The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-07-02
Mammoth Grange Picnic.

Elgin and Norfolk Division Gran
ges, was held at Port Stanley on
June II, the anniversary of the Do
minion Grange. Many prominent
members of the Order were present
from the Western section of the
Province, and the presence of the
Master of the National Grange, Bro.
7. T. Woodman, of Paw Paw, Mich
igan, gave a considerable interest
to the occasion. About 1000 peo-
pie were present. Among the
speakers wers Bro. Woodman,
Bros. Charles Drury, r. Nc Guffin,
J. Robinson, H. White and others.
Bro. Cameron, Master of Elgin Di-
vision acted as chairman, and open
ed the proceedings with few ap-
propriate remarks, afterward intro
ducing Bro. Woodman.
The Speaker pointed out the SIM
ilarity between the two countries
divided by narrow stream, which
glided like silver thread between
the two great nations of the CONT
nent Although thus divided, yet
they were one in language, one in
principle, one in sentiment, and one
in feeling He also drew a distinc-
ton between the farmers of this
country and the farmers of the old
country. And why this great diff
ference? Because they allowed
others to do the reading, the speak
ing and the thinking, and farmers
in the old country have been neg
lected, and consequently looked
down upon In America it was
different Farmers are men, or
should be men of education, and
are therefore looked up to. Elevate
the farmer and you elevate the COM
munity. Agriculture is the driving
wheel, the great motive power
which sets in motion every other
organization and all surroundings.
Unless Canada and the United
States take hold of the agricultural
interests of the world, and shape
and mold them, and make them oc
cupy that lofty sphere which God,
in the order of His providence des-
tined them to occupy, it will be
slow work indeed. Slow if we are
to wait for English farmers. Irish
farmers, or German farmers to set
us an example. 1t is for American
farmers to take right hold and to
organize as one man, with an object
in view, not as one would imagine
for merely buying, selling or trad
ing, but with a much greater and
nobler object in view, namely, the
education, improvement and devel-
opnent of the farmer and agricultu-
rist, the discussion of measures and
shaping of reforms for the halls of
legislation, the inevitable fight
which must be fought out in this
country as we'll as the United States
with railway tyrants and rail way
monopolies. The speaker pointed
out how that the Changers got bill
through Congress which saved the
farmers Of Ohio one million dollars
in the article of plaster alone The
Patent Ridge Bill was alone a gi
gantic step in the direction of re-
form, and it was the Changers who
fought the battle, and put stop to
the reissuing Of patents. In the
item of sliding gates, his own
Grange employed their lawyers and
fought twenty lawsuits before we
beat them. That item alone saved
the farmers of Michigan one million
dollars. (Applause.) We must be
united in Canada and the United
States on great questions of reform.
If we ever are to crush railway mo-
nopolies and elevate the agricultural
standard, it must be done by march
ing shoulder to shoulder in solid
phalanx and keeping step; by doing
so we will brean through all oppo-
sition. Once, when Grants army
was passing the Potomac, over a
lengthy bridge orders were given
for the soldiers to break step. Had
the regiment gone over with a solid,
heavy and regular step the structure
would certainly have snapped in
two by the combined power and
concentrated effort of a thousand
feet all pounding at one and at the
same time. It is in an identical
manner farmers must proceed, and
it is only by keeping step and being
united that we will ever succeed in
our noble purpose. A farmer must
have brain If he iS t0 SucceAd VIII #
we want is more brain and less
muscle. We work too much. Show
me a Swiss woman behind an old
fashioned wooden plough; that's
muscle. Show me Canadian far
mer behind steel plough; that's
brains. Show me an old country
German or Duchman with a yoke
of oxen and an ancient plough;
that's muscle. Show me a prairie
king, glittering in steel and solid as
a rock, and the farmer seated there
on; that's brains. Show me an old
countryman or woman with his or
her little hook tearing off the grain;
that's muscle. Show me one of
your splendid improved harvesters,
with its complicated machinery
moving down all before it; that's
brains. Show me an English, Irish
or Scotch farmer whaling the day
light out of the barn floor with a
fail; that's muscle. Laughter).
Show me an Imperial Harvester,
catherine M ifs thousands of