The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-30
= PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.
THEs GRANGE AND ITS a0RJECTS.
An Essay Read by Hon!R. sE Simpson
before Slabt0wn Grange.

&
Worthy Master, Brothers and Sisters
You have required Of me a-hard task.
To do anything like justice to the various
interests included in the ssbene6ts result
ing from the association Of the Oranges"
would require time and talents of pa
tient and scrutinizing order. You, how.
ever, can demand no more Of your miller
than that he grind honestly your corn
no more of brother than he is able to
do. And I call your attention to the fact
that I have lately eaten my 18th birth
day pudding, simply to apprise you not
to expect much from this effort. I'm
pressed, however, with the importance of
this duty, and urged on by strong desire
to be of some service to fellow-men, I
echeerfully comply with your request.
I think our first duty is to stir each
.other and all around us up to increased
exertion, to draw out from our associa-
ton all the benefits that that association
is calculated to produce. When We look
over the published list we, ind there are
at least four millions of members now in
the United States engaged in reaping the
advantages afforded by the Grange asso-
citation. This fact of itself means much.
The bare fact that SO many have associa-
ted for mutual improvements of itself
full proof that there is some promise of
great importance toresuls The excited
political contest we have just passed
through hassto some extent produced
lukewarmness among Us. As that has
happily passed we must now exert all
our powers to revive the iDterest in our
social meetings. The question here
arises, How is chat to be done? You
hear it said that laughingis is catching; so
is happiness. And when others learn
how genial are our social meetings, they
will soon wish to partake with us. This
will be an inducement to get all our
meighbors to join us. You have recently
done well in reducing one-half the
monthly contributions. And if the con-
stitution would permit, another good
step would be to reduce one-half the
initiation fees. Cannot each of us draw
in neighbor by showing him the pleas
ure as well as profit arising from the
frank and friendly interchange of thought
between neighbor and neighbor, particu-
larly the interchange of ideas connected
with all our farming operations, the ad-
vantages, of association in buying and
selling, and more than all the improve
ment in the mind that this association is
calculated to produce.
As plan that would create great in
terest, as well as largely promote inn
provement, permit me to suggest the
adoption of some question to be talked
over, or debated, if you choose, at our
meetings. Such as, What is the best
method to prepare the ground for plant
ing cotton? or the best manner of put
ting in guano? or what books or papers
afford the readiest and safest information
to young farmers? or what is the better
plan for farmer to arrange to. provide
food for his family and stock? This
question will take in its range whether
we shall live on bacon, beef or mutton,
what are the most profitable articles Of
food for stock, whether it is better for us
to raise our necessaries or raise cotton to
buy pork, corn or -four. May even take
a larger range. And all such questions
as produce thought and afford informa-
tion to the members.
Another mode to excite emulation.
Let any four, five, or more, members
agree to join in trial who can grow the
most wheat to the acre. And let the
premium be bushel of wheat from each
looser to the winner. Let other compa-
nies try on corn, potatoes, &c. This will
require no outlay of money. Other
Oranges have found this practice great
benefit. Progress is the idea. Expert
ments should be the order of the day
with both brothers and sisters. Let
them, too, associate to see who can excel
in raising poultry. And let one of the
kind they choose to make the trial with
be paid the winner as a premium from
each of the loosers. This will have the
advantage to lead to the study Of the
diseases and mode of cure for the disor-
ders poultry of late have been addicted
to.
One great influence for good the
Grangers have already produced is to
cement brotherly feelings throughout the
whole country. Already to learn that
man or woman belongs to Grange at
once they gain our confidence. For we
know no unworthy person is admitted
there.
The great secret of power and success
is cooperation. It creates governments
and, I am sorry to say, begins and car
ries on war. When men cooperate for
peace and progress, it erects factories,
builds ships and manufactures all farm
ing implements, drives off monopolies,
affords facilities for selling all produce
and buying all necessaries. Already CO.
operation stores in England have been
brought to success, and talked of here.
The Pomona Grange, I learn, is prepar-
ing to introduce a portable factory for
farmers use, by which every one may
spin up his own cotton without taking it
to gin. The mind runs wild, looking