Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-10-06


The Changers of Marion, Monongalia
and Preston Counties held Grand
Harvest Feast and Celebration, on Sat
urday, the 22nd Of September, near
Fairmont, in this State. About fifteen
hundred persons were present. Several
addresses were delivered and the time
passed off as ebay TO be remembered. -
In reference TO the address delivered by
State Senator G, r. Butler, of this vieIn-
ity, State Lecturer, the Fairmont west
Trginian says
AT one o'clock the people were called
to and around the stand by the Cornet
Band and the choir performing respect
lively. Order being resumed, MIR. Z. L.
Butler, OF Jefferson county, State Lee
turer for the Grange, was introduced,
and, as was expected, made most ex-
cellent speech of one hour, He went
over the whole ground of Grangerlsm
answering every objection that has
been urged against it-claiming abso-
lutte necessity for its existence, and fol-
tifying his positions at every point as
he proceeded with the most satisfactory
and unanswerable logic. Although he
told us he was only farmer and made
no pretentions to public speaking, and
none to oratory, he is certainly both t1u-
ent and eloquent in his use OF language
lie is at least one of our most respecta-
bly, self-educated farmers. And he told
us well and in a manner to be remem-
bered to inform ourselves to be able to
combat the errors of the times and the
fallacious objections urged by our enc
mics to the order Of the Grange. lie
spoke gIowingly Of our school system,
of our University, our Normal Schools,
and the beautiful white school houses
that dotted and beautifed our State all
over, and adlnonished parents to be
mindful of the great facilities for and
necessity of education, and tervently
hoped that neither white nor black
would be neglected. Education was
protection, as it was guard against the
commission of crime and security to
both life and property. The Grange
was a school and both educated and ell
eyated the members; contact, discourse,
debate, improved the morals and bright
ened the faculties. lie said the Grange
was not all the farming interest in this
State needed; We wanted an agricultu-
raj school or college, where better
knowledge of farming could be obtain
ed Virginia had such an institution,
and he reminded US that we did not
farm as we'll as Pennsylvania, nor as
well as parts of Maryland. Indeed, ne
told us a good many wholesome if not
all the time welcome truths. We trust
that Changers aud every one else may
profit by what they heard, Whilst ln-
dustry was urged as necessity to sue
cess, economy was essentially and abso-
lutely necessary in order to live under
our excessive taxation; that previous to
1860 the rate OF tax per head was Sl.oo,
whereas it was now at the enormous
point Of $1,000 per head. lie denoun-
ced the usurious spirit of the money
lender, and exposed the trick OF the de-
fective usury bill passed by the Leglsla-
ture, and charged the swindle in that
matter to the lawyers and those in favor
of high interest ir the Legislature last
winter. lie warned US well and often
to be careful whom We sent 10 that body
TO send farmers, and our best ones at
that-those who knew what they want
ed, and who could get up and tell it
there. A man must be able 10 say
something in a Legislative body, and
know what he is saying it about 1t
would not do to trust all men in posi-
ton OF that kind, as some spent their
time one place and some another, total
ly Indifferent to the interests OF their
constituents, whilst others were proba-
bly, influenced for pal,ry considerations.
we must also be careful in the selec-
ton of our National Representatives;
that we had too many lawyers in the
halls OF Congress-; that only about four
teen farmers were there. Men would
legislate for themselves, and if farmers
should legislate in their own interest
the demands of labor would be subserv-
ed, for all we had was realized from Ia