The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-05-24
FARMERS TO-TTIE
Q4Ial rERONT Z

When the author of the well known
Declaration of purposes Of. the Order
! we mean Maj J w. Al Wright the
| w orthy Past Master of thesis California
State Graage) writes anything, we al
most feela sense of wrong when we un
dertake to select from, a perfect whole
such parts or portions as we think will be
OF general interest to the readersfo THE
PATRON in the Southwest, However we,
cannot forbear.r making a few extracts
/ from his able defence in the WeekIyI Posi-
of the new Constitution just adopted in
California. Particular attention is Invited
to the remarks on the Rochdale plan, and
to- those favoring the appointment of a
railroad commission, Bro. Wright says: J
Permita few words in reply to your
'appeal to grangers" inyour issue of SAT-
urday, April 10 In it and elsewhere you
seem to refer to farmers generally, when
you use the term grangers. AS an active
farmer in this State from '66r to 10, it
was the lot of the writer of this to take an
active part tor several years in this State
and elsewhere in building the Grange
and am o-day-as a great mass of a
million or more farmers in the Union, who
were once, or are now, its members-as
earnest believer as ever in its many
great and good principles. My official
work and regular business since have
brought me in contact with large ma
jOrity of the farmers throughout Callfor-'
MIA, and | can say with truth that for years
most of them haVe-desired- a new consti-
tuition, as the only means for many re-
forms they want. Constantly years when
they have demanded. of our Legislature,
courts and officials certain measures of
relief for themselves and others, they
have been met with by the plea that it
was unconstitutional. They have long
since found that their only solid hope for
such Conservative reforms as they wished
His a new constitution. Hence, it was
i largely by their votes that the convention
was finally call, and they are generally,
! with the exception of a few of the more
! wealthy ones who have always been allied
to monopoly, well, pleased with the pro
posed new law. So will its adoption =
which we deem foregene conclusion
be secured largely by the farmers votes:
- Lam astounded at the assertion that SEQ
/ operative and associated enterprise will
| be impossible under the new constitution"
j Why, under the old, genuine co-opera-
tive society, after the Rochdafe plan in all
its safeguards, is impossible; Art. XII.
Sec. IL, of the new, especially provides
! tthat members of the cooperative socie-
ties, formed for agricultural, mercantile
and. manufacturing purposes, may vote on
all questions affecting such societies in
manner precribed by law" Now, this,
/ for the first time in California, will open
the way for the friends of true co-opera-
tive societies to organize by necessary
laws, on that great and onlys safe principle
of ssonly one vote to every member no
1.matter who many shares or what wealth
and power hepossesses This is the only
democratic and and republican form Of
voting to protect the weak in finances
from the entertainments of the strong in
1 all such associations o E-fft--i Ja3t Z
All stockholders in all associations will
be made more secure in their investments
and profits by numerous other restrictions
ION corporations, such as making trustees
responsible, preventing the watering of
Stock, and restricting them to that bust
uessconly for which they were organized.
! And for what are associations organized,
4 Tdlike to know, if not for the benefit of
their stockholders, rich 5and poor, as well
las the general good? aau aEaa3 17Ei III
il In educational matters we see good
| promised by creating the State University
a public trust, combining the gift of Con
1 gress.it has. used DO IT'S orig aaI intent,
| providing for technical schools and taking
the vexed question of text books out of
the Legislature. Many other points in
the new might be mentioned, which we
heartily think are improvements ON the
old But we must close, not, however,
without an earnest Endorsement of the
railroad commission. atiooE. "a
r. Surely nothing better can be tried for
1 the9relief ofthe people off alifornia from
1.-THE uncrupulous overbearing tyranny of
railroad nagnates, such as no other State
and no foreign country ever suffered from.
/ Session after session of our Legislature
failed to give us even an experiment. for
relief We can no longer trust them.
4 Such commissions have succeeded else
where. Why not try one here?l we be
I lieve three true men can be elected, as
4 provided for, and that they WAL be faith
tful to their trust. IF easier to buy them,
so it is easier to punish them, as they
would deserve, if false to the peoples in
I terest, 90 Accept this letter in all kindness,
as giving part of the reasons why many
! of your appreciative readers must differ
with you and accept the new constitution
las better than the old'' ~ - s3aAh aLis
b. ST >. - =. - 81 17BJ
+ The Is14fMUs CANAL. The confer.
ence on the Isthmus Canal, which met in
Paris yesterday, was attended by dele
4 gates from all the leading commercial ma
! tons. This country was represented by
Rear Admiral Daniel Amman, United
States Navy,-who has paid particular at