The comet., 1879-12-27
INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES.
THE GRANGE RE-ORGANIZEs.
BY A COPIAH GRANGER.
NO. III.

aBFlcullurlStS Vi tue STeub hcpuoliS
give solidity and prominence to it
greatest industry and its crownin!
glory will be that, through its intlu
ence, it will force the general govern
ment to acknowledge agriculture as
distinct department, worthy of all at
tention and encouragement. And ye
in its individual organism for the lat
slave-holding States at least it must b'
confessed it is a failure.
If it would not be deemed presump
tious, the suggestion of an organiza
ton, for an association like the Grange
or the Grange recognized, could b'
made, which would warrant belle
of permanency, and result in grea
good to the individual members
and to society at large; and especially
to Southern farmers. 1t will be takel
as Il proposition too evident to neec
demonstration, atindustries flourish
most when the individual workers are
organized into societies, not only
avowedly, but really for the advance
ment of the peculiar work. The guilds
of Europe not only advanced the work
but civilized the people, and the
surest indication of an advanced civil
ization is the almost universal organi-
zation of men, at this day, into thou
sands of societies for the encourage
ment, protection, study and advance
ment of every art, science, charity
and industry. In unity is strength,
is as true as when first uttered,
and old as society. Therefore, the
agriculturist should not be without
intelligent organization, for every
branch of industry that can be
ranked under that generic term. We
have in the broad field of agriculture
of the United States the production
and the possibility of production of
almost all things called for by man !;
and the modes Of agriculture as diver
sified as the productions. All this
the Grange organized in one grand
body. The philosophy of the adapta-
ton of aptitudes was not recognized
by the founders. 1t was Il fatal mis-
take. Let New England organize her
farmers on the Grange principle, with
the certain elimination of the militant
idea, or the disseminators thereof,
having as coordinate branches the
sheep and stock raisers, the apiarists,
the gardeners, orchardists, the butter
and cheese men, with independent
lodges and action in their peculiar
work and industry; and stated gem
eral assemblies of all, with full reports
of new methods and improved modes,
breeds, seeds, varieties, implements,
fertilization, etc, that the same might
be published and spread abroad
through the State. Let the same plan
follow in the great grain producing
States of the middle and West; each
industry organized into de-
grees or lodges for its peculiar devel-
opment and protection, but holding
out a friendly hand at all times to
others organized for similar ends.
Thence into the tobacco States thence
into the broad cotton, and sugar, and
rice and grass lands, and orchards and |
gardens, and stock ranches and orange |
groves of the South. The agricultu-
raj industries thus confederating, not
Each through its indi-
vidual intelligences, pouring into the
great general fund, information adapt
I'd to all wants, and organized out of
llimitable diffusion, compact, intelli-
gent and systematic industrial So
;ialism.
Founded, or re-organized, on this
basis, with none admitted to full fell
owship in the different degrees or
odges but those who were actually
md actively engaged in the peculiar
Industry, we would have Grange
and developing every inter-
st in the grand assemblies which
would be constantly occurring in all
,arts of the country, while each inter
st renamed intact and independent
II its own peculiar organization, but
ederating with others of like aims for
he good of all. Nothing could destroy
confederacy like this, if once well
and under its influence
his country would present to the
'orld rural population unequaled
l the ages.
Would this or any other organiza
on help the sugar and cotton South?
'es, it would systematic us. 1t s
ould educate us out of the individu- |
ism which is the bane of our agri- {
Ilture-the heritage of our slave t
olding fathers. With the negro '
orked as property it could hardly
ave been otherwise; with freedmen,
I'd our present experience with him
a laborer, it should cease and must, n
there is no hope of agricultural adj p
here. The generation pass :,
g away may be excused somewhat ft
+ the present peculiar condition of e'
,uthern agriculture. They had been A
ared to look to the slave, the mule " "
d the cotton field-thesc were the II
lwarks, the Alpha and Omega a
yOnd was chaos. They had reached lo
e bounds of agricultural education W ~
len they had the land, the negro tr
d raised cotton. The book was b,
,scd. They were finished. The OF
I'll war broke in most rudely on all III
is; but it is regretful to say that it
: taught US little. We are almost :,
negro and cotton mad as before. 0i
fore the war we raised cotton at V,
m three to five per cent on the in pc
stment, and wearing out one field +,