by the re.
manning minority. The position Is unnatur-
al. have sometimes thought that the ele-
plant in the menageric fittingly illustrates
our position. You shall go into the menag.
erie and see that huge boast with the
strength of hundred men in his liua9l4, and
there is little keeper with nothing but II
small goad in his hand who gives him or
ders. He knees down, lies down. bellows
roars. and does everything that the keeper
requires, while all the time no could picL
him up with his trunk and hurl him through
the canvas without exerting an appreciable
effort. The farmers of the South are the
largest part of the population; and yet this
little twenty-five per cent with its SHARP
goad punches u.s. and we kneel down, II,
down, below, roar, do whatever they com.
mand us to do, while all the time we could
pick them up with our trunk and throw them
through the canvas, and scarcely feel that
we have cXerted an appreciable amount %
strength. Why is this? II is becauseth'
minority Is organized and the majority is moi
organized, and we all know what disci
plned squad of men can do with an undisci
plined mob. But that fault is being cor
rectod. This organization has sprung into
life. II has not yet reached its fullness, but
when that completeness Of organization is
perfected towards which we are now Sc
rapidly tending, there will be body Of mel
and women counted by hundreds of thous
ands banded indissolubly together who vii
render resistance to their will impossible
This is to be the result of this organization
which has been begun and is now going on
to consummation. Agriculture has been OPP
pressed.
The form OF Oppression
differs IN different sections. In the North
west, the chief burden has been connected
| with transportation, and efforts have beer
made to lessen this burden, and galantlS
the contest has been waged. Tho burden
connected with the variation of prices, tn,
watering of stocks, rings and monopolies
that is the class of oppression with which
our Northwestern brothers have had TO con
tend. At the South we do not meet with
that difficulty, or rather it assumes differ.
ent shape. | do not think that we here in
the South can reasonably complain of the
railroads; they are controlled by gentlemen
in whom we have entire confidence. Those
who hold their stocks are our widows anC
orphans, and those seeking permanent in
vestments. And yet these railroads aro al
falling TO declare dividends, their stocks ant
bonds are below par, aud although thei
rates are high, they assure us that they can
not transport freights ut lower rates, because
Of the small shipments. We cannot blam,
them. But the burden still falls heavily up
on the farmer. What is to be done by them
which will correct that which the railroads
say Is beyond their powerP A portion of Oul
citizens have attempted to remove part oil
that difficulty connected with transportation
by establishing a direct trade to Europe
movement eminently worthy, If it car
be found practicable. The State Grange Of
Georgia has organized n board of direct
trade, with beginning capital of 800, 900
the most OF which has been paid in. They
have shipped already 1000 bales of cottor
and hope before the end of the season B,
ship 10000 bales. This is local institution
but why should it BIO merely local when 4
may be extended thu oughout the whole
countryP The president Is II man Of the
highest integrity and in whom wo all have
the creates. faith. A gentleman from thu.
city is our agent in Europe, but while thi,
may relieve commissions so far rs practica
BILE, it does not affect the question of railway
transportation. A surer relief will be pro
vided in shipping direct to tho spinners N
home. We should have our markets in oul
own section Of country, in our own counties
| If possible, for tho sale of our cotton, In tn,
state Of Georgia there are forty-two cottor
mills to work up thirty millions of dollars
worth ofraw material, aud yet the factories
which have been established heretofore ar,