The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-02-18
tiRNERAh oBJECfs.

unanimously make this Declaration of
Purposes of the Patrons of Husbandry.
GENERAL oBJECfs.
/. United by the strong and faithful
tie of agriculture, we mutually resolve to
labor for the good of our Order, our
country and mankind.
2. We heartily endorse the motto, I" In
essentials, unity; in non-essentials, lib
erty; and all things, charity"
SPECIFIC OBJECTS.
8. We shall endeavor to advance our
cause by laboring TO accomplish the fol
Toying objects:
To develop better and higher
manhood and wofnanhood among our
seives; to enhance the comforts and at
fractions of our homes, and strengthen
our attachments to our pursuits; to foster
mutual understanding and cooperation;
to maintain inviolate our laws, and to-
emulate each other In labor, to hasten the
good time coming; to reduce our expen-
5es, both individual and corporate; to
buy less and produce more, in order TO
make our farms self-sustaining; to di-
versify our crops, and crop no more than
we can cultivate; to condense the weight
of our exports, selling less in the bushel
and more on hoof and in fleece; less in
lint and more in warp and wool; to system
atize OUR work and calculate intelligent
iy on probabilities; to discountenance
the credit system, the mortgage system,
the fashion system, and every other sys-
tenn tending to prodigality and bank
ruptcy.
We propose meeting together, talking
together, working together, buying to-
getheT, selling together, and in general,
acting togetb,r for our mutual protection
and advancement as occasion may require.
We shall avoid litigation as much as pos
sible by arbitration in the Grange. We
shall constantly strive to secure entire
harmony, goodwill. vital brotherhood
among ourselves, and to make our Order
perpetual. We shall earnestly endeavor
to suppress personal, local, sectional and
national prejudices, all unhealthy rivalry,
all selfish ambition. Faithful adherence
to these principles will insure our mental,
moral, social, and material advancement.
BUSINESS RELATIONS.
4. For our business interests, we de-
sire to bring producers and consumers,
farmers and manufacturers, into the most
direct and friendly relations possible.
Hence we must dispense with a surplus
of middlemen, not that we are unfriendly
to them, but we do not need them. Their
surplus and their exactionS diminish our
profits.
We wage no aggressive warfare against
any other interests whatever. On the
contrary, all our acts and efforts, so far
as business is concerned, are not only for
the benefit of the produce rand consumer,
but also all other interests that tend to
1yr1 inf nd
economical contact. Hence we hold that
transportation companies of every kind
are necessary to our success, that their
interests are intimately connected with
our interests, and harmonious action is
mutually advantageous, keeping in view
the first sentence in our Declaration of
Purposes of action, that I" individual hap
piness depends upon general prosperity"
We shall, therefore, advocate for every
State the increase in every practicable
way of all facilities for transporting
cheaply to the seaboard, or between home
producers and consumers, all the produc-
ton of our country. We adopt it as our
fixed purpose, "to open out the channels
in natures great arteries, that the life
blood of commerce may flow freely
We are not enemies of railroads, nav
igable and irrigating canals, nor any cor
interests, nor of any laboring classes.
In our noble Order there is no commun-
ism, no agarianism.
We are opposed to such spirit and man
agement of any corporation and enter
prise as tends to Cypress the people, and
rob them of their just profits. We are
not enemies to capital, but we oppose the
tyranny of monopolies. We long to see
the antagonism between capital aud labor
removed by common consent, and by an
enlightened craftsmanship worthy of the
nineteenth century. We are opposed tt
excessive salaries, high rates of interest,
and eXhorbitant per cent. profits in trade
They greatly increase our burdens and do
not bear proper proportion to the profit
of producers. We desire only self-pro-
lection, and the protection of every trut
interest of our land, by legitimate trans
actions, legitimate trade, and legitimate
profits.
EDUCATION.
We shall advance the cause of educa-
ton among ourselves, and fer our child
rem by all just means within our power.
We especially advocate for our agricul-
tural and industrial colleges, that prac-
teal agriculture, domestic science, and
all the arts which adorn the home, be
taught in their course of study.
THE GRANGE NOT PARTISAN.
8. We emphatically and sincerely as
sert the oft-repeated truth taught in our
organic law, that the Grange National,
State or Subordinate-is not a political
or party organization. No Grange, if
true to its obligations, can discuss politi-
cal or religious questions, nor call politi-
cal conventions, nor nominate candidates,
or even discuss their merits in its mee.-
ings.
Yet the principles we teach underlie all
true politics, all true craftsmanship, and
if properly carried out, will tend to pur-
ify the whole political atmosphere of our
country, for we seek the greatest good to
the greatest number.
We must always bear in mind that no
one, by becoming Patron of Husbandry,
gives up that inalienable right and duty
which belongs to every American citizen,
to take a proper interest in the politics
of his country.
On the contrary, it is right for every
member to do all in his power legitimately
to influence for good the action of any
political party to which he may belong.
1t is his duty to do all he can in his own
party to put down bribery, corruption and
trickery; to see that none but competent,
faithful and honest men, who will un-
flinchingly stand by our industrial inter-