The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-16
THE MISSION OF THE ORDER.
ESSAY BY ]. F. WILLIS, READ BEFORE
JEFFERSON COUNTY POMONA GRANGE,


JEFFERSON COUNTY POMONA GRANGE,
KANSAS.
To the officers and Members of the
feferson County Pomona Grange. I've
have arrived at that period in the course
of human avents where all nations of the
earth are being convulsed with the great
problem OF self-government, established
upon the broad and eternal principles OF
equal Justice to all and special privileges
to none. In this mighty struggle for moral
and intellectual supremacy none should
lead the sons and daughters of this model
republic of the earth in their grand nrcha
to individual prosperity, personal liberty
and national greatness.
The principle has long been established
that upon the general intelligence of the
subjects or citizens of a nation depends
very largely their happiness and prosper
ity. To no other nationality, to the peo-
pie of no other government on earth, does
this apply with more force and fitnesss
than to the sons and daughters of re-
public where each lis made a sovereign
and were all alike are responsible for the
present and future condition of her citi-
zens. In view of these facts, and know
ing the INCREASING tendency of gov
ernments and societies to drift into the
dangerous elements of privileged classes
and moneyed aristocracies, seeing the dis
tinction constantly and rapidly growing
greater in this country between the labor
ing and professional classes, knowing that
certain interests are being protected and
fostered to the exclusion and ruin of 9th
ers, that the producing classes by overwork
and undue confidence In others are losing
their proper place in the great economy
of nature, the eternal fitness of things de-
mands means of deliverance from this
thralldom or apathy of self-neglect into
which the sons of toll have almost hope
lessly drifted.
The organization around whose sacred
altar we meet day, whose members in
clude the agricultural and laboring masses
of this and other nations whose gates
swing inward as readily to the gentle
touch of woman as to the rude knock of
man, and where all meet upon the grand
level, aspires alike to the highest honors
and accepts the greatest responsibilities.
Through this great medium of thought
and combined action, bound together by
the strongest ties of fraternal brotherhood
and actuated by the purest motives of uni
versal Improvement and common interests,
we confidently look forward to that peri
cd in our history when agriculture will
be made profitable, labor dignified and the
burdens and blessings of government
free; in fact, will rest alike upon every
citizen of this truly great commonwealth.
But let me repeat that eternal vigilance is
the price of liberty, and to secure and
perpetuate this great blessing to all alike
through the education of our membership
is the grand mission of the Order With
malice to none and justice to all we enter
this contest, with our Order firmly estab-
lished upon the eternal principles of right,
liberty and justice, with our members
scattered by thousands over the different
states and territories of this and other ma
tons, and with the fact of the permanent
cy of the Order established beyond all
doubt. In the future let us attend prompt
ly and cheerfully to our duties as Patrons
and citizens of one common country.
Don't longer be gulled and deceived by
| designing men in or out of the Grange.
| Don't suppose that you can longer main
tain thatPosition in society to which the
| importance of your calling entities you
without thinking and acting independ-
emily for yourselves. Cease to pay for
and read the filthy trash published in the
sole interest of partisan politics. Sustain
the journals that have staked everything
upon the advancement of your interests
and are making the manly fight for reform
| against such overwhelming opposition.
The enemies of the Order are many and
shrewd. They have bitterly contested ev-
cry foot of ground, first charging upon
the Grange every calamity in our country
drought, chinch-bugs, grasshoppers, la
| Dor strikes, money panics, bankruptcies
and general ruin; and yet the Grange
lives, prospers and progresses. We are
now charged with being political party,
with being Democratic party, and de-
| nieo the right to even talk up or discuss
the great questions of public interest or
political economy that SO nearly affect our
| interests, and thus acquire that knowledge
that alone can make masters of the situa-
ton and INT us to protect ourselves against
the encroachments of designing men en-
| gagged in other interests of far less impor-
lance to national prosperity than our chos-
| en- profession of agriculture
| Why should this the youngest of all
other organizations be selected against
which to wage this bitter war of persecu-
| toni Others are far more deserving the
contempt and opposition of an honest and
intelligent people. In the late session of
our state legislature, when the charters of
the several railroads granted by former
legislation had expired, the companies by
an organized and systematic effort com
bined at the proper time, placed in nomi-
inat;on and with their money and influ-
ence secured the election of men who.
from their antecedents, their position in
the companies and their well known zeal
| for their masters will, to the exclusion of
everything else, could be relied on to re-
new their charters with unlimited power
to rob the producer and consumer of this
prominently agricultural commonwealth
Did anybody raise the howl of political
party over this gigantic, soulless organize
ton or corporations 0-os
When in national convenf;anc =, -.