Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-23
THE FARMERS CLUB OF LANSING.

LANSING, MIMI, January q, 1870.
Editor Hoover County Transc,1pt:
The once potent Grange, to the ever
lasting shame and disgrace Of all farmers,
is now sadly demoralized and virtually
dead, at least IN these parts-probab!y
the result of poor management, untimely
and Incorporate zeal. with general lack
Of discretion by the undiscipllned host,
rather than from any defect in the organ
izatlon. That the Changers were right
in the main Is the firm opinion Of your
humble servant; of course, there were no
traitors IN the camp-certainly not!
With many pleasant rccollectlons of
former meetings as Grangers, few of u 8
met, by agreement, to consider the pro.
prlcty Of recognizing In some shape
Af>er exchanging views upon the subject,
1t was unanimously resolved, that, while
entertaining profound respect and admi-
ration for tue heroic few who still cling
to the old ship, refusing to lower their
flag, apparently determined to fight 1t out
in that way, or die arms in hand, we
would organize as Farmers Club.
Whether we did wisely or unwlsely time
will tell.
Our organization is as simple as We
could make it, with no forms or ceremo.
nies to occupy time. no mystic symbols
with peculiar but generally mysterious
Specifications, but all is plain, pract ical
and farmer-like. There is certainly this
virtue to comm end our organizatlon-it
is inexpensive. Again, we are independ.
ent, amenable only to God and our coun.
try. We are to meet weekly, alternately
at the Ramsey and Bero school-houses,
unless otherwise ordered by the Club.
Understandings, ut ten A. N. Have q
basket lunch, and break bread together
as if of one family.
At our last Saturdays meeting, all but
two of our members were surprised by
the call Of q fair representative of your
paper, and still more surprised when a
request was made for an account OF our
doings for publication. Who can resist
modestly preferred requests made by one
of the fair sex? Certainly not the suscep-
tible bachelor member who moved that
the Secretary be requested to report an
abstract of our doings for your use.
7 mil oh I IN
task, but will do what can in the short
time I can spare:
Our first business meeting was held at
Ramsey, January nth, and most of the
time was necessarily spent in perfecting
our organization. Mr.. H. H. Kent, who
had been requested to prepare an article
on some agricultural topic for the coca.
sion, compiled, bv reading dissertation
on "Wheat Growing in Southern Mime.
sota." He dwelt upon the uncertainty
Of paying crop every year; our distance
from mar ket, and the labor aad expenses
attending its growth In all stages, as we'll
as in marketing; sti!l he arrived at the
conclusion that by the practice of rigid
economy, not dlscarding thread-bare raj.
ments nor pants that had become baggy
at the knees, &c., farmers may thrive,
and in time, acquire competence as they
have done in older states, by growing
wheat exclusively. He thought our soil
could be prevented from deterioratine by
applying dressings of muck from our
numerous slouehs. No time was had
for general discussion of the subject, and
whether the Club would endorse bis
views in full, is uncertain.
The following officers were then elect.
ed, viz:
Daniel Z. Bero, President Of next meeting.
II. III. Kent, Vice-President of next meeting.
q. b. Wells, Secretary for year ensuing.
II. III. Kent, Treasurer for year ensuing.
Jonas Haney, Executive Com. for weeks.
Mrs. 81. p. Kent, Executive Com: for week,
Mrs. Z. II. Wells, Executive Com. for2 weeks
The following exercises were assigned
for next meeting: To John Mathieson and
Mrs. II. Lyons, each to prepare an article
to be read at our next meeting on "True
Ec onomy; how we fail ito practice it.
and our Remedy" Others were asked