The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-04-21
COLUMBIA,Ss,.,1C(-J.
Wednesday Morning, April a, 1875.
The Vital Principle of the Cranae.

MI' CAa1AoS HAoAoAS huuulS, III an erCl-
Gle upon the Grangers and the railroads,
in the New York Tribune, treats that
organization Of the agricultural interests
as only phenomenal and already upon
the decline. In looking for the Causes
to which that movement, owes its origin,
he confines his view mainly to the gene
ral sense Of the Western farmers, that
the ,,railroads"4were charging an exor~
bitant price for the transmission of pro-
duce to market,, He treats it rs a hasty
conclnsion on their pnrE .hat they ,were
made to suffer especial hardship for the
inordinate greed Of the carriers. The
farming interest, b1f. Adams says, en-
tirely disregarded the relation Of bulk,
and distance to price. There is limit,
which shifts according to circumstances,
to the distance to which produce can be
carried 80 rs to leave profit for carry
ing it This limit depends upon the
state of trade, and not upon the caprice
of. corporations. The writer next treats
of the supposed effect in the way of e1tor-
tionate charges on the part of railroads,
produced by. watering their stock. This
is answered by an examination of the
cost of railroads in Illinois, after reduc-
ing actitiouA SECURITIES, their net earn.
ingsIahdithe per dent. of interest which
they indicate as made by them. This, it
Is concluded, is less than the ordinary
interest of money employed in TINT State
and in Winconsin, Minnesota and Kan
sas, in other branches of business.
There is more in the Grange mcnt
than Mr.. Adams has chosen to see.
Low freights is not the only, or even the
main feature of the organization. Even
In that particular it has efteotcd con-
siderable change for the better, and n
better understanding has been reached
between producers and railways. Their
interests, intelligently and oandidly con-
sidered, are not in antagonism to each
other. Neither can do without the other.
The distinctive. feature of the Grange is
the promotion of q proper spirit of inde-
pendence through the power of combina-
sion. Agriculture, the basis of NIL other
pursuits, the raw material, SO to speak,
of a peoples life. the great influence
without which others could have but q
sickly and sorry existence, is. in its
nature, unsocial. It withdraws its vos
tary from the busy hnunts and gay
resorts of other men. He deals with the
soil. and looks to the skies for the early
and the latter rain. While sluggards
sleep, the farmer follows the plough, or
scatters the aeed, going out early and
Withholding not his hand in the evening.
His social enjoyments are mostly con-
fined 10 his own ffireside, and very dear
and precious they nre. But in this
active ahdiigatizfiig age he needs
to e9meg moref ,in contact with It'd
outside world, His interests and the
means Of advancement Of his family; de-
pend more Or lessJ upon combined
effort. The social feature both for i'm
provement and pleasure, and for en-
largement Of knowledge ias we'll, is one
indispensable ito him in these days. It
is hers that we have always found the
distinctive and commendable principle
ofths Grange It involves and embraces
also the Dement'S of education, to be CON-
passed by neighborhood, grange. grange
County, or State Grange orgaoizations.
Unless it takes this form of activity, and
aims at positive usefulness, it will run
the risk indeed Of an early completion OF
Its course, for it will not have far to 90.
But it hAs nobler mission than the dis.
covery and correction of q small class O,
grievances. That is very well, but not
enough. 1t must rise higher and move
on. If its wants and duties be now ju.
diciously formulated, if organizing minds
come forward and put it upon the only
plane upon which it can do its appointed
work, 1t will go on successfully and
smoothly. The time is not far distant
when it must accept this nobler task, o,
it will begin to retrograde and disappear
STOCKS AND Bonds. The New York
stock market was reported last Saturday
to bo tame and uninteresting. The ave
rnge figures were little stronger than
the previous day, but there was AN evi
dent disposition on the part of outside
buyers to wait until the market becomes
more settlad Dnilness ia tl,a natural