The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-07-08
FERN A.p cRR1a4NeE+
An Admirable Address, Delivered Before
the Olmsted County Council ?. OF r., June
25th, 1875, by VIM. Elicit, Lecturer

2Sth, 1879, Dy Wh' c'iots'
| consider this an opportune tlme 10
take retrospect, and also to look lor-
ward, that we may prepare oursen ' %
to Guide the Order among the plt-lalis
of our own ignorance, ana the stunpl-
mo hlOcks which our enemies VIII Try 10
place in our path. Until the lnseptloh
If orr Order the farmer was almost $50
lated from everything but hard ana con-
tinuous work He might indeed belong
TO some Agricultural or horticultural
Association. but from them ne could de-
rive no ideas but those which relate to
the tillace Of the sill, and 40 incentive
to Improvement other than q prize at
fair. But the Grange has changed ali
this. OF course crops have 70 De iapof-
ed over the same az before, ana the
necessities and lnconNcnltnces OF couh-
nv life To he met. But the farmer Fat
ron feels he is Il power in the Etnd' d
mower whose voice IS heard IN the great
marts of the commerce, IN tne mans VI
the law -makers, and before the seats vi
iustice: a power blessed by thousands
Of sufferers on our own frontiers, ana
respected alike by millionaire anu peg
gar.
The strineency Of the money market
ana the Indebtedness OF our people tend,
at present, to LESSEN the pecunlary oene-
fits of the Order But these are times
OF such depression tnat we can out cheer
our hearts with hope and wait patiently
Tor Il return to confidence. ;,
Hard times never before fed as equal y
upon all classes. Usually the traders
have found such times a golden harvest,
and have enriched themselves at the eX-
pense of the poor farmers, VINO, stand
inc alone and unaded, pow 10 con
troll either sales or prices, become theii
easy prey. Though rs Yet not able to
control the markets, We have learned tc
huv and sell much more y our auVant-
are, and when the cooperative ano
cash system are better understood ant
more generally applied, the iood-ownei
and NOT the money-owner will regulate
prices current.
In a social sense the Grange has done
even more for the farmer. II has slvet
him the privilege ct expressing laea
and listening to those OF others OF ue
yeloping Mental faculties which ma
have lain dormant even tor generations
perhaps of improving neglected. eau
cation. and certainly OF learning ina
exterior accomplishment -poilteness-
in the best school, that OF lntercours
with the world. And many an hour c
toll is lichtened. and many dull even
inc wiled away by going over again
mind the work oi the grange room
Here, too. tue wife may take par
and the influence of the Grange lie IN
troduced into the family; and as
spreads through the neighborhooJ, kint
nesscs are exchanged and friendship
cemented. which Will brighten who
lives.
As an agency for the moral, socia
and political elevation or i large elias
~ mankind, no association has ever b.
come so popular IN SO short TIM
None has ever held so completely II
confidence of The people, and never b;
tba, nopularity and confidence bes
more deserved.
Tins tar have we arrived by the pu1
tv OF our principles, the sagaci'y OF 0
leaders and the integrity OF our "ei
hers. We have raised ourselves itoih
state which by its disintgratlon. "
scarcely more than nothingness. to 6
eupy the grandest position OF any cha
or party IN America. With such
cord rs this there still are some VINO
1.-The Grange is dead; its day Is pas
Beware OF such; they are either op
enemies or luke-warm friends. WI
controlled by seliishness, are too ca
tious or too mlserly to give either TIN
labor or money to help on the eau
and too prejudiced to tully investig'
the subject. jump al conclusions witht
sufficient knowledge.
We need only TO examine the da
papers to know the weight our infiuer
has with public opinion. Agricultu
Associations and political comhinatit
who would. if they dared oppose
no, only talk Cancellation but stand res
10 league themselves with US; :
measures are aeitated, Jaws made, :
iudgmen, rendered, with reference
the principles we are striving to IN,
cate. 1t cannot be that we shall /
Principles. not men. are our leads
and though men may fail. princll
never do This is the peoples eau
the people's heart Is in it, and surely