The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-11-01
STAND BY GRANGE.


Do farmers really desire to free them
selves from unjust burdens yoked upon
them? or are they willing to bear these
with additional ones through life, and
then transfer them as kind of heirloom
to their children, to be borne on from
time to time? These are questions that
present themselves to every thinking
mind and to solve the problem: Do the
farmers, or do they not, desire to be relieved
from unjust burdens, that they are COM
PEELED to carry for others? The conclu-
sion is left in great doubt, to say the least.
| 1t is said that actions speak louder than
words, and by taking this view of the
subject, the doubt as to their desiring JUS
tice or relief is largely increased.
No farmer is justified in being so ig-
norant as not to know that discrimination
is made against him. He pays heavier
tax for transporting his products to mar
ket than is paid by others. He often pays
transportation tax that does not go to
carriers or transportation companies, but
| goes into the pockets of private individu
ais. They own only four sevenths of the
wealth in the State and pay seven-tenths
of the taxes Much of the wealth in the
State goes untaxed; much more is taxed
very moderately, while farm property is
taxed eXcessiI ely; you pay tax on your
! land, on your team and on your tools,
and an additional tax on your wheat and
corn raised on the already taxed. land,
with the same taxed team and tools, and
still the end is not yet reached. For in
stance, land is assessed at a certain figure
when it is bare, or the crop has been re-
moved, and at another figure when a crop
of corn is upon it. Why this difference
in the'assessed value? The land may be
alike in real value, but the corn on the
land makes the assessment higher. Now
if the corn is used in growing hogs or
cattle, they are taxed also. Hence tax
follows tax, and still additional taxes.
There are so many ways by which the
burdens of the farmers are increased, and
that of others diminished; or in other
words, the farmers are compelled to bear
burdens that of right belong to others
We have simply named two items, to wit:
Transportation and taxation; and neither
time no1 space will permit us to speak OF
these in detail, nor do we deem it neces-
sary, for there certainly can be but few
farmers who do not know that the great
est profits of their labor is paid out for
taxes and transportation. There are many
other grievances as unj ust as those we
have named, and farmers know it; and
, they know, too, that it is all in conse-
quence of their own neglect. They have
lived SO selfshly and isolated from each
other, and never worked in harmony with
each other; they never united their inf1u-
ence for good; and while they were neg
lecting their own interests, other interests
were closely looked after and guarded
many made to prey upon the profits OF
agriculture. In 1873 the farmers in the
United States planted and cultivated 10,
622,75o more acres of corn than in 1868
and produced 400 o5S,ooo more bushels Of
) corn than in 1868. This increase cost the
farmers upon close estimate $S3,I1375c
more than the crop of 1868; but the crop
of 1873 when marketed brought $50, 6S5.
400 less than the crop of 1868. The loss
in producing the corn crop of rs is large
but we have no means of getting at the
exact amount; but who suffered the loss
Dealers and spectators made their usua
, profits, commissioners charged the same
for receiving and selling, elevators charg.
ed same for handling it, transportation
companies charged same for carrying il
to market, bankers charged same for the
use of money to buy it. Hence we see
that all got their usual profits, and, indeed
more, for while this crop was being mar.
keted and while advancing in Liverpool
prices declined in our home markets
The entire loss fell upon the producers
the farmers had to bear the sacrifice But
so 1t is, no class suffers the loss that the
farmers do; none bear the burdens thai
they bear, and so many of them uniustly
and all because they have never united
IN an effort to obtain relief, nor to have an
equitable distribution of burdens and
blessings. The only hope for relief to the
farmers rests in their own efforts. and
those efforts can only be made when they
unite upon common platform and labor
tor the advancement of their interest and
tor the protection of their legitimate en-.
. terprlse, labor for justice and quity to all
classes and interests.
+he only opportunity ever offered the
farmers to unite in any effort is in the
organization of the Patrons of Husband
ry. This offers to unite the farmers fo,
the purpose of educating them to under
stand their rights, privileges and duties
and emancipate them from the BONDAGE
which they themselves have permitted to
be colled around them. It is well under.
stood that it is either this Organization
Tor the farmers or none. There is no hall
way about 1t, it must be either Grange O,
nothing; It's either emancipation or bond
, age, and every farmer has had his choice
to select, and as thousands of farmers have
never united with the Grange, we take il
Tor granted that they have selected the
other side; and thousands more who had
united have allowed some politician o,
schemer to mislead them and thew are
members no longer.
Now if these farmers really desire "a.
liet from unjust burdens, why is it tina,
they are not identified with the only Or,
ganization that has ever promised relief
or that can ever obtain the relief desired
= must confess that the only excuse at all