The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-04-23
The Grange q Permanent Insti-
1nfsAEA

1t there are any farmers who still
fear or believe that the Grange, like
all former organizations of their
class, is destined to be overthrown
by outside opposition or the lack of
h,rmony, patriotism or intelligence
among the farmers themselves, their
fears and doubts must surely be re-
moved by the present posi- ion and
spirit and the steady growth of the
Order in nearly all parts of the
country. In number of States the
Order had not only lost ground but
seemed falling to pieces; the masses
were indifferent, and the leaders in
despair, but in all these States there
were few in almost every county
who were determined to keep up
the organization, and who held to
gether hoping that the sober sec
ond thought" of the masses who had
dropped out of the ranks would in
duce them to return. The result of
this indomitable spirit is seen and felt
in every division of the Grange army.
Oranges that two years ago could not
command a quorum are now swarm
ing with members, numbering
them by the hundred, and they are
more earnest and enthusiastic than
in the early days of the movement
when there was such general rush
to the Order.
This second uprising Of the far
mers, as we may well term it,
differs essentially from the first.
Then the masses did not have
very clear ideas of the principles
and purposes of the movement; in
deed, many had no ideas of them at
all and no appreciation whatever Of
the power and necessity Of organi-.
cation. The leading farmers that
joined the Order from considerations
OF principle and patriotic desire to
promote the interests of their class.
Were unaCcustomed to organized eff
fort, generally too difident to as
sumo possibility, and We're often
pushed aside by the brazen face
demagogues who had always ruled
the farmers and were determined to
''rule or ruin" the new organization.
And the press that supported, or
pretented to support, the movement
at first was extremely inefficient.
Most of the so-called Grange papers
were so only in name; and there
were great many Patrons who did
not comprehend the fact that the
difference between Grange paper
and an agricultural paper was about
as great as that between a religious
and political paper, and so many
agricultural papers were taken up
as Grange advocates that gave no
attention to the real objects of the
Grange, while many political pa
pers, to retain the support of farmers
and prevent the success of honest
Grange journals, adopted the ruse
of Grange Department'-which
was a column or so of unimportant
agricultural matter and notices of
Grange meetings in an obscure cor
ner, never a sincere advocacy of the
principles and purposes of the
Order.
But all this is changed. The men
in the lead in our National, State
and Subordinate Oranges are for
the most part true Patrons, veterans
IN the cause, who believe in the
truth of Grange principles. and who
know that the organization is more
necessary to their class than the
Board of Trade is to the merchants.
These leaders are not only true and
tried, but they are generally men of
ability who have learned to write
and speak publicly with force and
eloquence, and who are qualified
not only to advocate their cause but
to meet in debate the ablest of their
adversaries
OF the scores of so called Grange
papers that sprung up, nearly all
have dropped out of sight The rec
ognized Grange journals are open
and earnest in their advocacy of the
cause, and they are sustained by the
membership as Grange papers. One
observation-disclosures GyaneeBuL
|ettn-has recently issued series of
Grange campaign documents that
have been circulated by the hundred
thousand among the farmers
throughout.the country, and which
must result in immense good to the
cause.
The number of Grange halls con-
tlnues to increase, and the establish.