The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-03-11
We flatter ourselves that we are

looks down upon US IN contempt |
although we in our labors constitute
the bottom of all wealth and the
source of power.
When we go in search of burdens
we meet them at every turn. Ii
we scrutenize legislation, we find it
Pandora's box, full of burdens to
be placed upon the shoulders OF
our, agricultural industries. Our
National and State executives are
the veriest subjects of party rule,
bound by party pledges and infiu
ences they dare not heed. Our jul
dietary, department of our Cow
eminent where we should look for
purity, is corrupted and finds itself
| contaminated with the damning in
fiuences of a servile demagoguism.
In our great political movements,
the people, who should be free and
the conservators of pure freedom,
are found in the leading strings of
a fanatical partyism.
The tolls of the farmer isolates
him from the world, and in his
honest avocation he forgets to main
tain independence in action, and in
his busy care he tamely. and thought
fully gives over his rights to an
other. ~ s>>..E. ~.Fef
| To our fellow Patrons we would
say, Eternal Vigilance is the Price
of Liberty" If you would main
tain your rights bestir yourselves,
and let the ploughshare of thought
do its effective work, that your ac-
tons for the greateat good to the
greatest number may soon break
the last link of the chain of a
thoughtless bondage. You have
thought that you were free when
you were bound. You have lost
what you have lost by an indiffer-
ence in which you apprehended no
evil.
It is a fact we'll established, that
the great wealth of this Nation is
the result of agriculture. Yet the
per cent. of profit on the capital in
vested is not above s per cent. to
| the farmer, while to those who are
always begging the protection of
the strong arm of the Government
is said to be 10, IS, 20, IS, 80, IS
and as high as 40 and SO per cent.
The protective system has been
the source of unnumbered evils. 1t
has led to special, individual and
local interests, to the entire neglect
of corporate and National interests.
Great monopolies have sprung
up clothed with a power which
threatens to over-reach and destroy
our free institutions, jeopardizing
the tights and liberties of the peo-
pie. Under the present state of
things, when our rights are men
aced and we are threatened with
a vile system of serfdom, it is the
duty of every true Patron to inves,
tigate and find out the magnitude
of this impending danger, and to
the utmost of his ability avail him
self of the means of peacable de-
liverance under Constitutional pro-
| visions.
Corporate monopolies are un.
scrupulous in their demands, and
we need not hatter ourselves that
they will surrender one iota of
what they have gained without a
terrible struggle. Every encroach-
ment upon the rights of the people
is regarded as rightful concession,
and thus they are embolden to make
other demands, and from step to
step they go, until any and all rights
of the people are lost sight of in the
| great struggle of an unlawful am
bition for self ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
The history of the world does not
lead us to conclude that they will
ever surrender from sense of JUS
tice for the rights of others.
There is therefore upon us an ir.
repressible conflict in which the
struggle is for the rights of the
many on one side, against the un
just Entertainments and assumptions
of monopolied few on the other
side. The facts evolved from the
present political situation of our
country, the duty of every America an
farmer is obvious.
We should unite with all good
men who will cooperate with US
in the great struggle for human
rights and strike for our liberties
while the Constitution of our Gov
eminent guarantees free suffrage.
WHEREAS, Our Declaration of
Purposes" set forth that we should
in all proper ways CO. operate for
our general good Therefore be it
RESOLVED 1st. That it is the sense
of this Grange that the time has
fully come when. we should fear
lessly advocate our "Principles'' as
the foundation Of all true politics,
and, considering our complaints in
no vindictive spirit, we pledge our
selves, each of us, to carry out the
great "Principles" of our Order in
trying to purify the parties to which
we may belong.
| ResotUed2d. That, whereas, there
is but little hope of relief from the
present Congress, that we endeavor
to labor for unity of action among
farmers every where until we can
elect those who will represent the
interests of our class.
Resolved sd. That we cordially
cooperate with all organizations
such as the Farmers Alliance, the
Autobiography League, etc., in a