The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-06-25
FROM TEXAS
LETTER FROM WORTHY MASTER Rosr

Nun nohfHf- MASTER ROSE OF THE
| STATE GRANGE.
EDITOR PATRON: Gan is ou;etudo a,on
our lines, might be uttered in the South
at TINS time In our history. The maior;tp
Vi our NOISY, demonstrative brothers have
quietly dropped out of our ranks and songbt
more congenial atmosphere. This is vii y
we near the oft refuted remark. .,T'be Or
| der is dead !" vi
| we ADMIT that every means devised by
man nave been resorted to, to crush out
| our Order, but all have failed.
Even the press, it seems, by concert of ac-
tlon, determined to kill it by kindness ~
I-sllent contempt. Why is it that Editors
ana all others dependent upon the farmers
Ior support should snub our Order, whose
| principles none can deny deing just and
| equitable and which if extensively prac
ticed will do more to build up our country
| ana elevate mankind than all others that
| have been tried?
Inc greatest reason why the Grange meets
so much opposition is, that the masses of
the people are selfish and uniformed, thew
cannot look beyond themselves, nor exer-
cise generosity enough to benefit any one
else, but they do themselves and their neigh
bors as well as their country great inju-
| stlce, entertaining the idea that the many
were created to serve the few.
While our Order to all APPEARANCES in
| many localities is slumbering it is gradu-
| ally gaining its former strength numeri-
| cally, its working capacity is now much
stronger than at any former period in its
| history.
The Grange in Texas is chartered and
| permanent institution. All the powers
| that be" can not destroy it.
The report of the Secretary OF the Texas
| State Grange, for the first quarter 1881 COM
pared with the first quarter for 1880 is very
encouraging, showing an increase of mem
bers in the working Oranges of over eight
hundred, we have in addition to this repor-
ted up to date an increase of % Oranges, 3
new organizations and 20 reorganizatiOns
aggregating $50 members, which makes over
200 accessions
The report for the second quarter, we are
led to believe, will be equal if not greater
! than the first as we have five District and
sixty County Lecturers at work, and have
received reports from only six of the work
| they have accomplished.
l am receiving letters almost daily from
dormant sections making inquiries as to
| how they are to regain their former position
| of inhuetee and usefulness.
In answer to circular letter forwerded to
all reporting Oranges, | have received re-
ports from 20, eight-tenths of which are of
| a very encouraging nature. will give a
few extracts from them:
Number one says, "Our Grange is all
| that could be desired. We are receiving
| petitions at every meeting from good citi-
| zens. Co operation has certainly built up
| the..Grange cause in this section"
Number two says, "Our Grange reports
| regularly; our Cooperative Association
is among the most fourishing in the State;
| we buy all our goods through ]. S. Rogers,
General Manager Texas Cooperation
Association, Patrons of Husbandry, Gal
| weston. Our people are doing nobly."
Number three says, sour beloved Order
is emphatically dead in this county. Su-
preme ignorance and selfishness the cause"
| Number four says, 1--WE do not intend to
die. We have ample funds to pay our
next years dues to the State Grange. We
| have cooperation among u.s."
| Number five says, "Our border is en-
| larging; our membership is increasing,
and deeper interest unaffected than ever
| before"
| Number six says, petitions are coming
| in at every meeting. Cooperation is a
| success with u.s."
| Number seven says, sour Grange num-
bers between eighty and rinety, and still
they come. Many of our members are
reading Grange papers,-THE Patron
and Texas Farmer"
Number eight says, sour Grange meets
twice mouth regularly; new petitions at
sift occasionally. All farmers it seems
will not be Changers by practice, many
of our members need Grange papers. We
| have a operative store, of which our
members are proud. We are learning the
| good there is in cooperation. We believe
| in education and are determined to inform
| ourselves, and by cooperation have sthe
means to educate our children, and have
| them then prepared to grace any position
in society and government"
| Number nine says, "Our Grange meets
every Saturday evening. We do not CO.
operate either in buying or selling, each
one works for aelf housekeeping to build
mp his own pet sharpers or spectators ac-
cording to his stock in trade"
Brothers and Sisters, from the above
reports you will be enabled to form an idea
of the real condition of the Order in Texas.
| Where our Order prospers you will learn
The reason wky, and where it is declining
you will be able to effect the cause. We
have every encouragement to go forward
and you who are out of trouble should re
member those who are in distress. The
appeal comes from many parts of our
great State, "Send us help; we need a
Lecturer, the field is ready for the har
| vest" Every Patron should realize that
they are an important factor in this great
reform; and that such is the very nature
of our organization that the more we help
in this great work the more we ourselves
are benefited.
The dark, dark clond that is rising ir
the east, and which will eventually over
shadow US, can never be surged back with
out the united aid of the laboring classes
and the sooner we realize our situation
the earlier we will unite to protect our
selves.
None should feel that they are too weak
to aid in this work, and none so strong as
to be independent of their brothers anc
sisters.
Patrons, a great work is required at ouI
hands, an active, progressive work-le
our watchword be, persevere, persevere.
A. ]. ROSE.
Salado, Bell county, June 16.