The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-08-23
TIE Commune.

To the extent that grangerism be-
came political It has lost caste. While
IL WAS an u-suciatiUn to promote pri-
gote and personal success among farm
ers, to diiIuse intelligence among
farming populations, create circulating |
Libraries, aud disseminate information,
and while it proposed to secure farm
ers' supplies at prime cost, there were
sOnc 10 complain or condemn. But /
when these associations of farmers IN
dertook TO make the country's laws.
and when shrewd, selfish, ambitious
members Of, oranges began to use the
machinery Of the institution to elevate
themselves to Office, it was then that
grangcrism became offensive even to
the intelligence of it's own member
ship. IL has barely held its oYn for
the past two years. In many States
where it was most polluted by politics
the order is almost extinct, and in Tex
as il lost prestige and even respecta
bilitY because of the criminal blum
dcrs Of its representative agents in the
late constitutional convention. While
grangerism is moribund in the States
in wnici: it il oldest, in States in
which its career was begun at later
period, it still RACES even in political
conventions. 1t is said to have been
the dominant force in the late so
called Democratic Convention which
nominated Stone rather than Walthall
for the Governors Office in Mississippi,
and while the intelligence aud patriot
ism of the State was offended, and
while the press was thwarted of its
choicest purpose, only two papers in
the State preferrirg Stone, there will
be no open revolt. Memories of Ames
and of the yellow Governor Davis and
Of Radicalism rampant In Mississippi,
have terrors enough to consolidate the
whites. The blacks are without a ca
pable leader, and almost without or
ganization. Graugerism loves medi-
ocrity, of which Stone is the imper-
sonation, and it tolerates Rutabaga
coarsuness and ignorance, and
the Constitution of Texas is the en-
bodImcnt of the genius for government
of the Changers of Texas. While
grangerism is dying of its follies and
because Of its participation in political
contests in Texas and elsewhere u new
organization, confined mainly to viii
lagos and cities, begins to make its
presence and power felt. 'Working-
men" have promulgated their platform.
They invite cooperation. They talk
prettily about the despotism of capital
and the independence of labor. They
deplore the necessity for strikes and
propose to control In their own behalf
the legislatures OF States and the Con
gress of the United States. What are
the Changers going to do about it?
These mechanics and artisans of all
clssses make no false pretenses. They
declare outright that they will vote
for representatives OF their own
class alone. They would dissolve
society, making each class an unit.
We have Lang at the head of the farm.
ers; some shrcwd demagogue will be-
come the chosen representative of the
mechanics and artisans; then the MGR
chants and bankers must organize and
what they lack in numbers must he
maze good with money. and govern
ments, instead of being conducted by
Statesmen for the behOOf OF society.
viii be directed to-day in accordance
with the whims or supposed
peculiar interests Of farmers, tomorrow
the mechanics will give the ship of
State another direction and the cities
will seize the helm and reverse again
the course of the crazy craft.
Evils of political grangensm, beget-
ting the organization of other classes
of society, grow in number and become
at last as intolerable as anarchy, and if
the North choose TO have such combi-
nations to shape legislation, the South
at least should stand aloof. We drank
the cup of folly to the dregs when
grangerism, under the thin guise of
John Ireland democracy, gave US new
constitution.
1t may be proper to add that the
segregation of farmers and then of the
so-called "workingmen," each class
setting up its platform of demands and
promises, is a progressive calamity. 1t
destroys old parties which, having out
lived principles and ereeds. die slowly
OF Hayes and hamilton. But the dead
liest stab is this inflicted when real
Granger, and thus bogus Democrat, in
Texas, as in Mississippi, may be made
chief magistrate of the commonwealth.