The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-10-10
The National Grange.

The time is not far distant when
the National Grange will enter its
twelfth annual session. II is well to
consider now what work it should
undertake in the interest of the or
der il represents; and ii may be as
sumcd that any other work will be
prejudicial to the body, and will
surely endanger its existence.
There is at present deep distrust in
the minds of the people who contrib
ute to the support of the National
Grange. They allege that it is not
founded in equity; that. its mainte-
nance bears with hardship upon
those who receive the least profit
from its deliberations A; that ii passes
the power ofthe many into the hands
of "A pitiful minority, by which ii is
used to Cypress the great body of the
common membership.
These are serious charges. What
ever truth they contain should be
carefully considered, and the allega-
tons of wrong, if sustained, be
promptly met by adequate provision
for quick correction. These ques-
tons will continue to press for no
tice. They will be treated with del
icate regard for the rights of all
concerned. They must be treated in
some way, and it is better to take
them up for the consideration before
the meeting, that mature thought
may have its expressions when the
time arrives.
If the National Grange is. not
founded on equity, il cannot exist
without such change as will place it
on the broad foundation of equality,
where special privileges have no
place. As the body is constituted,
there is at least the appearance of
favor secured TO weak organizations,
which have full representation and
potent direction of affairs. There is
in this the provision for legalized
tyranny of the minority over the ma
jority. And still worse, the selfish
purposes of an insignificant faction
may be executed at the cost of those
who support the organization, The
contributions ofsstrong healthiul or
carnations may thus be diverted to
the profit of those who have but
slight interest in the order. To make
the case plain: A State Grange may
be so weak that its tax paid into the
national treasury will not be suiii-
cicnt TO pay the hotel bill of its sim
gle representative duringa session of
the National Grange; but il may
send two representatives, at an ex-
pense of many hundreds of dollars
for travel and board, and these same
representatives may vote the sum out
of the treasury to their own pockets.
They may even make profit out of
their attendance. They take money
which they have not paid in. 1t is
clear that il is al the cost of the
stronger organizations, and it is
equally clear that adequate returns
are not made. 1t is also plain that
measures of economy, urged by those
who have deep interest in their pas
sage, may be defeated by those who
derive profit from lavish eXpendi-
lures of funds to which their con-
tributions have been too insignificant
to entitle them 10 the privileges en-
joyed.
1t may he difficult TO provide cor
rection for this abuse but by some
means il must be reached. ANY rep
rcscntative body which secures by
its o. n laws, privileges to few nj
the cost of the majority, must neces-
sarily alienrte the regard of those
who are " .onged. This condition il
already reached in this case, and the
feeling of distrust is intensified by
tue fact that an effort made in the
last session of the National Grange
TO establish something like equality
in representation was thwarted by
the minority. 1t is quite certain thai
more radical measures of relief vii
be sought in the approaching session
and if failure should again be met
there will be no reasonable hope tina
| the organization win be sustained
longer by those who find IL used ONT
10 continue eXactions which hav'
already grown too irksome to b,
borne with patience.
These matters are presented will
kind regard for the welfare of In
National Grange. In some form o
other that body must be continued
If, at present, il has odious feature
in its organization,it will be the par
of wisdom TO remove them while
yet retains the respect of those VIII,
have hitherto supported il, rathe
than 10 invite the revolutionar
methods which are extremely liabl
to be brought into use if wise coun
sells do not prevail, In the fey
months that Intervene before th
meeting, this subject should hay
careful thought by those whose pre-
vince II is TO shape the destinies {
: the National Grange
InndeIs are thes most bigoted an