The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-06-04

ment. Each can profit by the ex-
perience of others, and be led to in
vestigate for himself and in this way
make the meetings interesting and
profitable.
The great object of the Grange is
instruction. The young should be
induced to unite with the Order,
but it should be for the sake of be
ing instructed, not merely for the
purpose of having a good time of
making the meeting source of
mere amusement. The social feature
of the Grange has always been a
success with us, and we should en-
deavor so to blend the social and
educational work as to make the
one increase the efficiency of the
other. AS the object Of the Grange
is instruction, that which is mere
amusement is to be allowed and en-
couraged just so far as it can be
made a means of creating an inter
est in the real work and no further.
When amusement for its own sake
becomes the end and object sought
for; when people come into the
Grange merely to be amused, and
manifest impatience because the
discussion and other educational
work is taking time, then the mat
ter Of amusement has been TO saw
the least, carried as far as it is prof
table to the Grange.
The report before quoted. says
that the ''voices of the Patrons of
HuSbandry are to be used in edu-
eating, in demonstrating, n petition
ing, IN Nvtiu5.' but -~-i-o Is ~ UC pc
titioned and what is to be remon-
strated against? If we are to ac-
complish much for the good o. far
mer in the way OF lessening his bur-
dens as citizen, we must make
ourselves felt in the house Of legis-
lation and by the transportation
companies and other corporate in
terests of the country. Legislation
is at present controlled by the cor
porate interests. Through the
means of the Grange farmers must
be made to realize that they are
bearing burdens not their own
that their interests are made subser-
Went to the interests of Others.
They must realize also that if this
is to be remedied they must do it
themselves; 70 one else would do II
for them. In order TO do this there
must be united action-there must
be cooperation. But before there
can be intelligent cooperation,
there must be agitation that the
people may become instructed upon
the questions which need redress.
For years the Grange has been agi-
tating the question of the inequality
of taxation in this State. AS a re-
suit of that agitation wei have the
new listing law passed at the last
session of the legislature which
whatever may be its defects, is an
effort in the right direction, for it
must necessarily tighten the farmer s
burdens in the matter of taxation
1t is a question which is to be set
tied in the near future whether the
people of this country are to con-
troll its affairs, or whether the con-
troll is to be in the hands of the cor
porate interests. Which is to be the
supreme the people or the monopo-
lies? We hear much of the neces
sitv of capital, but is it necessary
that capital should be concentrated
in the hands of one man? Is it nee
essarv that Jay Gould or Vanderbilt
should each own one hundred mil
lions while in consequence million
men are hindered from acquiring
500 eacho Every dollar that ay
Gould owns was earned by some
BODY. There never was dollar 5
value created but by labor. Capita
IS but the accumulated earnings oi
labor, and the great danger of to
dav. is in the accumulation of tho4e
earnings in the hands Of few and
thus enabling a few TO oppress ths
many Millions upon millions are
yearly filched from the hard earn
lngs of the people by corporate
greed in the matter of transporta
ton.
TIE question with those who
own the railroads is not what vii
be for the mutual benefit of bott
the people and ourselves, but rather
it is how much we can make out o
it? Consequently if there is gooe
crop, freights are raised 50 that IL
| enhanced cost Of portati3l
takes away the profits Of the prodn
Ger, so that Heavens blessings ar'
made to enrich not the farmers bu
| the railroad corporation The rail
roads BY their favorltlsn can n1aki
or unrnake. They can take the pro
! fits of trade away from one man .