The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-30
THE GRANGE IN TENNESSEE.

THE GRANGE IN TENNESSEE.
There is no State in the Union that sur
passes Tennessee in the abundance of its
resources-the richness of its natural sup
plies, and having the advantages of bra
cling climate and variety of employments,
the land should be teeming with wealth,
and its laborers among the most intelli-
gent and prosperous in the country. But
is this the case? Are they Independent
and happy and prosperous? Is the soil
properly and advantageously cultivated?
1t needs but cursory view of conditions
to get sad negative to these questions.
And why should it be SO? What is the
cause of the depression and want, espe
cially among the farmers? 1t IS from lack
of organization. Here, as elsewhere, the
sole remedy lies in cOmbinatfon--in co-obe-
ration. In no other State would a solid,
compact organization of labor meet with
such immediate results; and what blind
ness, what infatuation, in the farmers not
to take hold of the help offered them
through the Grange, and thus combined
together in one solid body, work out from
their bondage to ignorance and want into
the freedom of knowledge and independ-
ence.
The Grange is to the farmer what the
Board of Trade is to the mel chant-a
means of mutual helpfulness, which the
merchant is quick to perceive and profit
by, paying large fees for the advantages
Of the position, but which the farmer holds
off from and allows to fail through indif
ference. Every auctuation in commercial
details is quickly made known throughout
the entire body of merchants, SO that eve
rything advantageous can be seized upon,
and what is disadvantageous avoided But
the farmer is in total ignorance of the facts
which are of vital import to him, and is at
the mercy of men whose self-interest
prompts them to foster this ignorance and
to discourage what would enlighten.
Hence the opposition to the Grange, and
hence the necessity for the farmers to
unite as class and inform themselves
thoroughly in regard to the management
of the produce of their toll. The amount
of ignorance right here is appalling, and
only through the continued discussion at
the Grange meeting and the bond of
brotherhood which unites all members of
the Grange from one end of the land to
the other, and which makes the interest
of each the concern of all, only this can
diSsipate this ignorance and place the far
mer upon footing from which he can
take in an intelligent apprehension of ag-
ricultural affairs and interests. Nothing
is more practicable than the scheme pro-
posed by the Grange to assist the farmer
to help himself 1t is within the reach of
the poorest and most ignorant Of course
its benefcent results will not be immedi-
ately apparent, but whoever considers at
tentively the situation and acknowledges
the immense advantages of cooperation,
will see that the Grange furnishes the
readiest and surest solution of the difficult
ties
If the farmers of Tennessee will but
arouse themselves and put themselves in
sympathy with and work heartily for the
Order, which is now being quickeneo in
their midst, but little while will elapse
before they will be footloose from debt
and on the high road to prosperity There
Is no reason why they should not be pros
porous; they have offered them the means
tor .improvement-the opportunity is
within their reach, and it will be entirely
their own fault if they do not profit by it.
Thoroughly united each one working as
though success depended upon his efforts.
joined heart and hand, earnest, Jealous
and faithful-such an impulse would be
given to organized labor that unforeseen
and incalculable benefits would accrue.
We hope that every farmer who reads
these lines will consider them attentively,
and will determine that the Grange shall
succeed to the extent of his ability and
energy; that every meeting shall be faith
fully attended and every effort made to
stimulate the tagging and discouraged,
The news that comes to us from Ten
nessee is cheering, and we have great
hopes of the future of the Grange there.
We attended a very interesting meeting
of Powell Grange in this county last week.
The third and th-degEees were con