Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-12-10
Changers, Read This /!

. norton of the very able address
Wine ',,be Master of the National Grange
o. "' wv W. w. woodman, of Michigan
n lI held its session in Washington TO-
s WIN commencing on he 10th ult. We
1 1ecm it but necessary to mention 'ae
r'' az. feeling assured that every farmer
''v" FOOLS interested in his pursuit; aud
VOo 70 understand its higher aims,
Gti - ,;ve it careful rae&ng. 1t is an
s5e State paper for the Farmer
worthy Patrons and Members Of the Ma
,ional Orange
=. the chosen representatives Of the
a. Ut industrial interest of this nation,
MEMBERS of one great brotherhood OF
anu '',,Iturists, which extends into every
= .o and almost every neighborhood III
H"I h,rr9l land, we have come from the
I'M and the West, the North and the
ha .,,b 10 counsel together and devise
Nou,' and means by which that interest
wy No better protected, and the prosper
n"! maj aCriculturists more fully secured.
j" a. the sixth annual session OF TINS Ma
.noI Grange. held in this city in Jahu-
1854 Worthy Master Saunders III al,
Mii;;nS 70 the duties of the National
- in his address TO that body, sald,
UI. US that its principal duties are
IL, md disseminate information for
% 'yhtnctit of the whole Order, to place
i"v Gronoes in cooperative COMMUNE
S'>N AMI advise subordinate Oranges
cue .I terence to matters of special inter-
Thus it acts as an agency. But II
III I've something more than this; being
" vr.nmmunication With the whole Order,
...":s,mincntly placed in Il position to judge
The value of measures calculated 10
- ~ the best interests OF the whole, ana
- i should be CREATIVE AS WELL AS
'n,lIXlSrIATIvE.
Tolanguage Of mine could more clear
,I.fre The powers and duties of this
.,'',. * the National Legislature, the
,,,,,,r,.s of our great organization OF
rn7er. Although it is not our province
.aa"art laws for the people, yet no Con-
..sss ever assembled beneath the dome OF
Ssrrder National Capitol with duties more
!,,salv allied 10 the general welfare than
s,s deyolving upon this National Grange
afrhe Patrons of Husbandry.
Although we represent a class, yet it is
=, Industrial and wealth producing class,
,ror which the prosperity of all other in
l5.,ries and interests depend. We pro-
5,,a more wealth, and contribute more To
s,rrmerce. more TO the education OF the
,,,sSrs. and more for the support OF the
,,r,rument and its institutions than %li
1,bpr interests combined. Upon the pros
rer;ty of agriculture depends the welfare,
tnof The very existence OF all other IN
,sr,st and the strength and perpetulty OF
~. government. When the soil yields an
.frSIant harvest every channel OF busl-
r,.. is electrified into life, but partial
failure of crops, as the returns ofthe pres
.r. wear indicate, operates like the dying
.,r,,, of the stream which furnishes the
rpfelling power of the mill, the ma
'hf5erv moves slower, and mach OF II VIII
stop altogether.
Washington and Jefferson based their
filth in the ability of the people OF this
country to maintain a republican form 81
-nycrument upon the fact that their Occu-
lion was to be mainly agricultural
Hence il cannot be said, that we overesii-
mate the Importance of agriculture, or
,lp work of our organization.
The establishment of free institutions
unon this continent was not only new
Ell, in the history of civil governments,
lgr in agriculture and the intellectual de-
y,lopment of those engaged in 1t. Far
mprs have been made not only owners OF
me soil they cultivate, but their own
readers. thinkers. and executors. the
crowning glory of which has eliminated
;ufbcir demand for more elevated social
and Intellectual life, the cultivation OF
noble manhood and wOmanhoOd among
themselves, aud by organization anG CO.
operation, endeavor 10 dignity labor, hon
or their profession, protect their rights,
and maintain their equality among men:
II i 4 wise provision i'll our organic
Aw which requires that the voting mem
lsr, of this body shall be composed of the
Masters of State Oranges and their wives
who are ~ irons. This does away with
the strife incident to all elections, and
brings togetherin annual session the men
and women who have had the care and re-
,rou>ibility of experimenting the WORK
Of the Order in the several States, and
who of all Others should best know the
condition and wants of the Order, and
ought to be best qualified to originate
system for practical work by which the
interest in The Subordinate Oranges may
i~ kept up, united and harmonious action
secured on all important questions, ana
thorough business cooperation chcour-
aged aud made practical.
Worthy Master Saunders was one OF the
IGNORED founders of this Order anu Tor
,j1years Master of the National Grange,
lie we'll understood the theory of the Or
gauiLation. No one was better quailned
10 define the duties and powers OF TINS
holy. He says, "yOur duties are creative
- we'll as administrative" That is, you
should not only consider and act upon the
petitions aud memorials which come up
20 Won from State, County and Subordi-
,a'eGranges, but you should bring to-
se,her the valuable ideas and practical
knowledge which you have acquired by
yOlr experience in the work in your sew
,-al States, and as far as possible devise
system, simple vet comprehensive, for
building up the Order and accomplishing
1t, noble purposes
am aware that the task of devising
such system is no ordinary one, but TO
assume that it cannot he done is to ADMIT
that our organization is failure and that
farmers, Is a class, cannot be brought to-
se:her in aclose organization, for the pro-
lection and advancement of their interests.
Such an assumption has been disprovedby
the history, achievements, and present
condition and standing of the Order.
There can be no doubt of the existence
Of principle or propensity in mans ma
tare which learns him to study his own
interest, qualification and happiness; and
Il rs only necessary TO make farmers UNI
Gerstand that our organization is promot-
ing the interest of agriculture, and adj
G,ing 20 the prosperity and happiness of
hose engaged in it, to induce every intel
,,isent tiller of the soil to enroll as men,
Ger Of our great and fraternal brother
hood What they want is Information
knowledge of the absolute necessity of an
,'ganization for the protection of agricul-
ATal interests from the growing power
slH avariciousness, of Incorporated and
"mbined mOnopolies which are absorb