The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-08-20

-
the farmers and public generally,
including large number of ladies,
in the hall Of the A. and M. College
last Saturday. His remarks were
we'll received, and elected the high
est concentration of all classes, and
| ofevery profession and avocation, SO
| far as we were able to learn. A
full synopsis of his speech we have
not time nor space to publish, but
will only refer briefly to a few
points in an imperfect way. He
| explained the objects and purposes
of the Grange; its past history was
reviewed and its present status ex-
planned. It was an institution of
necessity for the protection and ad-
vancement of the farmers interests.
The lawyers, doctors, bankers, mer-
chants, and in fact all professions
organize and cooperate for protec-
ton, and why should not the farm
ers2 Certainly agriculture is the
bed rock upon which all prosperity
and wealth rests: He dwelt at some
length upon the monopolies prac-
ticed by corporations and the money
power to Cypress and keep down
the farming class-that class which
itself is the creator of all wealth.
He cited the example of Jay Gould,
who owns not only nearly every
Legislature but even Congress. He
spoke of railroads generally, and
the power welded over Legisla
lures by them. He stated that the
last Mississippi Legislature was
composed principally of lawyers
who were paid attorneys for the
railroads, and that it was but natur
al that they would support any
measure in the interest of the rail-
roads. He advised the farmers to
take solemn oath never to vote for
any man for the Legislature who
would not bind himself to work for
the agricultural class. He stated
that legislatures and Congress were
not only under the control of the
great railroad corporations, but that
it was the case more or less with
the judiciary-both State and Ma
tional. He would have every candi-
date, as was the case before the war,
to get upon the stump and an
nounce to the public what he was
willing to do for the people when
he was elected. He would have
every one of them declare himself
openly, SO that the people might
know what to expect. He de-
nounced ballot box stuffing in no
uncertain terms, and said that it
was degrading to the country, and
crime against morality. The
Grange was not a political institu-
ton, but would deal in politics, and
no earthly power could prevent
them; that it would stand up for
the rights of the farmer, even if it
was necessary to abandon party and
party ties.
He deprecated some of the
laws of Mississippi-said that if a
man owed you $1,000 it was impos-
sible to compel payment SO long as
money lasted to pay lawyers. He
spoke of the penetentiary lease as
who were in bad health that were
sentenced to the penitentiary who
bought their liberty from the lessees
and are now at home on their farms
-one of them a near neighbor OF
his. Money would do anything
the country was controlled by the
money power, and if money was
plentiful any measure could be
passed. He said that the Grange
deserved the credit for establishing
our A. and M. College. That they
had worked for years to the accom-
, plishment of this end, to induce the
State to apply the funds donated by
|. the United States Government to
its legitimate purpose. After hard
and persistent fight the desired end
, had been accomplished; that the
politicians did not deserve the credit
? of establishing the college.
| One of the most Infamous laws
that disgraced the State was the
: mortgage law. A man buy a farm
; for $500 and pays 500, and is un-
able to meet the other notes. His
: farm is sold under the hammer to
t the seller for 500, and the man
looses his labor, time and $Ioc
while the seller still retains his farm
, and 500. He advocated a law
similar to those in nearly all the
States which specifies that property
must bring : of its value or no sale
sale is made at that time This law
!. was necessary for the protection OF
the women and children of the land
r and in order to coply with Justice
Figures were produced to show
S what the Grange has accomplishe
5 since its ganization, and numer-
: Gus articles of merchandise were
| cited to show how the Grangers
/ had reduced prices. They had
brought calico down from I6 to :
r cents per yard, by means of co-ope.
r ration; wagons from over $Ioo each
down to $40 and 500, and sewing
! machines proportionately. The
r Grange was the prime cause of re-
Cancellation between the North and
the South; that it was the Grangers
: who had the bayonets taken away
, from Southern breasts. He ridi
culed present politics and showed
, up some of "the ways that are dark