Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1875-12-02

fine horses. But how, or by whom, Is the expense 81 thls
Z" high stile - paid? By the labor OF the farmer aho the
miner. the principal producers of our Territory. taken from
them as the profits Of so-called legal trade.
And vet the farmer and miner struggle on through tfelr
life of toll. They live in log cabins, and their wives and
daughters preside in the kitchen, sitting-room ana parlho o
all in one, clad in calico, and with the rougn impress OF Ia,
only the rudiments of an English education. IN log school
houses. They and their families usually ride to town IN
lumber wagons drawn by cayuse ponies.
The farmer and miner struggle on, quietly submitting to
the unjust demands Of the middle man, IKE the elephaan a III
the S show !" yielding obedience to the behests OF ms driver
while unconsciously possessing the power TO trample MIN
in the dust. n:-
country and if they could once realize their strength they
might say to this middle man: Stand aside! we can make
The result would be, the farmer would sell his produce d
rectly to the miner, who would pay the price, directly to
the farmer, and the profits of the middle man be saved be-
The interests Of these two classes urgently demand the
establishment of mutual understanding, friendly relations,
and the direct exchange Of the proceeds of their labor.
Never was a people trodden upon by a more heartless class
ing fortunes from the struggling laborers Of Montana.
Justice cries aloud for a radical change. Shall we have
that at cha an Sss,ae ! IT, ee M1 e it is y within Hx 5hs RoW Com of t6is
will report the outlines of a plan for an iniatory step in a
course which they believe would lead to the desired end,
and 1 believe you would do well to carefully consider the
Let me here express the hope that no brother or sister
will be led to look upon the saving of labor or the acqaisi-
ton of wealth as one of the great ends to be attained by
our organization. The great ends we have in view, accord
ing to our declared purposes, are the development and
qualification of our moral, intellectual and social natures,
and the improvement of our domestic condition. The &C
QUESTION of wealth should be advocated and INDUCED in,
through our Order,only as a means OF reaching these Wor-
thy objects, but MT as one of the great ends Of life, thus
making it low and sordid pursuit.
While we sit in dsliberation upon matters of mutual inter
est, there comes to pr ears, from DER the grassy plains and
snow-capped MOUNTAINS, cries of suffering and appeals for
aid from our brothers and sisters in Kansas and adjoining
States. The choppers have devoured their means Of
subsistence and left want and suffering instead. Our hearts
go out in sympathy toward our suffering Brethren but can
we aid them ? is the question. Many of us, like themselves,
have lost two successive crops from the same cause, and to-
1aV mich real NaUt stands in our midst, Hard times are
upon us, and yet actual suffering is not the general case
among us.
Our hardy Rocky Mountain pioneers are enterprising and
self reliant. or else they never would have penetrated this
renn'nts ieg 2o11e and eS Ihen de n lar e sna1nse si'ee, no1nf fe II, ndt tnese
ty, and no cry of distress is heard from our valleys. We
i nnaq Rretealy posses pc fhe s feeupe era net reS T%are It that att Our 4ha suffer 1dsst
doubt of the existence among them Of real, intense, un-
~avoidable restitution and suffering that must continue until
they can realize a benefit from this seasons crop, unless the
needed relief reaches them from abroad, From the impulse
of our hearts, our hands instinctiyely extend toward our
greet that we are forced to acknowledge our limited ability.
While we are proneto remember that . charity should begin
fill the bucket y and that the widows mite entitled her
to high credit in the Great Book Of Life.
In an organization as extensive as ours has become, it is
not strange that many imperfections have crept in in fact,
if the contrary werethe case, it would be one Of the strangg-
est things imaginable. Neither, is it wonderful that with
such a diversified membership, some should be found up
holding that which j wrong and others, condemning that
Ours, is a Democratic Order. Difference. of opinion and
freedom of expression are tolerated. 1t may seem absurd
in the National Grunge. | cannot, however, refrain from
expressing an adveIse opinion in regard to all degrees above
those of the Subordinate Grange, and would request you to
adopt some resolution expressing the opinion of this body
in regard to the same.
This action woull seem to be almost necessary, as the
subject is being agitaed by some of our Brotherhood in the
States. From present indications, I Judge it will soon be
brought to the consideration of the National Grange, per-
haps, at its next meeting. Consequently, it is possible that
an expression of yor opinion at this time might become
desirable Instruction. to your representative in that body.
In our Declaration Of Purposes. we find this commenda-
! Bile EXPRESSION of sentiment: s. We ackuOwledua tha brood
principle that difference of opinion is no crime, and hold,
that progress toward Truth is made by difference Of opin-
desire aproper equality, equity and fairness protection for
the weak, restraint upon the strong in short, justly dis
my humble opinion. the principles upon which are based
the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Degrees of our Order, create
privila1Co1 n1ocCac anl ao ~ nnc;rta Nth ,1l ,a