The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-08-28
Is the Grange n Farmers Move.
ment or Commercial?

about the Grange as an organlza-
ton. its aims and its objects. 1t is
said to be strictly an agricultural IN
ssitution. We take it to be such.
Our constitution, our bylaws, our
manual, indeed all the teachings ema-
mating from the higher authorities,
90 TO that effect. If that is SO, tell
us. if you please, what meaneth this
lowing and bleating of the cattle
that I hear? Are the farmers of our
country going to quit their occupa-
tion-that of farming-and go to
that of something else? 1t really
looks like it. We can hear of moth
ing but Granger stores and Granger
factories, elevators, insurance COM
panies. and host of other things too
tedious to mention. think that the
lessj the Grange dabbles in these
things the better for all parties con-
cerned, and thus avoid the odium of
miserable faiIures.-A. p. II. in A g
riculturaI PAPER.
The reason why the more inteili-
gent and enterprising members of
the Order are giving their attention
to cooperative enterprises, is simply
this: The merchants business sys-
tenn is so exacting, oppressive and
corrupt, that it is absorbing all the
profits of agriculture, and there is
absolutely no chance for the farmers
to free themselves from the power
of the merchants except by organi-
ling, concentrating their capital, and
establishing a business system
which they can control, and the
profits of which, now monopolized
by the merchants, will go into their
own pockets. The information
which the reading and thinking far4
mers have gained of the principles,
practice, profit, and purposes of the
cooperative system in England and
this country during the past ten
years, has satisfied them that the sys-
tenn is the true one, that it exactly
meets their wants, and is so simple
that it is not beyond the reach OF
their capacity to adopt and practice
| it in their business and industrial af-
fairs. With this knowledge of the
cooperative system, and the pitiable
l l, = g. Il
other laboring classes have been
forced by the vicious merchants OF
competitive system since the close OF
the war, it is not surprising that the
more thoughtful and enterprising
members of the Order should engage
in cooperative Enterprises, nor that
we should hear so much of "Gran-
ger stores and Granger factories. .
1t is true, there have been failures in
these enterprises; but in such in
stances they were not conducted on
the true cooperative plan, and did
not have the confidence of those
whose interests they pretended tc
serve.
What would GA. P. H" have the
"Grangers" do? Improve agricul
ture? grow larger cropsf Let the
farmers devote their time and atten
ton exclusively to these objects anc
allow the merchants to manage Their
| business affairs, and their condition
will become still more abject ane
miserable. They have now an op
portunity to free themselves from
this bondage, to remove the burden
which the merchants have fastened
upon them and which has impover
ished them, not by turning mer
chants, not by quitting their occu
patton or leaving their farms, but by
uniting together, concentrating Their
money, and establishing agencies
and stores, and factories, for the
transaction of their business affairs
In word, the farmers need a bust
ness system which they can control
and under which they can retair
that immense portion of their sub
stance which now goes into the
pockets of "middlemen." The neec
of such system to take the place o.
the Ubiquitous competitive or mer
chants system is imperative, and it:
general adoption by the farmers anc
other workingmen of the country is
only question of time.