The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-03

VI accomplishing IL. Anete are SeVer0
momentous questions which it is essen.
tial that the people should understand,
and, as they are not partizan questions,
the grange is a proper place for discuss
ing them. There are, for instance, the
financial question, the transportation
question, the cooperative systems, the
matter of equitable taxation, and a
score of others, less prominent, but full
Of interest. It is highly important that
the people should understand these, and
in order to get proper understanding
Of them they-must be discussed by the
people themselves, uninAuenced by pol
iticians and by those whose interests
are inimical to the welfare of the masses.
Where else than in the grange can
these matters be 30 advantageously
talked overa Where else than in the
grange can cooperative combinations
be formed with greater facility and bet-
ter security against roguery? Where
else than in the grange can farmers rid
themselves more completely Of the un-
toward influences of political sharp
ers? Nowhere. Then let your oranges
be revived, and let them have that de-
voted attention which made them so
powerful to do good that they COM
manded Immediately the respect of the
class they were instituted to protect,
and the hatred of those whose rapac-
ity they opposed.
The Farmers Friend, published at
Merchandising, The Husbandman, pub
Eshed at Elmira, The Patrons Helper,
published at Des Moines, the Patron
Of Husbandry, published at Columbus,
Miss, and few other papers of that
class, are doing yeoman service in the
cause Of the grange, and should be
generously and unanimously sustained
by the hundreds of thousands Of earn
est men and women who have the
good of the order at heart. If these
and similar papers are permitted to
languish by reason. of half-hearted
support, then the Patrons cause will
60 down. The support of purely agri-
cultural or other papers, that unwilL
ingly give column or two of grange
news, and now and then communica-
ton on the subject, will not do. There
has got to be established a grange
press, number of powerful and infu-
entail journals devoted exclusively to
the interests of the order, making agri-
cultural matters Of secondary import
ance, and the grange and its interests of
first Importance, in order to achieve
success. Grange principles have got to
be promulgated broad cast over the
land. The arguments Of opponents
have got to be refuted. Convincing
statistics must be searched for and pub
lished. The misrepresentation of enc
mics must be corrected, and their evil
effects counteracted. The exactions of
crushing monopolies have got to be
shown up, and every means taken to
strengthen the cause and demoralize
the opposition. None of this can be
done by papers professedly published in
the interest of the farm or other indus
try, and that at the same time. seek
their support to a very large extent
from those inimical to the grange and its
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Patron.
In regard to grange dues, fees, etc.,
We have the following from West Vir.
ginia: eff the grange dies, it will com.
nit suicide by making the Order too
expensive, thereby boarding up great
treasury in the National and State
oranges, tempting and corrupting the
high officials, and bringing distrust and
disgrace on the Order. The initiation
fee should be reduced to $500 for male
and female, and no limit to charter
members so there are enough to organ
ize. All salaries should be put down to
cost, or nearly so. Make the positions
honorary, instead Of being sought afte,
for the emoluments. All members
should take the same number Of degrees.
There should be no distinction between
members of subordinate oranges and
those of state and National, as to de.
grees and benefits. All dues should be
regulated 80 as to pay all expenses, with