The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-10-09


mercenary friends of the dear peo>
pie have been driven from the field
and our victory complete. Then
may they let loose the flag that the
breezes may take it up and hurl it
through the air, proclaimirg aloud
the victory won, expressions dis
banded and the equal rights of all
manfully established. Through or
ganization and cooperation then
we may have some hope of an hon
est administration of Government
A Government in the interest of
the people.
We had fattering and strong
hopes in the Lone Star State at
one time Of fair representation in
our State Government. We had
an agricultural candidate for Cow
ernor and few candidates for both
Houses of the Legislature, and from
the cheering of the people all over
the country we felt sure of fair
representation but, 10 and behold,
when the convention manipulators
got. hold of them they shuffied their
own deck and drew full hand
high, low, Jack and the game-and
LETT agriculture with only Il hand OF
spades. Spades not being trumps,
l presume we will quietly return to
digging again, If Colonel Lang
could have been induced to come
out as an independent Democratic
candidate for Governor, be would
have no doubt been elected by an
overwhelming majority. The same
might be SAID of our Legislative
candidates. But they all belong
to the Democratic party, the Dem
ocratic party belong to the conven,
ton, the convention belong to an
insignificant political clique, that
clique to more insignificant one,
and that one to a monopoly. This
last clique, monopoly, is the King
behind the throne, who leads out
his men and bids the people vote,
and they willingly obey the man
date, without questioning the hon
esty or the ability of the thing to be
voted for to represent them. Thus
the few rule the many. True
Democracy to the contrary not
withstanding.
Now, to read the editorials of our
political newspapers one would al
most be led to think that the duties
and responsibilities of the agricul-
tural people were very impertectly
understood by the people them
selves, and that the very men of
all others to instruct them are the
political gamblers, demagognes and
office seekers generelly. The self
constituted teachers of the dear
people seem to be especially appre-
hensive that the Grange will. in
some way be. broken up or corrupted
by dabblinssinp politics. This effort
of demagoguism to muzzle the dear
people onghkto ID by calm,
practiqal liquidation from tho
Grangepress. The principles of
the Grange have a direct applica~
ton to the business Of men. They
enter into the every day transac
lions of life and their faithful APP
plication to whatever interests or
concerns agriculture becomes an
imperitive duty.
These principles are to be applied
to the designs and doings of parties
and governments Because we are
members of the Grange we do not,
therefore, cease to be citizens, nor
are we prohibited from using what
little influence we may possess, both
by voice and pen, to assist in the
elevation of such men to office as
are interested in like interests with
ourselves, men whose moral con-
duct will contribute to the public
veal.
Now, brethren. am Democrat,
that is if lam correct in understands
ing the principles of Democracy, to
favor a government of the people
and for the people. l am distant
relative of ex- President Polk, very
distant at that, / was named after
the honest President and raised in
his faith, and am, in the true faith,
a4Democrat; but am worried of the
manipulation of Democratic con-
ventions, and the chicanery that
is used there to defeat the voice of
the people. | am thoroughly con-
WINGED from the experience of the
past two years. that the agricul-
tural people can not get fair rep
resentation in this Government
from either one of the organized
parties under their present lstyle of
controlling the conventio ms, 1.
nave seen honest and intelligent can
didates before them only to be de-
feated.