The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-03
Miscellaneous.
Grange Address.

Brothers and SISTERS, GufrOns OF North
Carolina
Another years work in the Grange
has gone by and passed into the hands
of those who are engaged In writing
it's history for the benefit OF the future
and rising generation.
The time has been when those OPP
posed to our order could critisize us,
and say we had accomplished but little
good, but the tongue that would to-
day utter such a sentiment might be
in danger of being p~aralyzed.
Within a few years our fraternity
has assumed a gigantic form, and is
now performing a work of immense
magnitude throughout the civilized
world.
Its strength (as though by magic)
has increased from a few hundred to
over a million of paying members.
whose power and influence is seen
and keenly felt throughout the land.
By its social features it is annihilating
selfishness and restoring mutual good
feeling in neighborhoods, in the home
circle and around the family freside.
Our ignorance in regard to supply
and demand production and consump-
ito of our staple products is fast di-
minishing our wealth, and equally
as fast %enriching the merchant and
sp%eculator.
In this regard the Grange has taught
US to know that by cooperation in
selling and buying half or more of
our labor is saved, by which means we
are constituted our own guardians and
made Independent instead of depend
\ent beings.
We want more rigor, and a better
attendance at our meetings, more zeal
Gus hard workingmen and woman les
pecially the latter to cheer us in our
work.
Constituting as we do, one-fourth or
more of the farming population
instead of having thirteen farmers
with two hundred and eighty.five
lawyers, doctors, merchants and bank
ers in Congress of the United States,
we ought to represented by two hun
dred and ninety-three farmers, one
lawyer, one doctor one merchant one
banker with one artist to picture the
marked change in that august body.
The work of the Grange in the Uni
States has already accomplished a
great good to the masses.
In the Yves: they have fought a good
fight, and won the victory over rail
road monopolies by regulating the
UdTlIIS anu ITelSnCS.
Their voice is said to have exerted
a power and influence over the minds
of members in Congress, whom by
their votes they refused to extend the
right and privilege to p~atentees beyOnd
a reasonable time, by which the price
of various kinds of machinery has
been rendered one-half or more to con-
SumerS
1t is an admitted fact that it was by
the fdr-seeing eye and indomitable per-
severance of a brother granger that the
Agricultural Society in the State was
lifted out of the mire, and the bureau
of agriculture, statistics and immigra-
ton was created at the last legislature
promising more good to the agricul-
tural and industrial interests than per-
haps all other combined legislative
enactments for the past forty years.
The aims n objects to be obtained
by the agricultural society and the
grange are one and the same, and if
properly guarded will most surely
lead to the same happy results, name
" to foster and build up the great
| agricultural, mechanical and indus
trial interest in the old North State.
What could be more desirable than
to see this class of our people who
have long been oppressed, rise to a
level and the high position to which
they are SO we'll entitled.
In dong this it need not follow that
any other interest should suffer, but
would only be bestowing merit upon
whom merit is due.
Then with the beginning of a new
year that is fast approaching, let every
member of the State agricultural So
ciety, and every brother and sister in
the grange, determine to work more
vigorously and successfully Gf pos
sible) than we have done in the past.
Let u moral, social, intellectual
and material interests be looked after
in every neighborhood.
Common sense dictates such a
course as the only one by which far
and influence for good in the State, or
can ecure material advancement to
her citizens.
Let the agricultural department
work for the grange, and in turn let
the grange work for the agricultural
department, labor will be revived and
inspired with new zeal, let all work
with a determined will, and as breth-
rem in a great, glorious and patriotic
cause.-the emancipation of agricul-
ture, from the ~enslavement of igno-
rance and monopoly.
By a free and full cooperation of
the two societies we can be revived
into ampler strength than ever before.
Let US throw our banner still higher
to the breeze and march on as an in
vincible army until we overcome and
codquer all opposition, and redeem
our country from misrule and corrup-
ton.
Let us next summer by faith from
the Sea shore tothe mountains strong
ly urge upon our candidates to plead
earnestly In favor of sheep husbandry,
and their full protection, being as they
are the most, innocent, profitable, and
by far the least expressive of animals.
and with still more earnestness adyo-
cate the taxing of dogs to extermina-
ton, a one to each head of a fami-