The patron of husbandry., 1880-04-17


within the last wentyEye evs,
cry commercial an industrial interest out
sac OF agrie tlture has abeen,sor in,
20 associations1su suited1to their several IN,
s s1csts.2t y ca after yearaye have bchelsl
.hem .1.n wIe1dlng greaterand greater power,
n :, tneir several stieldssof' acfionsa MANY Of
.nem wleid powerful ifluence over the
iegisiation of our Country They dictate
ana IN large neasiIre controaour tariff
Jaws, nnaneialslegislation, railroad snbis.
dies and all railroad legislation They
command and congress obeys.a Our leg
isiators hear their voice and bow to their
'handatess asnATss aesss h@ss sgeH aw s8fs
2. lt rs strange. butnone the less true, that
each OF those organizations operate to
compel the agriculturists to- administer to
their profits They fxathey price of farm
IN Implements, of lumber, hardware, dry
goods, groceries, railroad freights, pork,
peer, corn,a wheat, oats, and are seeking.
with some show of success, to obtain con
troll OF the great lever which moves and
controls every interest of the agricultur-
ists, that they may shrink or expand val
ues at their own will, and thereby compel
the producers of our country 10 yield up
10 them all above scanty subsistence, if
perchance they will allow them that
For some years past the farmer although
using the utmost industry and economy.
urging on in hopes of gaining little, that
he might be able to send his son or daugh-
ter to college, or lay by little for old age,
has been doomed to disappointment
Some screw in the great machinery of
commerce is turned so that the price of
his products is set at point that barely
affords subsistence; the profits 60 into 9th.
er pockets. Last fall there was a good
prospect for foreign demand for the
western corn, and that the farmers of the
west would likely obtain something above
bare compensation for their crops. But
alas! Freights were advanced ten cents on
every bushel of corn east of Chicago, and
away goes ten cents on each bushel of
corn into the Golfers of the greedy rail-
roads. Reducing the farmers profits fifty
per cent just as easy as cat can catch
mouse, taking right out of the pockets of
the farmers of Iowa not less than twenty
millions of dollars on the one article of
corn.
Now the question arises shall the farm
ers of this country remain little else than
slaves? Shall they continue to sow that
others may reap? Shall they continue to
toll on year after year only to see their
earnings swept into the Golfers of huge
monopolies and other organizations, be-
cause of their own supineness? I hope
not, and yet the quiet SUBMISSION mani
tested by large majority of western far
mers is truly alarming.
The only hope for the farmers is through
the Grange organization. If that is permit
ted to die, there is no salvation for the ag-
riculturist This lack of interest on the
part of farmers is shame and disgrace
to the profession under existing circum-
stances.
Point to a board of trade organization.
stock board, pork packers association,
agricultural implement association, or in
fact any other association, either CONNER
cial or industrial, that has failed because
those interested in its success failed to
give il support. The members of the
Board of Trade that fix our price of corn,
wheat, pork, ETC., think nothing of paving
one thousand dollars FOR nefn brI ship fee,
but many farmers complain that three
dollars is too much for a membership fee
in the Graage, and yet that same farmer
has paid to the railroad monopoly on last
years crop of corn FIVE hundred dollars,
which with thorough Grange organiza
ton in our country could have been pre-
vented. The only hope for the far ners in
this country is in thorough organization.
Numerically, they have the advantage
and if that numerical strength is SO organ
lied as to act in unison, there is no power
but what will be compelled to yield, Even.
the hugh railroad monopolies will be
compelled to respect out interest, and al
low us Just share of our own earnings.
How can we build up this organization
and make it as it once was, power in
the land? There is but one successful
way. and that is by individual effort on,
the part of those faithful friends of the
Grange that have stood faithfully to the
Sow through "eyil and good report"
+ -ach member will only secure one
II : her, it doubles our numbers.
n, more men, = done. Let each Grange
This can easily D. ,.,t;on at their next
in iowa pass reso.> Ier secure one
meeting that each mem ID then let
new iaemoer each month, "a. and
each member carry out the resolutio4- :
see what an army we will have by ou.
next State Grange meeting. Then we
shall command and merit the respect
which our calling deserves, and we shall
reap a rich reward from thousand rivu-
lets that only await our invitation to
ouench our thirst. Then shall we pluck
fruit from a thousand branches that are
now naccessible.-Ro6ert marshall tn
Grange Visitor.
ORGANIZATIONS.
The agriculturists, the producers of
r I