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

MASTER BAYLOR, AT ALDERsoN,
SEPTEMBER 7, 1851.
Patrons, again we meet in our
9th Annual session, and although
coming together, as we do, from our
homes located in various sections Of
the State, yet we meet not as stran-
gers, with cold formality, but as
brothers by the strong ties of our
Order.
A few years ago we We're stran.
gers. Now, how changed! To the
Grange and its teachings this change
and reunion is to be attributed.
The fraternal bond of Patrons
has brought US together to consult
and act for the elevation of our
class and the advancement of the
great interests IN which We are en-
gagged.
God ordained that man should
live by the sweat of his brow, and
the violation of this eternal truth
has caused the disruption of empires
and the destruction Of Kingdoms.
1t is said, "Ifistory is continually
repeating ITSELF" and the correct
ness Of this assertion is verified in
every age and country, and we
must Judge the future by the past.
Like conditions produce like re-
suits; the same dangers that caused
the downfall of other governments
are continually enacted in our own,
and it is only through the great ag-
ricultural, conservative class that
this Republican Government of ours
can be preserved
Twice within two decades has
our Government been stained with
the blood of the Chief Executive
officer. The crime which lately
plunged and shrouded in sorrow our
country was attributed to the act of
a -maddened fanatic, crazed by po-
litical excitement; but ! fear it was
the decentralization produced by the
system of office seeking for the
spoils and emoluments Of office,
which, regret to say, has become
so common in every change of
rulers in this country, that it threat
ems to become as destructive to our
institutions as Socialism and Nihil-
ism are to the political institutions
of the Old World.
The object of our Order is ad-
verse to all such tendencies, by ad
vancing and eIevating US as a class.
and teaching as to have clearer con~
ceptions of our duty and the re-
sponsibilities devolving upon US as
citizens-and the Grange is the
only organization for farmers yet
devised by or through which such
beneficial results can be accom-
plished, for il possesses the power
not only to lift it's members but the
whole Nation into a higher life by
educating the masses and freeing
them from the prejudices engender-
ed by ignorance, for wherever
prejudice and ignorance are obIit-
Grated mankind advances. TIC do
this, it requires every member of
orr Order TO make it effective by
increasing its strength; and, like
the cable, which can hold the larg
est ships during a storm, is made
up Of the minutcst fibres of hemp,
each fibre having its part To perform
in this great whole, so it il with the
Grange; each and every mnmber
constitutes part Of this great Or
der, having their duties to perform
not separate and alone, but in sold
phalahX, moving on toward the ac
complishmentO OF a common purpose.
To exercise that influence in govern
mental affairs to which you are en-
titled you must organize. 1t is OF vital
interest to the farmer that our forces
should not only be kept combined,
but they should be extended. 1t is
perfectly useless for the farmers of
this country to suppose for mo-
ment that they can perfect any
measure of relief except by thor
ough organization. Our rulers are
not actuated with view to the pub
lie good, but are generally the guar
dians of corporate wealth; our laws
all tend towards class legislation
and are in the interests of monopo
lies and capital. How are your rep
resentatives chosen; how are your
elections conducted? Capitalists
rule all our elections, and our repre-
sentatives are the chosen champion
of their interests. and again the
rights of the laboring classes. The
aims and purposes of the Grange
are to unite our whole strength, to
enforce the claims and just rights oil
each of its members against the
combined power of capital. 1t i;
clearly, then, the Interest of every