Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-03-16
THE SITUATION.

State Grange, is one OF the most intelligent
and Woodworking members within our ac-
quaintance. He devotes his whole time to
the interests ofthe Understanding and lee
turing from week to week in that State.
Besides these labors, he keeps a continuous
correspondence in Colman's Rural World on
grange subjects. From a long letter to the
Rural World, emitted, "A Glance at the Sit
uation. :" we make the following extracts,
which we think are as applicable to the Or
der in Montana as in the State Of Missouri !:
"Let our adversaries lay the flattering
JUNCTION to their souls, that because in some
localities the grange is pronounced dead, it
is really so. The grange is not dead, nor
dying, nor ever sick. But you say there is
something the matter-they don't keep their
meetings and some that were very boastful
and enthusiastic nave gone back on it, and
say it is a humbug and a swindle, and so
forth, and SO on.
"Well, yes. There is something the mat
ter. L will tell you what it is. Two or
three years ago, When the grange was a new
thing, and a great excitement was stirred up
about it, many rushed into it without much
thought of what it was, or what they were
doing they got the idea that it they got in
to it they could make a great deal ofmoney,
or save a great deal, by simply just getting
into it.
\ X X = Is it any wonder they are
disappointed They thought if they got in
side the gates they could sit down there and
grow rich directly. But only a portion went
into the grange under such a delusion as
this, and some who did have learned better
since. They nave learned that organiza-
ton was only the first step in the progress
towards reform-simply the purchase of the
farm, if you please. After you have the
farm, it will be just what you make it, won't
it?@@Just SO with the grange. We meet
there, talk together, learn of each other, de-
wise plans of cooperation, which means that
we unite together-in general and particu-
lar-to better our condition and promote our
interests. There is work to be done, brain
work as well as manual labor all must help
every one. There must be no oilers; no
Sinking OF duty. We must not only all
work, but all work together not like a
balky team, While one pulls forward, an
other pulls back. OF course we can make
no progress that way. We must drop the
petty jealousies and prejudices get a little
outside OF self, so that our views may be-
come more liberal and enlarged.
Many have left the order and for the or
der's good, though not intended by them.
Many have left, that we would have been
glad had they remained. They will be very
sorry forit. The order will not miss them,
but they will greatly miss the order. But
we are now gaining more than we are los.
ing. The cautious, careful, thinking men,
that held off at first, are now coming in.
They are the most valuable members too.
The practical results Of our organization are
becoming more manifest every day grow
ing and strengthening all the while. Few
of us even who hayesthe very best opportu-
mites of knowing, have any adequate ideas
of the vastness of what the order has al
ready accomplished for good, not only for
our class, but for all the Industrial classes
Of the country. 1t is almost incredible to
those who know most of it, and entirely so
with the great mass of the people. The peo-
pie nave been aroused from a state of leth-
argy new avenues of thought have opened
up reading, thinking and investigation is
going on as never before since the world
was made. Who can check this spirit of in
curry? Who can reverse the current Of the
great Mississippi river, and make it's waters
flow back to it's sources?"
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