The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-02-28
LETTER FROM AN EARNrc-
PATRON

Editor .Sbiyit:-After nearly wh.,
years silence, take up nv pen 70 sa,
few words to the Patrons throuob ~!
valuable paper. will try to give some oe
my ideas as to what is our duty as Patrons
AS the old year has gone, and the nev
year come, SO ought we to continually GO.
new and enlarged ideas. AS we look hal
on the past year we see that good resnIta
have come through the Grange, and in fact
we can say the farmers have received
good through the Patrons of Husbandrr
ever since the organization of the Ordey
We have gone through the wedding pro.
cess and are now on the increase. Win
this knowledge before us, is there anv
reason why we should be DISCOURAGED,
When we read in the Spirit of Kansas The
proceedings of the National and different
State Oranges we felt assured the GRANGE
had come to stay. We all know that the
educational and social feature of the Or.
der have accomplished a grand work for
the members. The benefits derived from
these features alone more than paw for all
the Grange has cost. Besides, the GRANGE
does not stop here. There is business
branch in orr Order; and when we look
round and see how well cooperation
works where the Patrons take hold of il
| in the manner recommended by the Ma
tional Grange we can say without fear of
dispute that large financial benefits can be
derived through the Order. Some doubt.
ers may say that some cooperative asso.
Citations have failed. This we will admit
Societies have failed. But we have never
heard of Patrons cooperative associa.
ton failing wheie the bushes was done
on the Rochdale plan. Some say we do
not derive benefits sufficient to pay to be.
long to the Order. The fault is not in the
organization, but in the members. Some
of US have not wit enough to know when
thug for our good as farmers come up;
but if smooth-tongued sharper comes
along, cheating the farmers out of their
hard earnings they are always enough
ready to be swindled. But thank God
that can say of a truth that the members
of the Order have learned to some extent
to shun this class of .rascals, and this has
been taught in the Grange. Now Patrons
of Kansas, let US renew our energy in the
work, so that when Brother Sims is call.
ed on at the next National Grange to give
a report of the Order in this State he can
tell quite a different story from what he
did last year; and not only for this reason,
but for our own benefit and the benefit OF
the generations to come. For it is evident
that if we want to accomplish anything
in the Grange, we who are members will
have to work for it just the same as the
lawyers and boards of trade and railroad
organizations scheme and plan to accom-
plish their objects. 1t is needful that the
tillers of the soil stand firmly by their or
ganization, and see to it that all of THEFT
meetings are we'll attended. And let u;
try to make great improvement during The
year 1880. Let US show to the world tina
we have an organization that is worthy o
the support of all the tillers of the soil; lie
us show that it is not dead or dying. lie
, us all take good Grange paper, and con
tribute what is in our power to make pa
pers friendly to us power in the land
When we do this, and work for our owr
interests as other organizations of men do
for theirs, we will be heard in the State
legislatures and in the halls of congress
| hope that during the present year The
farmers will see to it that the Grange il
made a power in this State.
d. A. YOUNG.
Hartford, Kansas, Feb. 1, 1886.