The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-05-07
what Our Leaders Say.

GAS the representative farmers
of this country we no longer re-
quire to be persuaded that agricul-
ture must occupy higher place
among our national industries; that
nothing short of this will properly
promote our interests and protect
our rights, and we look forward to
the day when the calling of agricul-
ture shall be raised to the rank of
a recognized power second to none
in the land, when money rings and
railway rings, and all combinations
which have hitherto held the farmer
beneath their iron grasp, will sue
cumb to the popular virdict of the
people, and right shall rule"
ER. w. BAYLOR, Master West Vir-
ginia State Grange:
"The object of the Order is to
ignore individual selfshness and to
make us more generous, and to en-
brace within its folds all who seek
the advancement of agriculture, no
matter of what name, sect, or party.
1t is truly sad to contemplate the
disorganized condition of the agri-
cultural class; yet upon their labor
rests the whole prosperity of the
country. 1t is by their labor the
ocean is whitened with commerce.
1t is only by their labor the national
debt can be paid. All advance
ment in society for great undertak-
ings must be united, combined, and
cooperative effort. 4.
If farmers will devote more of their
means to the education of their sons
and daughters, than to adding acres
to their farms, we will have no rea-
son to complain that all the execu-
tive and legislative positions of the
country are filled by professional
men,"
A. B. FRANKLIN, Master Yer
mont State Grange:
at should be the aim of the farm
er to benefit himself by an educa
ton which shall raise him to high
er plane OF intellectual thought, as
we'll as to advance his moral and So
cial condition. He should aim to
secure an education which shall not
only make him familiar with the
foundation laws of civil govern
ment, but teach him that he is no
longer 'Hewer of wood and draw
er of water and that he has rights
as a free and independent citizen,
and should so inform himself upon
the questions which meet him upon
every hand, that he shall be prepar-
ed to act Understandings upon
them"
A. r. SHIPLEY, Past Master Ore
gon State Grange:
Put less toll and more thought
into your calling, and make it attrac-
tive to your children. Unite with
the Grange, and take your sons and
daughters with you. 1t is the farm
er's own and only organization-a
practical means of combination, of
united efforts and self. help, and af-
fords the society and recreation you
and your families so much need.
Learn to be more liberal, and. above
all things, break the bonds which
make you the slaves and dupes of
demagogues. Thus you will be
better qualified to act we'll your
part in life and fulfil the duties of
citizens and lawmakers of State
and Nation.
ISAAC w. NICHOLSON, Master
New Jersey State Garage:
Labor is 7vealth in this country,
it develops everything; let it be act
uated by intelligence, as well as di-
rected by it: let nothing be done or
taught in our schools that will have
any tendency to impress upon the
minds of the children that it is more
reputable to belong to one of the
professions or some other class than
a farmer.
''The tendency of the times is the
Capitalization of money, and with
it the ''boasted independence of the
farmer" becomes a myth. Examine
the different reports of the census
bureau and you will find the de-
crease in percentage of those who
control the money or monied inter
est of the country has been going
on with fearful rapidity.
'What does this portend? We
have but to examine the history, the
results have been the same: an aris-
tocracy, owning their thou ads of
acres, and the farmers tenants, sub
ject to the will of landlord; then
where will be the independence of
the American farmer? it can be an
swered by child, and it will be
thing of the past"
HENLEY JAMES, Ind, Member
of Executive Committee National
Grange.
Farmers number at least one
half the population, while they re-
ally own but small proportion of
the wealth of the coutry, a proper
ton that is steadily growing less.
under the present system of consol-
idation of wealth in the hands of the
few. The power of concentrated
capital has always been the enemy
of republican institutions, and there
is more danger to be apprehended
from the power of wealth in this
country than all other causes com.
bined."