Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-02-12
Work is noble; God forbid the Graug,


4 should ever teach her young sons to l'c
ashamed Of il. No she says strain ev-
cry muscle; be not ashamed of the
sweat that falls from your manly brow.
but still remember. that noble gift God
has given you. As you value your own
prosperity, as YOU value the interest of
those who are to come after you, starve
it not; feed it generously, in turn IL will
feed you, and what is better it will clc-
waite your moral condition ! have said
before that it is useless to disguise the
fact that farmers do not hold that posi-
ton among their felow-countrymen that
they should there is no reason why this
should be so. There is nothing in the
occupation to draw man down; yea,
there is everything to elevate, and. as
has been said, to bring him in closer
contact with his Maker.
The fault lies in the farmer, not in his
occupation. He lives too much to him
self; his mind becomes rusty from want
Of rubbing against mind. The boy
leaves school, becomes farmer, ceases to
measure weapons in the mental arena,
his mind, like muscle ooses tone from
want Of use though possessed with nntu-
raj abilities, the idea Of any mental strug-
gle becomes each day more and more dis
tasteful to him though by nature fitted
to serve bis people 10 the legislative body.
he shrinks with adherence at the mere
idea. Hence, the rural districts, for the
most part, are represented by doctors and
| lawyers Now We honor both of these
! professions. but claim that the proper
man to represent the farming interest is
the farmer. Away then with the sckly
complaints thar come from all sides
because goodly number Of honest farm
ers are not to be seen upon our legisla-
4 tive floors. we are answernble to ourselves
for their absence and we are not there,
because we are unfit for the place, and
we are unfit because we fail to improve
land enlarge our mental capacity.
Fellow-pntrons. let us look at this sub
Iiect as one fraught with mighty interest
Luxury, vice and corruption, are ram
pant through this land; charge no par-
tieular party with the responsibility it
But trust a mighty struggle is near at
hand virtue versus vice. Virtue shall
need not only soldiers pure in heart, but
soldiers with enlightened knowledge
who can weigh truth and detect vice,
though smeared with the varnish Of vir-
tue. Yes. the Grange, catching the
sounds Of the coming battle, commands
her members to buckle on their armor.
She desires no gencraship, she is the
champion of no political creed. but says
to her members. fght for truth. virtue
and fidelity To fathers. she says, with
your sons. ripening into manhood. urge
them to come here and join our band !;
to one and all, she says prepare your
selves for the part yon should play IN the
coming conflict, by purifying your hearts
and enlightening your understandings
If the Grange looks with solicitude to tn
moral and intellectual advancement Of
her members, neither is she forgetfnI Of
their material interest. Ii have proved
That the Grunge is calculated to advance
and enlarge our moral and intellectual
capacity. then have | proved Indirectly
that she is able to advance our material
Il | :
but directly. that she comes to our pecu-
uiary assistance. Like sensible or
ganization. she promises not immediate
relief, but calls upon her members to
work step by step. the reforms she marks
out for their relief. While she dpspses
not small things, she warns her members
not TO rest in them. She proposes to
place the producer and consumer in
4 closer contact Why the consumer
should look at the Grange with jealous
eve, am at loss 10 understand. for he
is equally with the farmer, prey TO the
speculator The Grange can form no
combination (and am thankful they
cannot), to put the necessaries Of life at
an exorbiiant figure. The laws Of trade
must regulate the price. save at TINES.
when interrupted by tho spoculator for
4 his own selfish ends The Grange asks
but that the laws Of trade take their un-
| inierrupte course She aims no blow
at the honest speculator who operates
upon his Judgment, but il does declare
var against set Of men, who by false
reports and false estimates crops grown,
depress the market, injnring the very
class Of farmers who are least able to
bear II.
Tire Grunge comes between these mon
and the consumer, and by giving just
estimate Of a crop grown. permits the laws
Of trade to take their course aud regulate
the price, and not the speeulator will, his
false reports. Now, / think il must be
conceded that the Grange has an oppor-
tunity Of estimating the amount Of crop
grown that no other individual or set Of
/ men have. Il may be asked, cannot the
| Grange make false reports az we'll as the
spectators? Certainly; bat with this
wide difference, the spcciilator stands
behind screen, unknown; but the
Grange stands out prominent. and one
false. or at the outside. two false reports.
would destroy all confidence 10 IFS re-
ports, and 50 make it ever useless in this
respect again. Arrangements have been
made with various branches Of trade.
whereby. the farmer procures bis articles
at a cheaper rate. Now, the great value
fof this feature docs not consist alone in
the discount saved, bat rather in the in
auguration Of cash system--a system
indispensable to the welfare ola farmer.
Again, We are dependant upon indi-
yidnals or corporations for transportation
| TO market. aud these parties have a right
I'D got