The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-02-12
Aims and OBJECTS OF Patrons or Hus.
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0tu, ON I0e AIMS auosOo1BCe6 OF the
Patrons OF Hasbandry," delivered at/
the Hibernian Hall, sOhar,sston, on
Friday night. before the members of
the order and large number OF citi.
zens, is a. follows:
WORTHY MASTER, BRoTHRRs AND
SIsTRRs OF THE GRANGE, LADIES AND
0HNTnEMKN: II che audience had been
composed entirely OF members of the
National Grange, could not presume
to address you with remarks naturally
connected with instruction. There
are others in this assembly much more
competent for that purpose than my
self. But there are others here who
are not connected with our order, aud
Ashley Grange has done me the honor
to request me to explain some Of the
ends and aims OF that order. This
task l take with tho hope of removing
some of the prejudices that might have
existed against 1t. The word "grauge"
is French, it means farm, and, as ap-
piled By rs to onr organizations. is
most fitting, as descriptive of band
of farmers. The homestead OF the
apostle of liberty, LsFayett who left
bis own fair France to fight for us, was
La Grange, the Grange. There il "a
poetic and historic propriety in our
assumption to that name in a struggle
of different sort, but not the less
glorious or severe. The farmers of
our country have been considered, as
it were, the beast of burden of society,
that is to say, they were expected to
furnish food aud the raw material for
the support and raiment of the rest;
and the remaining portion of the COM
munity were to derive the profits
therefrom. Throughout the whole
country We are largely in the majority.
The extent of the majority differs III
different sections of the United States.
In the South the majority is greutest;
in my own State (Georgia) reaching
seventy five per cent. of the whole
population; in other Southern States
spproximating that amount if it does
not reach it, and yet this greater por.
ton of the community have been In a
sense governed and controlled by the
remaining minority. The position Ia
unnatural. I have sometimes thought
that the elephant in the menagerie flt-
tlngly illustrates our position. You
shall go into the menagerie and see
that huge beast with the strength of q
hundred men in his limbs. and there
is little keeper with nothing but a
small goad in his hand, Who gfYes, 4
orders. He kneels down. lays dotn,.
bellows. rosrs and does every thing
that the keeper requires, while ell the
time he could pick him up with Shis
trunk and hurl him through the cam
vas without exerting an appreciable1
effort. The farmers Of the. 66uth are
the largest part Of the population; and
yet this little twenty-five per cent,
with it's sharp goad, punches us. and
We kneel down, lay down. bsllow.
roar. do whatever they command US
to do. while all the time We could pick
them up with our trunk and throw
them through the canvas. and scarcely
feel ,shat We have exerted' on apprecia.
bic amount of strength. Why is this2
It ls because the minority is organized
and the majority is not organized, and
We all know what q disciplined squad
OF men can do with an undis0plIne ed
mob. But that fault is being correct
ed. This organization has sprung
into life. It has not yet, resched its
fullness. but when that completeness
OF organization il perfected towards
which we are now 80 rapidly tending,
there will be body OF men and women
counted by hundreds of thousands.
banded iudissolubly together. who
will render resistance to their will im-
possible. This is to be- the result OF
this organization, which has been be-
gun and is now going on to. consum.
mutton. Agriculture has been op-
pressed.
The form of oppression differs in
different sections. Iu the North west,
the chief burden has been connected
with transportation, and efforts have
been made to lessen this burden, aud
gailantly the contest has been waged
Tho burden connected with the varia.
ton of prices, the "watering" OF
stocks, rings and monopolies; that is
the claes Of oppression with which our
Northwestern brothers have had to
contend. At the South, We do not
meet with that difficulty. or rather it
assumes different shape. I dc not
think that We here in the South can
reasonably complain OF the railroads,
they arc controlled by gentlemen in
whom We have entire confidence.
Those who hold their stocks are our
wldows and orphans, and those seek.
ing permanent investments. And Yet
these railroads are all failing to declare
Idivid0nda khair at0cka and honda %