Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-10-20


controversy to their brothers and sisters
in the Grange. Now, men cannot be
restrained by men, but have never
seen an Instance where women cannot
do IT, We have had some of the worst
lawsuits settled in our Grange by wo-
men, whose whole mission in life is to
bless man. You would think when you
hear the jeer, "You have women in the
Grange J" that these fellows never had
mother. We have women in the Grange
and we want them there.-Why should
women not be there? Does she not
share the hardest labor on the farm {! Is
she not the first to rise and last to go
to rest We may bic ourselves off and
lounge around on the counter OF the
merchant, but the wife must stay at
home and wash the dishes and Set the
table for the morning meal. We in our
Grange discuss all the improvements in
agriculture and endeavor to find prac-
teal way to get out of the slough we
are in. Why should not the wife hear
il and learn how to manage the farm
herself, and rear her family should she
be deprived of her natural protector ?
But if she puts the estate in the hands OF
a lawyer, God help her
How do these lawyers get into office?
Why they have Grange they call the
Bar Association, and a most etfectual
one it is. 1t acts like talisrnan and
has great charm for farmers. They
ask the lawyer what they shall do and
he tells them, "Send me to Congress
and will make the laws for this coun-
try; farmers cannot make laws, they
were made to raise potatoes" Through
out the history of Pennsylvania the le-
gal fraternity have made our laws just
abont in proportion as they made our
Constitution. We have scarcely stat
ute in Pennsylvania that is not suscepta-
BILE of two interpretations, and if you
and get into trouble with each other
aud lie ourselves off, one to lawyer A,
and the other to lawyer B.. the lawyers
will take down the same book and read
the same statutes and show that both
are right; and Our laws are made thus
so that their avocation is perpetual. DO
not know that farmer can make laws,
but | want to find out whether he can
or not. When it is fairly demonstrated
that he cannot read the Bible and make
a law, will take back all have said.
We derive all our ideas Of law from that
book and we are told by the highest
Iawgiver the law should be yea, yea,
nay, nay, so plain that the "wayfaring
man, though fool, need not err there
in."
Every class should have representa-
ton in proportion to its numbers, and
that is the only way 20 perpetuate the
institutions of this country. There is
noting in the national government made
to benefit us. We have little Bureau
of Agriculture and it has been presided
over by lawyer ever since it was in
stituted, and we have been in the habit
of getting lawyers to address our agri-
cultural fairs and tell us what they
know about farming. What has the
government done for the farmers that
produce cotton Last year there was
raised about s243.000,000 worth Of
cotton and there was about $45, 100000
worth manufactured in this country.
Every other pound was sold in the old
world in competition with the Hindoo
labor of India, aud we have to buy ii
back manufactured with protective
duty Of 40 to 80 per cent. That is pro-
tecting American industry! The Grange
has done some good in Pennsylvania,
and you will fnd that the volcano will
burs: forth there one ofthese days. The
Grange will educate our young men to
stand up and defend the rights OF their
class. Farmers of Maryland you ought
all to organize. DO not be deferred by
ieers; do not be deferred by anything.
Meet as regularly as the railroad men,
and men of other avocalions who meet
weekly to manage their own affairs, and
Jet other avocations into our Grange
when they let us into theirs. There are
still other secret associations quite as
secret as ours. The family circle is
secret association. There is no one who
goes in the door without knocking.
There is nothing secret about the
Grange but what ought to be secret.
We ought to know only that which
ought be known by those who have no
interests in conflict with our purpose.
But we have stern work i'll hand and
it is to raise up from our fallen condi-
ton and make us equal with other clas
SEES, to give us the means by which we
can provide for our families as well as
the merchant and banker.
| wish my fellow-farmers to make
this remark for those of church organi-
cations who think secret organizations
are not what they ought to be. Tell
them that ours is not any more secret
than theirs When they discipline any
of their members they do not ask any
body but the deacons. We have about
the same secrecy as the family circle
and railroad associations. | want you
to tell them that the farmers Of Ameri-
ca are in danger of being overthrow
and of losing their proprietorship. l
do not tell you what you must do, but
men must be men and work your road
to equal representation. The law-mak-
ing bodies of this country deny rights
which are not common to all, so let US
perpetuate these advantages won by
our fathers in the seven years struggle
for liberty which ended at Yorktown.
YM. e.. A. NOTICE.
Won are reuuested IN meet in yonr