, 1876-03-18
Platform of the National Grange
Adopted by the National Grange, AT its
Seventh Annual Session.

I
Adoptee by the National Grange, az It's
\ Seventh Annual Session.
PREAMBLE.
| ProfoupdIy impressed with the truth that the
National Grange OF the United States should densnt
" proclaim 10 the world its general obJects We here
| by unanirou w make this Declaration OF Purposes
| OF the Patrons Of HushAndry
GENERAL OBJECTS
/ United by the strong and faithful tie Of agrieul
ture We mutually resolve to labor Tor the gOod OF
our order. country ai.d mankind
? We heartily endorse the motto " IL essentials
unity; in non-essentiAls, liberty in all things,
| charity"
| 3 We shall enleavor 20 advance our cause by
| laboring 70 accomplish the following objects:
| To deyelcp better Gnd higher manhood and
! fyOmaphood among ourselves 70 change the con-
oors and attractions o.; our homes and 10 strengthen
uur attachments TO our pursuits 10 foster m1'asi
| Understanding snd eo-operatiOn- To MAINTAIN H.
| violate our laws and 10 emulate each IN lahor 20
| hasten tine good time coming To reduce our ex-
| pensas both iniiyidual and corporate. To buy less
and produce mO-e III order 10 make our farfr- SELL
sustaining To diversity our crops, and crop no
more than we can cultivate. To oondense the weight
of our exports selling less IN the bnshel and more on
the hoof and in the fee1e To systenatlze our work
and ca lculate irtelligentY probabilities. 10 dis
countnauee the credit system the mortgage system,
the fashion SYSTEM and every other system tending
to prcgigality and bankruptcy
We propose meeting together, talking together;
working together, buying together, and IN general
acting together Tor mutual protection and ad-
yancement, As occasion may require We shan AVOID
litigation as IEuch possible by arbitration IN the
grange. We snail constantly strive 10 secure entire
HARMONY good viii, vital brotherhood among our
selves, and 10 make our order perpetual We shall
endeavor 10 suppress personal Local, sectional and
national prejgaiees all unhealthy rivalry, all selfish
ambition. Faithful adherence TO these principles
will insure mental, moral, social and material
| advancement.
BUSINESS RELATIONS.
| l. For our business interests, we de-ire 10 bring
producers and consumers farmers and manufactur-
eTs into the most direct and friendly relations IOSs
be Hence We must dispense with surplus of mid
dlefnen, not that unfriendly TO them, but We
do not need thcm Their surplus and their e1nctiOns
diminish our profits
| We wage no aggressive warfare against any other
interest whatever. On the contrary, all our acts
and all our efforts far business Is concerned,
not only for the benefit of the producer and con-
SuneP but also for all other interests that tend TO
bring these two parties INTO speedy anu economical
contact. Hence We hold that transportation comps
Of every kind necessary To onr success, that
their interests intimately connected with our IN
terests and harmonious action Is mutually adVan-
tasyrOJis keeping view the INST sentence IN our
declaration Of principles OF action that Individual
happiness depends upon general prosperity"
| We shall, Therefore, advocate Tor every State the
Increase IN every practicable way oi all facilities Tor
| transporting clsaply 70 the seahoard, or between
home producers and consumers, ali the productions
of our country. We adopt it our fixed purpose to
"cpen out the channels IN natures great arteries,
that the lie blood Of commerce may flow freely
| We are not enemies OF Tliroadsi naViS4ble anu
irrgatlng canals, OF any corporation that villa
vance our interests nor any hbOring classes.
| In our uobie order there Is no communism, no
| agTarianiSm.
| We are opposed to such spirit and management Of
any corporation enterprise tends 10 opprss the
| people and rob them Of their Just profits We are
not enerals to capital bnt We oppose the tyranny ot
l II. 1rFua
! capital and labor removed by common consent, and
by enlightened craftsmanship worthy OF the nine
teenth century We are opposed 10 excessive salA-
rie hi gh Of interest and e>horbtpt per cent
profits trade. They greatly increase our burdens,
and do not bear proper proportion 10 the profits Of
| prOinc Is. We desIe only seli-prOtection and the
protection Of every true interest of our land by et
iuate TRANSACTIONS, Legitimate trades and iesi'imate
profits
EDUCATION.
| We shall advocate the cause OF education among
ourselves and children by all just means within
our pow We especially advocate Tor our aeTIcul-
tuTal an industrial colleges that practical agTcul-
ture, do nestle science and all the arts which adorn
the hOm,. De tlught in their courses Of study.
TIE GRANGE NOT PARTISAN.
| s. We emplaticllly and sincerely assert the oft
repeated truth taught IL organic law that the
grange, nat Oual, state or subordinate, Is not pOIt
zeal or party OrgInEtiOn. No grange, if true its
| Obligations discuss political religious ques-
tons, nor call political conventions, nominate clndl
dates nor even discuss their merits in its meetings
Vet the principles teach uniarIia all true pnli-
ties, all true stltesm.n,Eip, and if properly carried
out Will tend 10 purify the whole political atmOs
phere OF OUr country. For seek the greatest good
| 10 the greatest number.
We must always bear II mind that no one by beeom-
ing Patron OF Il ushaniry, iYes up that naliI cable
rights and dnty which belongs 90 every American
citizen 10 take proper interest IN the politics OF his
| country
On thr contrary it is right for every member 10 do
al III MS p0Yr- cytmatrly 10 influence gOOi the
action Of any po!t.c-l party TO which he belongs.
II l. his duty 10 do all he IN ms party put
down bribery, corruption and trIckery; TO that
none but competent, faithful and honest men, who
viii untInchInyly stand by industrial interests
are nominated Ior all Positions Of t.Ist and to have
carried out the principles which should always char
acteTlZe every grange member that
THE OFFICE saJULD sEFK The MAN, AND NOT TIE
H,N TIE OFFICE.
We acknowledge the broad principle that differ
ence of opinion crime, and hold that progress
| toward truti l. made by differences OF opinion, "
while the fault hes IN bitterness OF controversy"
We desire q proper equality, equity and taIrne $;
protection Tor the weak, restraint Upun the strong
short, justly distributed burdens aud Justly dis
tributed power. These are American Iieis the very
essence OF Amercin independence, and 10 advocate
the contrary II unworthy OF the sons and daughters
OF an American republic.
We cherish the belief that sectionalisn Is, and of
right should be, dead ani huriel with the past Our
work Is for TIE present and the future. In ag-
flculIufdI brotherhood and Its we shall rec
oSnize no North, no South, no East, no West.
1t Il rsoerv / to every patron, the right Of
freeman, to affiliate with any party that Will hest
carry out ms principles.
| OUTSIDE COOPERATION.
6. Ours being peculiarly farmers institution, We
| cannot admit all to our ranks
Many are excluded by the nature Of organ-
zatlon, not because they professional men,
tsans, or labOrers bnt because they have suf-
tcent direct interest in tIlling pasturnS the SOIL
or may have some interest IN conflict with pur-
poses. But We appeal TO all good citizens for their
cordial cooperation assist efforts toward
form that We may put down tyranny and corruption.
We hal the general desire tor fraternal harmony,
equitable compromises and earnest cooperation
omen OF our future success
OOSCLUsIoS.
| = 1t shall re abiding principle with TO re-
eve any Ot our oppressed and suffering brotherhood
by any means At command.
LAST, but not least, proclaim IL among pur
poses 10 lnculcate proper appreciation OF the ab-
ties and spheres OF woman Is indicated by admit
ing her 10 membership and position IN our order.
implOring the continued assistance of Divine
Master 20 guIie IN work, We here pledge our
selves 10 faithful and harmonious labor for all future
tfne 70 return Oy united efforts 10 the WISDOM
Justice, fraternity and political purity Of fore
tIthers.
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