The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-30
PINE RIDGE GRANGE.


Editor Patron: The action of Pine
Ridge Grange, Adams county, Miss.,) at
its regular July meeting, denouncing the
New Declaration of Purposes and passing
condemnation upon THE PATRON OF
HUsBANDRY, we must consider highly IN
subordinate Members take an obligation
to obey the rules and regulations of Ma
tional. State and Subordinate Oranges.
Though the Declaration be neither rule
nor regulation, it certainly deserves the
respectful consideration of Oranges, since
it was passed by the National Grange and
sent to every Subordinate Grange in the
United States, and is now incorporated
into the Principles and Purposes of the
Order If any should find themselves in
disposed to be influenced by this advanced
move of the Grange, they have but to re-
main passive, as no compulsion will be
applied to force upon them an increase OF
knowledge in public affairs. But to meet
and denounce as paper pUrPortfne. to
be Declaration of Purposes" which had
passed through the hands of a committee
composed of the ablest minds in the Ma
tional Grange, thoroughly discussed, and
finally passed by that body, seems degree
of temerity in a Subordinate Grange hard
knowledge of its duty. a
The National Grange has always dis
cussed political questions, in SO far as they
relate to agriculture, for the demands OF
the Order have required such compre-
| hensive view on its part. AT the session
of 1877, the reconciliation of silver was
discussed, and Congress pettioned on the
subject; another petition was sent begging
~, Il G Inv fIl,0 &c
surprising that some Oranges did not take
alarm at the introduction of subjects SO
Enthusiastically political as finance and
! taxation. And now that the National
Grange recommends that in sending men
to the halls of legislation we be care
full, as good citizens, to cast our votes for
such as are in sympathy with us, and who
will take care of our interests, Grange
is outraged, fiaunts resolution in the face
of the National Grange, decapitates The
PATRON OF HUsBANDRY, a paper labor
ing under lawful rules-and calls on the
Executive Committee of the State
Grange to bring things back to constitu-
tional bounds. This Committee could
prescribe only for the State of Mississippi;
while the New Declaration is working its
way throughout the United States.
The Lecturer of Grange in Minnesota
recommends that the members take the
Declaration home with them, ponder upon
it, and study it well.
The Masters of State Oranges nearly all
quoted and approved it in their last an
nual addresses 1t would take a power
more potent than any I know of to turn
back the streams of information which
have escaped through the open valves OF
discussion.
It is partizan politics that the Grange
has to fear, and the discussion of par
tiaan political questions is the shoal
to be avoided But questions COM
monty regarded as POLITICAL enter into
the every day calculations of the
farmer, and hardly an Agricultural ques-
ton can be preached but what its politi-
cal significance rfqst be taken into &C
count If he finds unjust Legislation hem
ming him in on all sides, what more right
eous and Just than that he should vote for
the lifting of his burdeHi
The Grange has found out the evils,
and now recommends the cure. There is
no partizanship in this. and it no way
commits the Oranges to politics to feeoms
mend such course to its members as cit
liens. If our principles underlie all true
politics, and we are to attain that enlight
ened craftsmanship worthy the nineteenth
century, what studies should we pursue
and what should be the ling Of aur con
duct? The first Declaration points out
the objects to be obtained, and the New
Declaration has shown the way to obtain
them-and the constitutionality of the
one is equal to that of the other.
August 9th, 1879. "FINis."