The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-05-28
The MOnOpOlists or the Farm
ers-Which?

MISSOURI SlAl OIN<ANoI'
Editor Journal Of Agriculture:
The Grange is educating its mem
bers to understand the varied in
terests of the. whole country, and
the relations they themselves bear
respectively to each other. Each
and all have certain rights others
are in duty bound to respect. I'm
dersanding how to deal with the
blessings and burdens of govern
ment with justice to all enables
them to look upon the great question
which is agitating the minds of the
American people and threatening
our American liberties from quite
different standpoint than do those
who give this subject but little, if
any, thought Recently we were
taken to task by farmer, "but not
a Granger" who is intelligent and
well to do, stands high in the COM
munity in which he lives, is quite
active in his way, spends some time
at the little town near his farm, gets
much of his education at a grocery
ground the corner" and at the rail
road station. After complimenting
us, he said, candidly and soberly,
that he is opposed to the Grange
solely on the ground of its antagon-
ism to the monopolies and corpora
tions. He believes that the biggest
dog, Though he be a worthless
Gu s., should always whip. He is
willing, he says, if any combination
becomes strong enough to control
the Government, they have a right
to do so and do it as they please.
Yes, says he, if a few men by uni
ting become strong enough to con
troll the masses, let them do so. To
undertake to regulate or control, in
any degree railroad corporations is,
in his opinion, not only an error,
but an outrage. These railroads, he
says, belong TO these corporations;
they are their property, and they
can charge what they please and it
is nobody's business, and the Grange
has no right to NEEDLE with it. We
had acted as though we were under
conviction long enough, and then
called his attention to the fact, that
when man turns his property into
public use, it becomes to a certain
extent public, and the patronizing
public become interested and have a
legal and moral right to claim that
it be controlled with justice to the
public as well as to the interest of
the individual or corporation. All
public arrangements must be for
the public good. A public enter
prise managed exclusively for indi-
vidual advantages ceases to be a
public good and may become a
public burden, or even a public
nuisance. He finally admitted that
in such an event the public should
interfere, but could see no reason
why they should ask for a change
in railroad management.
| name this case to show the diff
ference between the farmer in The
Grange and the one that is not. The
members have studied these ques-
tons and understand them from the
different standpoints, and sees them
in the proper light, while the out
side farmer has neglected the edu-
cational opportunities Hence the
difference. BY the way, this friend,
is an aspirant for legislative honors
from his county. If successful,
what fine picking for a railroad lob
byist.
l am pleased to see so many bust
ness men seeing our cause in its
true light and giving us much en-
couragement This change in the
minds of business men is owing to
the fact that they begin to realize
/ that the success of the Grange en-
terprise brings success to all other
interests. But occasionally we find
one who mas not yet imbibed this
liberal view. Recently we wished
to reach town by railroad in the
evening and remain until next
morning when we would be con-
veyed to place of meeting in the
country. Upon our request a meet
ing was arranged for in the town
that night; hall was secured and
all things completed for a meeting.
But, behold, when the hall was ut
up a merchant discovered there was
going to be Grange lecture. The
merchant soon was brimful of in
! dlgnation, and in his ire expressed
a willingness for the town to turn
out and break up the meeting and
drum the Lecturer out of town"
as he expressed it. Nevertheless
the meeting went on all the same.
1t was well for the merchant at
least, if not for us also, that we did
not know this until after we had
spoken. Why should this man be
opposed to the farmers coming to
town and holding meeting where
| their interests are to be discussed.
whether as individuals or in an or
gained capacity? If some stranger
had come along and advertised some
trif1ng show and charged from 25
to so cents for the deception. and
left town the next morning with a
hundred dollars ahead, and been of
no earthly advantage to any body
| in the town except some hotel
! keeper, this man would probably not
have thought of "breaking up the
show" nor of drumming the show
man out of town" But the farm
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