The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-06-18

tlonal Grange in an isolated positions; its
principal occupation was gone, and the
progress of the Order received a check
from which it has never recovered; and it
Is the candid opinion of those who have
carefully studied the conditions that it
can never become an efficient working
body until this original plan or at least its
essential features are restored. In its
present relation TO the order, the Nation
al grange may devise measures of vital
importance, but ii is powerless to carry
them out. In my address at the 9th ses-
sion OF this body, the following remarks
We're made in reference to the position of
the National Grange:
81 conceive that its principal duties
are to collect and disseminate information
for the benefit of the whole Order; to
place State Oranges in cooperative COM
munication, and advise Subordinate
Oranges with reference to special interest.
Thus 1t simply acts as an agency. But it
should be something more than this; be-
ing in communication with the whole Or
der, it is eminently placed in a position
to judge as to the value of measures cal
culated to be for the best interests of the
whole; and thus it should be creative as
well as administrative. Above all things
it must avoid responsibilities that legiti-
mately belong either to State or Subordi-
culcate principles of action that are of
general application, rather than enter
into executive details which must OF ne
cesSity vary according to local an special
circumstances. AS evidence of the i'm
portance with which the plan of direct
communication with Subordinate Oranges
was held by the executive committee, and
the efforts made for its perfection, the
following notice was prepared and sent to
fha Guhn m J..
previous to its restriction by the National
Grange. Changes in officers are, as a
matter of Course, constantly occurring in
so large a body as the Order has now be-
come, but it should be well understood by
every Grange that unless this committee
is promptly informed of these changes,
and the name and address of the new
Master posted in our mailing books, that
Grange cannot be in receipt of commune
cations from this committee. NotWith-
standing the extent and efficiency of the
Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, it is
simply impracticable to insure concert of
action upon any work fer the general ben
eft of the Order, unless facilities are
opened for a close and direct cores
pOndence between the National and Sub
ordinate Oranges"
| am not advised as to what may exist
of the earlier proceedings of the National
grange, nor in whose hands they are now
| placed. However valuable they might be
as data for preparing true history of the
| Order, am inclined to believe that they
| would be found rather meagre in re-
! gard to National Grange proceedings.
| For five years its finances were uncom-
| fortabiy limited, and the proceedings
| were not published. The first issue is
| that of the 9th session which was held
Al, 50
| officers of the first term of the National
| Grange received any compensation, eX-
cept the secretary and his assistant, and
| if l recollect rightly there was over a
! twelve months salary due to them at the
sixth session, so that we did not feel war
| ranted in using our limited means in pub
! fishing proceedings, preferring to econo-
! miZe in publishing matter which was
! considered to be more valuable in devel-
| Oping the Order, and of this matter one
| million, seven hundred and five thousand
sheets were printed during the first five
years In view of the fact that
many if not most of the earlier documents
relating to the Order are unknown to this
| present body, it seemed to me that u
| brief notice of some of these would not
be devoid of interest, particularly in the
| evidence they furnish regarding the prin-
| ClpitS VI DttSts VI LIiOu1ilb tiuA{ dCJIOu upon
| which the Order was founded, the plans
to be followed, and the purposes to be
attained. / will therefore read you the
! first circular which was issued by the Ma
| tional Grange Immediately after it's Or
! ganization and printed in January,
! 1868;
eve solicit attention to an organization
| now being established for the purpose Of
incr asing the general happiness, wealth
| and prosperity of the country. 1t is based
| upon the axoms that the product of the
! soil comprise the basis of all wealth;
that individual happiness depends in a
| great degree upon general prosperity, and
| that the wealth of IL country will depend
altogether upon the general Intelligence
and mental culture of the producing
| classes. The best mode Of securing a
| diffusion of knowledge with a view to its
| application to the increase of the products
| of the soil, is therefore one OF the most
| important questions which can be pro-
pounded, and we hope to greatly facilitate
its solution by the results which will follow
the work of the organization to which we
| allude, and concerning which we take the
liberty of asking you to favor US with
YOUR considerate opinions, suggestions
and advice All existing popular modes
of creating an interest in agricultural and
kindred pursuits have been carefully
scanned and studded Agricultural fairs
enlist attention, and to certain extent
excite competition, but it is becoming a
matter of history that these associations
are gradually losing their influence, and
the novelty and excitement of horse rae
ing and other scenes still less cOmmenda-
bic, are looked upon as essential to then
success, if not to thor very existence
Clubs for mutual instruction and friendly
iSAeasa ftEaI1
interest as soon as the first excitement OF
organization is passed. Even fruit-grow
ers' societies, with all their attractions
only enlist few enthusiasts, whose eff
forts are scarcely felt by the great pro
ducng masses Of the country. The
incentive to the formation of these sOcie
| ties results from Il recognition OF the
well-known principle that unltg Of acton
is necessary to secure success, but to en-
courage and main ain progressive success:
this unity must be made solid an(
permanent, not trivial and spasmodic, ant
from a preponderance of the latter w
NAV trace the main cause of failure il
these organizations. On the other hant
when we reflect upon the fact that certain
} associations have stood the test OF ages
and even for centuries, as for eXampl
the Masonic order, and their interests
and the objects of their nature constant
, " increasing instead of diminishing, w
may wei pause and ask. in what doe
their pernanency consist?' We can onl
find one satisfactory answer to this ques
. ton and that is their secrecy. If then
: this is the great element of eminent sue
cess, why not embrace it in association
: for the spread and increase of knowledge
and for the noble purpose of adding +
! national wealth and power? If this sim
| pie principle is the keystone of perma
nent foundation, why not secure it,
, such a slender thread as a secret or eXclu