The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-08-19
The Grange.


TIL. Kansas Farmer, edited by a prominent
member of the Grange, is becoming disguised
with the way the Grange is being run, and enters
the following complaint;
b Of this State have expected as they have
t AZ tbat the order would practically assist them in
placing their surplus products spon the market dnere
a ifn nsn has not been brought forward and urged
upon The order by the officers properly elected 70 DO So
hin 4 y 60 10 work and do something that is within the
reach its members which Wal f51s money snS seeTss
aD n part harvested and the balance in another sixty
win hsye saTd hi he r. aHa tas nsGs
S-ork 10 4 uniform system is at hand.
The Executive Committee Of the Kansas State Grange
session Of seven days adjourned without foreshad
owing business idea hat was done at that and
M as the present business interests Of the Patrons are
concerned organization for business is the first thing
essary The question is, what shall be the Plani
1t is not hard to understand what is the mat
ter with the Grange. 1t has been turned into
political party, and has almost lost sight of the
objects for which it was organized. 1t has been
in operation in Kansas for three or four years.
and we would like to know what benefit it has
been to the mass of the members. Thousands
have gone in, paid their Initiation fees, their
charter fees, their dues, and all that; have spent
their time in holding meetings and Councils-and
what good has il done tbemi Where is their
money! What have they got to show for it =
Where are the low freights they wished to
curei Where are the cheap implements, goods,
and groceries, that they were going to get by CO.
operation and buying in bulkf Where is
Grange store or manufacturing establishment in
successful operation anywherei None to be
found, unless in an isolated case here and there.
But when you come to politics, you find where
has haan 4 Tba
of the members went into it in good faith, ex-
pecting to receive certain benefits. But it has
been infested with lot of political hacks, Office
seekers, and petty demagogues, who went in for
the purpose of making political capital, and who
have managed to make a mere political machine
of it. Processing the motto that the Office should
seek the man, most of its active managers have
constantly kept an eye TO political position,
which they expected to attain by using the
Grange. We have seen, in this County, mem
bers of the Grange nominated for Office by one of
the old parties, and a most bitter fight made
against them by the Grange for alleged treason to
it-that is, they did not recognize the Grange as a
political party, and ask it for political favors
but exercised their right to act with the party
of their choice. This is what has brought about |
the situation of which the Farmer complains |
The managers have spent all their time dabbling |
in politics. and could not look after the interests
of the farmer.
We have given the Grange ali the encourage
ment we could, desiring to let them have a fair
chance to carry out the reforms they professed to
seek But it has long been apparent that it was
becoming simply a political machine. 1t has
been clearly demonstrated in this country, by
epeated efforts, that a secret political party can
lot preserve an existence. One or two victories,
t most, is all they ever achieve-sometimes none
t all secret organization is more liable than an
pen party to become the prey of designing DEM
gogues, shysters, and small-fry politicians, who
peedily prove to be the bane of the organiza-
on. The Grange will form no exception to the
lie. Before the honest rank and file of the or s
sfr-spenG any more time or money it would be
ell for them to inquire what has been done a
18th the money they have already contributed, i
Thsre the great benefits are that were promised 5
hem, and what designing men are seeking polit- '
cal preferment through Grange influence.