The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-07-08
FIRM AND GRANGE
An Admirable Address, Delivered Before
the Oinsted County Council P. OF H., June
25th, 1875, by VIM. Elliott, Lecturer

III, -
consider this an opportune time to
take retrospect, and also to look Tor
ward, that we may prepare ourselves
to Guide the Order among the pitfalls
of our own ignorance, and the stumol-
inc blocks which our enemies will try to
mace in our path Until the inseption
of our Order the farmer was almost $50
lated from everything but hard and con-
tinuous work. He might indeed belong
to some Agricultural or horticultural
Association, but from them he could de-
rive no ideas but those which relate TO
the tillage of the sill, and no incentive
To imnr0yement other than a prize at a
fair. But the Grange has changed all
this. OF course crops have to De LABOR
ed over the same as before, ana the
necessities and Inconvenience OF c0ull-
trv life to be met. But the farmer Pat
ron feels he is Il power in the land,
mower whose voice is heard in the great
marts of the commerce, in the halls OF
the lawmakers, and before the seats Of
;nstce: a power blessed by thousands
Of sufferers on our own frontiers, ana
raspected alike 10y millionaire and beg
gar.
and the Indebtedness OF our people tend,
at present, to LESSEN the pecunlafy oehe-
fits of the Order But these are tunes
OF such depression tnat we can out cheer
our hearts with hope and wait patiently
tor "a return to confidence. =,
Hard times never before fell as equally
mon all classes. Usually the traders
have found such times IA golden harvest,
and have enriched themselves at the eX-
pense of the poor farmers, who, stand
inc alone and unaded, pow erless TO con-
troll either sales or prices, become thelr
easy prey. Though as yet not able 10
control the markets, we have learned to
buy and sell much more ID our aavant,
ape. and when the cooperative ana
cash system are better understood and
more generally applied, the food-ownel
and not the money-owner will regulate
prices current.
In a social sense the Grange has done
even more for the farmer. 1t has giver
him the privilege of expressing ldea'
and listening to those OF others OF Gle
yelopmg Mental faculties which ma,
have lain dormant even for generations
perhaps of improving neglected edu
cation. and certainly Of learning tina
exterior accomplishment -poiiteness-
in the best school, that OF intercourse
with the world. And many an hour Q
toll is lichtened, and many dull even
ing wiled away 10y going over again Il
mind the work OF the grange room
Here. too, the wife may take a par
and the influence of the Grange lie IN
troduced into the family; and as
spreads through the neighborhooJ. KING
nesscs are exchanged and friendship
cemepted. which will brighten whol
lives.
As an agency for the moral, socia
and political elevation OF large Gas
of mankind, no association has ever "
come SO popular in SO short TIM
None has ever held SO completely u
confidence of the people, and never h;
that popularity and confidence Dee
more deserved.
Thus tar have we arrived by the pul
ty OF our principles, the sagacity OF o
leaders and the integrity OF our mel
bers. We have raised ourselves from
state which by its disintigration, "
scarcely more than nothingness, to {
cupy the grandest position OF any ella
or party in America. With such
cord as this there still are some VINO
1.-The Grange is dead; it's day IS pas
Beware OF such; they are either op
enemies or luke-warm friends. WI
controlled by seltishness, are too ca
tious or too miserly to give either TIN
labor or money to help on the eau
and TOO prejudiced to FULLY invesug:
the subject, jump at conclusions witht
s,t};c;ant knowledge.
We need only to examine the da
papers to know the weight our intiuer
has with public opinion. Agrieultu
Associations and political combinatit
who would. ii they dared oppose
no, only talk Cancellation but stand res
to league themselves with us; .
measures are agitated. Jaws made, s
Judgment rendered, with reference
the principles we are striving to IN,
cate. Ii cannot be that we shall I
Principles, mol men. are our ieaus
and though men may fail, Princll
never do. This is the peoples car
the people's heart Is in it, and surely