The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-06-18
COLUMBUS, HEESS.
Saturday. JuRe IS, 1851.
Our LPaHRrs.

No popular organization can become
useful and permanent, however pure and
patriotic its purposes, if its leaders are
corrupt or incapable. And the success of
no organization ever depended so much
on the character of the leaders as the
Grange. For the great mass for whose
. benefit and advantage the Grange was or
ganized were ignorant alike of tie power
and necessity of organization, as we'll as
Of the CSEses which made them "hewers
Of wood and drawers of water" for other
classes, and these had to be educated. An
immense number were drawn into the
Grange at first by the excitement created
by It's rapid growth, many of whom drop
ped out because they could not compre
hend the importance of the organization
while many lost confidence in it simply
because they saw professional politicians,
merchants and other city classes rushing
in and apparently directing and control
Ing its destinies. But happily for the
Order, these corrupt and scheming classes
were forced to withdraw, but not until
they had well-nigh DESTROYED the Order.
since then, there has been a steady
improvement in the character of our lead
ers, and to-day there are few county or
subordinate officers even who are not true
Patrons and do not enjoy the confidence
OF their respective Oranges. For the
most part. the members of the National
Grange were from the start pure and pa
t17'e and the feading officials especially
were distinguished for their patriotic devo-
Na7 70 the best interests of the cause.
tis with great pride and Measure that
We present in this issue of THE Patron
t7fPortraits and biographical sketches Of
'c" Of our most prominent, most able
and popular leaders. And we feel sure
'ha' members of the Order everywhere
q take deeper interest in the cause and
q more hopeful view Of its fi.turc, when
1.y become familiar with the personal
appearance and histories Of these lead
e-.. They are fine looking BODY Of men:
sn'1er'Iy representative farmers, we'll
fitted by talent, by education, by asso
cation and by interest. for the responsible
positions to which they have been called
They are fearless, self-reliant men, who
nave encountered obstacles in their private
IVES and overcome them; they are tai
en'ed, and honest, and patriotic, and fully
understand how and why their class have
oeen wronged and oppressed, and they
nave the spirit to demand their rights and
10 support fearlessly and earnestly the
organization that will give power and
force to their just demands.
Inese leaders have been prominent and
active workers in the cause almost from
It's organizations; even before the Grange
appeared they were earnest advocates of
O'SahlzatIon for their class. Their names
are familiar as household words to hun
uFeds OF thousands of farmers from Maine
10 Texas and from florida to Oregon, and
'e tens OF thousands of farmers that will
,e'i TINS issue of THE PATRON will see
III uaese portraits the presentments of pa
,''o'-iarmers whom they have long learned
70 regard with the deepest affection for
"5'r honest, fearless devotion to the prin-
~'p'c' and purposes of the grandest and
,'oo'e't popular organization that ever
'iad home on American soil.
Inc following biographical sketches are
"'OeSSaFlly brief and imperfect, but they
are sufficient to show the characters of the
s'efI'ng men who have so long held lead
s positions in both National and State
Oranges.