, 1876-03-04
Platform of the National Grange
Adopted by the National Grange. at its
Seventh. Annual Session.

| Adopted by The NN1tOnat oruHsc- ~ ts
Seventh Annual sessfch.
/ PREAxBLE.
Profoundly immersed with the truth that the
National Grange OF the United States should defiant
ly proclaim 10 The world its general objects we here
1 by unanimcu,ly make this Declaration OF Purposes
| OF the Patrons Of HushAndry'
| oEsERAL DIRECTS
l. United by the strong and faithful re OF asrieui.
ture. mutually resolve to istpF Ter the s00a OF
| our order our country and mankind
? We heartily endorse the motto: " In essentials,
unity; in non-essentiAls. liberty in all things,
| charity"
! & We shall sndsayur 10 advance our cause By
| laborins TO accomplish the following objects
To develop a better and higher manhood and
| f<omanhood among ourselves 10 cnange the cuth-
oOrs and attractions OF hOmes and to strengthen
uur attachments 10 our pursuits. To foster mutual
| nierstandirg and cooperation To maintain IN
violate cur laws, and 10 emulate each IN lator TO
hasten the good time coming To reduce our e7-
penses, both individual and corporate 10 hdy irss
and produce more In order make fs-Eis self
| sustaining 10 diversity our crops, and crop no
more than can cultivate. 10 condense the HeshI
of exports selling less IN the bashel ana more on
the hoof and IN the fleece. To sysematlze our Work
and calculate ia,elligeptly probabilities To DIS
eountenanoe the credit system, the mortgage system
the fashion SYSTEM and every other system tending
/ 70 pruggality and bankruptcy.
! We proDose meeting together, talking together,
working together buying together, and IN general
acting together for our mutual proteesfon and ad-
v2neemeDt, OCCASION may require ne Snail a'oiu
litigation much possible by arbitration IN she
grange. We shalt constantly strive 10 secure entire
harmony, good WILL vital brotherhood among our
| seIy-s, and 10 make order perpetual. We shall
endearor 10 suppress personal local. sectional ana
national prejudices, ali unhealthy rivalry, all selfish
| ambition Faithful adherence to thSse principles
will insure our mental, moral, social and material
advancement
| BUSINESS RELATIONS
T. For ou- business interests, We desire 10 bring
producers and consumers, -Irmers and Manufacture
ers into the direct aud friendly relations pos
BILE Hence we must dispense with n surplus OF mid
diemen not that unfriendly 10 them, but We
do not nee them. Their surplus and their esaetions
diminish our profits.
| We wage no aggressive warfare against any other
interest whatever. On the contrary, all our acts
and all efforts, TAR business Is concerned,
are not only for the benefit of the piotucer and con-
sumer but also for all ether interests that tend TO
b-ing these two parties into speedy ani economical
contact. Hence We hold that transportation eotnpa=
MES OF every kind ssary 90 our success that
their interests intimately connected With our IN
| terssts and harmonious action Is mutually advan-
tageOus, keeping in view the first sentence IN our
declaration of principles of action that " Individual
happiness depends upon general prosperity
We shall, therefore, advocate for every State the
increase IN every practicable way Of all facilities for
| transporting cheaply 70 the seahOard, or between
home producers and consumers all the productions
of our country We adopt II our fixed purpose to
"open ont the channels natures great arteries,
that the life blood Of commerce may flow freely
We not enemies OF railroads, nayigable and
rigating canals nor of any corporation that will ad-
vance our interests, nor any labOrlng classes.
IL our noble order there Is no Communism, no
agraTlanlsm-
We are opposed 10 such spirit and management Of
any corporation enterprise tends Ia oppress the
people and rob them of their Just profits. We are
| not eneInIS 10 capital bnt oppose the tyranny OF
monopoies. We long to see the antasonism between
| Al nd 1al btT gOTn
by enlightened craftsmanship worthy of the nIne=
teenth century. We opposed 10 excessive sala-
rie high rates of interest and exhorbitant per cent
profits in trade They greatly increase our burdens,
and do not bear proper proportion to the profits Of
prodncers- We desire only ssltprOtectlOn and the
protection of every true interest Cf land by leg
innate transactions, legitimate trades and legitimate
profits.
| EDUCATION.
We shall advocate the cause Of education among
ourselves and our children, by all Just means within
! our power. We especially advocate for saTicn-
tural and industrial colleges that practical agrlcu
ture domestic science and ali the arts which aGorn
| the hCIne be taught IN their COURSES Of study.
THEGRANGE NOT PARTISAN.
| S. We empintic5lly and sincerely assert the oft.
repeated truth taught IN our organic law that the
grange, national, state subordinate, not pOlit-
ical party organization. No grange if true 10 its
obligations, can discuss political religious Ques-
tons, nor caA political conventions nominate cand-
l
Yet the principles We teach unierle all true poll
tics all true statesmanship. and If properly carried
ont will tend 10 purify the whole political atmos-
phere of our country. For seek the greatest good
| 20 the greatest number.
We must always bear in mind that no one by becom-
ing Patron OF Husbandry, I-es M that Inuienable
| rights and duty which belongs to every American
citizen TO take proper interest in the politics OF his
| country.
On the contrary it is right for every member 10 do
all III his power legtmately 10 influence Tor good the
action Of any political party to which Ire belongs
1t is bis duty to do all he in his party b. pat
down bribery, corruption and trckery; 70 see that
| none but competent, faithful and honest men, who
| Will untnchngly stapd by our industrial interests
nominated FOR all Positions of trust and to have
carried out the principles which should always char
| acteIHe every grange member that
THE CFFIcE SHOULD SEEK The MAN, AND NOT The
| NAN THE OFFICE.
We acknowledge the broad principle that differ
ence fcpia!On Il no crime, and bold that prCrrss
toward truth Is male by differences OF opinion.
while " the fault lies IN bitterness of cOntToversey" "
| We desire proper equality, equity and fairnes
protection for the weak, restraint upon the strong
III short. justly distributed burdens and Justly dis
;ribute power fhese are American IDEAS, the very
| essence of American INDEPENDENCE and TO advocate
the contrary Is unworthy OF the and daughters
| of al American republic.
We cherish the belief that sectonalism is md of
right should be, dead and buried with the past Our
work is for the present and the future In our ag-
ricnltural Brotherhood and its purposes We shall rec
/ OguIZe no North, no SJuth no East, no West
| 1t Is reSery d 10 every patron, the right of
freeman. to affiliate with any party that will best
carry ont his principles
OUTSIDE co-oPEnArloS
6. Ours being peculiarly farmers institution W.
cannot admit all TO our ranks
Many are excluded by the nature of our organi-
Zatlon, not because they professional men, or ar
lsns, or laborers, bnt because they have not suf-
cient direct interest IN tiling or pasturing the soil
or may have some interest conflict with our pur-
poses. But We appeal to all good citizens for their
CORDIAL cooperation to assist IN our efforts toward re-
form that we may put down tyranny and corruption
We hail the general desire for fIate.nal harmony
equitable compromises and earnest cooperation AS an
omen of our future success
CONCLUSION
Z. 1t shall be abiding principle with us 10 re-
heve any OF our oppressed and suffering brotherhOoi
by any means at our command
Last, bat not least, We proclaim IL among our pur-
poses to ineulete proper appreciation OF the abi-
ties ana spheres OF woman indicated by adrnitt-
ing her to N membership and position IN our order
lmploTlng the continued assistance of our Divine
Master to guide Us IN work. We here pledge our
selves to faithfnl and harmonious labor for all future
time, TO return by united efforts 10 the VISION
Justice, fraternity and political purity of our fore
fathers.