The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-11-22
Tennessee Department.
ADDRESS OF THE MASTER OF
THE STATE GRANGE.

!
irons of the several counties of the State,
will be required to. elect delegates to the
State Grange The importance of full
meeting should not be underestimated, tor
the iuncture is critical one, and demands
/ the serious consideration of all good Pa
irons Thoughawe regard our organiza-
ton as one of the necessities of the age,
! and our faith in its ultimate success is un
| diminished, yet we have allowed ourlr-
| terest to flag, our zeat to abate, and whist
in other States it islrapidly growing and
establishing firm foothold, in our own
we are losing golden opportunity. But
| whilst this is true in the main, we reJoice
that in some counties, the good work is
l9prospering and the future is full OF PROMISE
The apparent gdecadence OF interest
| with rs, however, is the result Of appre-
tciable causes, the remedy for which is IN
our own hands. and we owe 1t to oursel-
yes to our brother Patrons, and to our
great industry, to awake from our lethagy
/ and meet the emergency in the trueGrange
spirit In view of the important interests
| the Order seeks to subserve, and our con-
fidence in the prachcability of its aims, it
is criminal in us to allow disaster to betal
| it by our inaction. To every observing
Patron it has exercised an influence TOR
good. that has been reflected in every in
terest of the farmer; but in no.respect has
this result been more marked than IN the
quickening of his perceptions to the pos
sibilities of his pursuit in attordlng an
opportunity for higher social and mental
| culture, for the acquisition of broader
views of agricultural development, and
| the obligations of citizenship, for the ex-
ercise of enlightened influence in public
affairs, and the necessity for united organ
lied effort This, of itself, should animate
us to renewed activity. There are con-
siderations pressing upon us that may not
be lightly regarded, and afford, indeed,
the highest incentives to eXertiou
The future welfare of our Order,
fraught with our hopes of progress, APP
peals to us in this hour of trial. The high
est considerations of individual interest,
demand of us the employment of every
appliance that will promote our social,
intellectual and material growth. Our
4 prosperity as class, depends upon our
own efforts; the road to success lies
through the Grange. Nature, with Law.
ish hand, has endowed our State with all
the elements of wealth and prosperity.
Thanks to the bureau of Agriculture, sta
tistics, and mines, it enjoys a world wide
reputation for the extent and variety of
its resources. AS farmers, we have dis
tinct field Of labor; upon us will devolHe
the development Of its agricultural inter
ests; let us more thoroughly organize our
selves for systematic work. Our State is
centrally located-eight Of the best States
in the Union touching upon its borders
and traversed in every direction by the
great thOroughfares of travel and COM
merce, which brings US IN direct connec'
ton with the best markets of the country
and which must be made to subserve oul
:, interests With fertile soil, a varied eli.
mate, and surface beautifully diversified
by mountain, valley, plain, and running
D streams,i it is adapted to every folm ofrura
husbandry, and abounds in all the ele-
ments of the highest agricultural success
E We have, just now, the brightest prospect
} that ever dawned upon an agriculture
people to encourage US. The superior ia
cilities we have for transportation, has
brought the markets of Europe to oul
doors. These facilities and generou;
! soil, enables us to offer our products II
those markets cheaper than they can. bt
. grown there, and thus we have presented
to us the possibility of a. degree of com
! mercial prosperity in the future, tina
: should stimulate the demand upon fo
y skill and intelligence, in developing these
resources in our State. .f-.s 81 .,-s--7r.
Other elements Of wealth in the mex
haustible mineral resources, and superio
$ manufacturing facilities which are beins
l. developed by other departments of indus
1t try, are tributaries to the tide of prospect
! ty that is now beginning to flow in upo1
Of us. We have, also, in the great centers Q
]. learning, which pre-eminently distinguis
e our State, the highest educational advan
E, tages. We have for the education of tn
is coming farmers, an agricultural colleg
n, at Knoxville, which we hope to see tn
= pride of our people. 1t will be our sham
if there does not-yet flow out from il
E. walls a stream of knowledge that wi
lie fertilize our fields, impart skill to our |;
Dor and teach a wise economy i'll til
management of our farms. This inStitl
ton will grow in Importance, as our est
mate of the value of specific informatio
:; for the farm increases.
lie, In this connection we ma mention tt
Normal school at Nashville, which shout
receive the fostering care of the State
Is this school, for which we are indebted
DC the munihcence of a stranger, and wllic
ol we should prize as a complement to tho
OlutI CtHlIGnI INSTITUTIONS OF learnin
an which is our boast, we are promised q
~ agricultural chair to qualify teachers Fl
Gu this important field of education. We r
el fer in this connection to the natural an
81 acquired advantages. because mo Ella
az; possesses a deeper interest than ours. n
OF class has more to, awaken a lust prid
on none to stimulate its industry and ente
., oi prise, or should be more active in the u.
~ of such means as will promote that gran
% consummation which shall behold us a
m intelligent. prosperous, and happy peopl
"a and our State one of the first in the Unio
- IN wealth, credit, and influence to q
W. Through our organization alone, brett
y ren, is5it possible for us to " ork effect
-, ally and systematically in prosPering Il
,or interests at stake in the premises. Let
:, laborto perfect that organization With !;
:. the confidence living faith inspire