The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-12-24

disorganized or chilled in their work than
| II wouldrbe to conclude from the vacant
school houses and. churches, absence OF
/ teachers and preachers. that euuca.son
| was hurnbug and religion farce. Let
your light shine IN Grange duties ana me
good work you may do can not fail 70 aoo
| lnster to your moral and intellectual char
acter. There is not q. subject that can not
be discussed for Information, every mat :
1 ter pertaining to the farm which VIII DE-
velop better methods Of agriculture, which
will give a better understanding OF the
| markets and various business systems,
every matter pertaining to society which
| will condone to the good of the Order, to
the good of the comn.unity and of human
ity at large. The Grapgeis committed to
education, to lead by the hand the rising
generationlto higher plane of knowledge
and leave farmers sons and daughters
better heritage of learning than their pa
rents now possess.
Then comes for careful consideration
Questions of political economy, in which
every citizen should be we'll acquainted so
that our duties may be thoroughly under
stood.
Farmers, as a class, are ignorant of the
relation and bearing of their calling upon
the outside world To-day the Eastern
Continent is exercised over the vast and
presumptuous ESQ to speak, advance of
American breadstuffs The German Con-
gress of Agriculture, lately in session,
which had the conntenance of the gov
ernment and the sympathy of Prince Bis
mark. declared that 'tAmerican competi-
ton in breadstuffs and meat to be great
danger to the future existence of German
grain in production and cattle breeding !"
/ This Congress wasein search of remedy,
and declared in its report that Germany
must not follow the path ofEngland and let
her agriculture be ruined. English agri-
culture can no longer compete with Amer:
lea, and the farmers of the old country
must find some other business, or as the
German Congress puts it, "leave their
faithless home in order to GO over to the
camp of the victors in the far West OF
America" fr.-...
/ If we want to glorify here seems to be
theme for great National pride. That
England, rich and proud, should yield the
: palm to our industrial arts. 1t is better
to conquer with the pruning hook and
pillow than with the sword and spear.
L American farmers are like an army
which has gained victory, and yet is
panic stricken and runs away. They are
touching chords which causes vibrations
in half the world. Western Europe must
d have bread, while Eastern Europe is dis
turbed by the overwhelming competition.
American farmers are annually sending to
foreign markets as a contribution to the
| material welfare of the world hundreds of
millions of dollars worth of our surplus.
Sending in cotton alone more than two
hundred millions of dollars every year,
and yet we have but fairly entered upon
our career for the development of the
grand possibilities before US.
What a glorious occupation this thing
of farming must be. One would expect
to hear great cry of satisfaction, a tone
of Boosting and INDEPENDENCE from every
, filler of the soil Bnt what in reality
comes to us from the grain raised, stock
breeded, the cotton, tobacco, sugar and
rice planted? A prolonged wall of dis
tress Our burdens are grievous, almost
, too great to be borne. Our crops are
, raised and sent to market and but little,
if any, profit comes back in return. I rams
portation must have "what the product
will bear" hundreds of millions of dollars
are required each year tor protection, and
the speculator that curse of mankind. de-
mands "the last pou I'D of flesh and that
nearest the heart" If it is not unfriendly
. legislation which thus permits the indus
: trial classes to be despoiled of the rewards
! of their labor, pray answer ard say what
it is.
THE NATIONAL GRANGE.
} The National Grange alone has the au-
thority to declare what are the principles,
objects and methods of the Order. A study
of its history will show that from its very
J foundation it was intended as an organiza-
; ton in which farmers nigh. become edu-
Gated in all matters appertaining to bust
ness questions, SO that they might advance
agriculture to higher plane OF usefulness,
protect their interests, and intelligentlv
J discharge the duties and responsibilities of
citizenship. 1t will also be observed that
, the National Grange has always recog-
nized the fact that Agriculture is obstruc-
ted in its useful mission, and its votaries
deprived of the Just rewards of their labor
sand oppressed by methods" of law. And
the remedy is given in clear and unequivo-
t cal terms in our original Declaration of
: Purposes, viz: it is our duty 'to see that
none but competent, faithful and honest
men, who will unfinchingly stand by orr
industrial interests, are nominated for all
} positions of trust"
In the proceedings of the I4th session
, we find resolutions asking for legislation to
make Cabinet position for Agriculture,
to restrain the extortions and discrimina-
tons of rail road corporations, &C., and
closing with the following resolution:
''We will hold each Senator and Represen-
tative in Congress responsible for his action
} upon the subject matter herein set forth, and
we pledge ourselves most cordially, and ear
nestly invite every Patron and farmer in all
our country to unite with us, to use our whole
influence, both by word and ballot wholly re-
CARELESS of party ties, political associations or
personal connections, to carry out the spirit of
the foregoing resolution
Again in the proceedings of the 9Th an
nual meeting we find the following, after a
summary of the grievances borne by the
farmers:
"What shall we do2 Let rs exert the force
inherent in numbers. Direct this through the
ballot in such manner that every Legisla-
ture, State and National, shall reflect the will
of the people and all their interests rather than
of corporations. Secure in these bodies due
representation of the chief industry of the land
Let farmers organize in utter disregard of the
restraints that political parties impose. and let
them keep steadily in view the governing pur-
pose to purge the body polite of the .venalities
that handicap material progress
And again:
"Recognizing as we do the origin of artif-
cal hardships placed on Agriculture in the in
difference of farmers to their civil duties which
cannot be deputed to others without certain
harm, and recognizing, also, corrupt party
usages as the outgrowth of such neglect, we,
| the REPRESENTATIVES. Of hat III