The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-10-15
COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI OCTOBER IS 1881.

farmer to join the Grange, if for no
other purpose but to protect his in
dividual rights against the com hined
power of large aggressive monop-
olies. There is but one course left
us to pursue, and that is to unite.
Let Grangers everywhere renew
their obligations to the Order, and
draw around us more closely the
bonds of fraternal friendship and
train ourselves to unity of action;
then we can command and enforce
obedience. Your deliberations to-
day will be beneficial just in proper
ton as they may confer benefits to
the Order of a real and permanent
value.
Personal influence, undue excite
ment, party affiliation, angry passion
or extren1e prejudice should never
control your action.
Many questions of vital imPor-
tance will demand your careful con-
sideration, to be enacted into such
laws as you may think the demands
of the times and the interest of the
Order required.
COOPERATION.
Cooperation, which is the chief
cornerstone of our Order, yet lacks
much that is needful fof its entire
success. Unfortunately it has not
been regarded as possessing that
degree of consequence which it so
Justly deserves, if we would have It
attain its fullest capacity for dsefuf.
ness and become as productive of
good as the present and future well
fare of the Order demands.
Upon the hopes and salvation OF
the farming class depend | ask,
then, your careful consideration OF
this vital subject of co operation
among ourselves in all matters
which tend to our social, moral, in
teIIectual, political and peouniary
advancement, which is necessary
and essential to our prosperity.
If we can succeed in uniting the
labor:ng class to adopt and carry
out co operative principles and
measures, in ali that pertain to their
interest, no party, no power can i'm
pede our progress. If we act to-
gether, our united strength will he
available and our power can be
mabe useful.
There is no other class that need
the intet change of views and thor
ough concentration of action as
much as We do, and there is none
that can derive greater advantages
If the farmers will only WORK to-
gether we can redeem this land OF
ours from every element of corrup-
tion which Expresses labor.
Upon this all important question
should our Subordinate Oranges be
instructed. Here is a wide and in
teresting field for your lecturers
and deputies, which can be made
Instructive and Of incaIculabIe ad
vantage to your mem bers.
Ii farmers were taught to know
and appreciate the advantages OF
cooperation a spirit Of activity and
energy would pervado our Order
which would produce commensurate
results. You would have many
less dormant Oranges, more fire.
quent and better attended meetings
and the zeal which was at first man
ifcsted; instead of becoming OF less
aud less interest, and finally dying
out, would burn brighter and
brighter until pure and more ell
tulgent light would draw, gladden.
ina alike the hearts Of all our mem
bers, from the highest to the lowest
The question for every farmer t.
ask is, will co operation pay, by I'd
vancing our interests in buying
and selling together, or in other
ways | say, yes
We all know that the old system
of buying and selling through a
chain of agents or middlemen, from
the manufacturer to the farmer,
and back from farmer to consumer,
was greatly to our disadvantage.
In the last twenty-five years five
millions of sewing machines have
sold for nearly four hundred mill
lions Of dollars Threc-fourths OF
this sum, or three hundred mill
lions, we have mad to pay above "a
fair profit to the manufactures.
Now, by 90 operation through the
Grange, these machines which were
sold by agents for $50 or 500 can
be Purchased for SIS to $40
Only think Of the innumerable
army of ''drummers who live on
railroad cars, and whose expenses
and salaries you pay by your labor
You ask me, how can you be re-
lieved Of this great evil, this heavy
aud increasing draw upon your linn