The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-11-19
The Grange.

Oldto uThHSc. LINZ S'oy 2
that einanates from him, the ad-
dress is sound to the core and fuii
of strong points. The Order has
no more devoted and fearless cham
pion than this patriot-farmer;
We have to-day but two oppos-
ing elements that need be dreaded,
and I would gladly pass them by
.unnoticed. But inasmuuh as everv
member should more fully under
stand their operations and see the
different instrumentalities employed
in their schemes, and as we have
nothing to conceal in our work con-
corning them, feel it a duty to
speak or them here | have refer
ence to monopolies and corpora
tons, which have special privileges
granted them not enjoyed by others.
Under this system of special favors
granted by legislation, schemes and
vibrations have been formed
which are illegitinate in their char
acter, selfish in their work, in con-
f1ict with justice, and prejudicial to
the best Interest and to the general
welfare of the people. Combina
tons have been formed and consol-
idated, until they claim to control
and govern all things to their own
liking, and for selfish aggrandize-
ment Under this system of favor
iteism, these corporations have as
sumed the authority to levy tax,
and collect 1.-THE from the products
of the farm at pleasure, until farm
operations are often left without
profit, and sometimes are not even
self sustaining. The products of The
country are taxed over 100000
annually to pay dividends on fcti-
tious capital that had no other basis
than the "fat' contained in the de-
cree issued by corporations them
selves. They thus increase their
own wealth at pleasure by. the mil
lion. The amount thus extorted
from the farmers of Missouri is not
only loss to them, but to every
man, woman and child in the State
for it takes the wealth produced in
the State where it should be distrib-
uted, and does not return any equiv
alent. The farmers have suffered
much from these evils They bore
them patiently for years, until they
we've finally driven to organize for
self protection, not to wage war
fare, Gas is charged by some), on
any legitimate interest. Our Order
recognises the close relationship
that should exist between the varied
interests. Their welfare is closely
interviewer with each other, and
any antagonism that may arise be
tween any of them is always attend
ed with harm, and often thegreatcst
harm falls on the farmer. No! we
wage no warfare againts any right
full interest. Our Order is the friend
of every legitimate enterprise, and
we encourage their prosperity. We
wage war only against error, cor
ruption and the monopolized power
that so often attempts to rule tyran-
ically.
But, we are told that money rules
the world ard that these moneyed
corporations have gathered unto
themselves the profits of labor and
business, until they have become of
such gigantic power that they can
not be controlled, and should be
left alone. If this. be so, then Lord
Macauley was quite right when he
said that the constitution of the
United States was all sail and no
anchor. We recognize the fact that
this instrument is liberal in It's con-
struction, just in its design, grant
ing to all men rights and privileges
which all are bound to res pect, and
permits men to sail how and when
they please, as long as they do not
encroach upon the rights of others.
And does it not contain sufficient
power to construct safe anchorage.
to firmly hold any corporation craft
that is now, or may hearafter be put
| af1oat, when it assumes a biratical
attitude? If not, then it is oniv a
question of time, and that period
not far distant, when a Caesar OF
Napoleon will rise in our own
land and assume the reins Of gov
eminent? Then our free institutions
will be overthrown, and our liber-
ties crushed to earth to rise no more.
We believe there is ample provision
IN the constitution, and sufficient in
telllgence and integrity in the peo-
pie to save US from such dreful
calamity. The mission of the Grange
is to do all in It's power to save the
country by saving the people.
We are also told that we can &C.
complish nothing, for the reason
that reforms require Legislation and
that we cannot influence legislation
without going into politics; that the
Grange has no politics. What, no
politics in the Grange? No: 1t has
been said and repeated thousand
times, there is no religion and no
politics in the Grange Were this
true, then the Grange would be
one of the greatest frauds ever pre-
sented to the American people. But
the Grange has both politics and
religion in it, and upon these funda-
mental principles rests the entire
superstructure of the @ ange.
Hence | saw most emphaticaliv that