The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-12-23
The National Grange.
Sixteenth Annual Session,
Held at indianapolis, Indiana, Com
mHncing Wednesday. Doc. tx. 1882.

mnncing Wednesday, Dec. Is, 1882.
Report of Committee ON Good of tn
Order.
WorAg Master and Patrons
The organization of Patrons o
Husbandry has undertaken an i'm
portant work for the agriculturist
of America; and, therefore, what
ever is for the good of the Order, i
also for the good of all those wh'
are directly interested in agricul
tural pursuits. This is the Sixteenth
Annual Session Of this body, and a,
we look back over these years, we
may well ask ourselves the ques.
ton, are we satisfied with the re-
suits of our laborsi And, if not, il
may be wise to search for the cause
of the failure to realize our hopes
and expectations. We believe that
our labors have not been in vain,
and we have reason to be very
thankful to the founders of our Or
der for this strong fraternal organ
ization which has already done so
| much to re- unite our once divided
people and heal and soothe the ami
mosities engendered in the years of
civil war. And as we assemble in
these annual reunions, we realize
that we are indeed one people, and
if true to ourselves and the right,
destined to become the grandest
nation of the earth.
We believe also that our efforts
in an organized capacity to advance
and protect the financial interests of
our class, have not been wasted.
And the social and educational in
f1uence of our Order, has done much
to increase our enjoyment and also
our power and usefulness as Cit
zens. ct we are not satisfied with
the present condition or future
prospects of our class. The men
whose labor and successSin the field
saved our country from hopeless
bankruptcy and restored prosperity
do not receive a fair share of the
profits resulting from their labors.
Corporate greed and ambition have
not yet been checked, nor their
grasp upon the sources and foun-
tains of power "been broken" Our
demand upon Legislative bodies in
State and 4tation for relief and pro-.
lection have not been needed: nor
have the burdens we unjustly bear
been removed. And notwithstand-
ing the efforts of the members of
our organic ton to arouse the FAR
mers they do not seem to fully re-
alize the Importance of intelligent.
organized cooperation for the pro-
lection of their interests.
What can your Committee on
Good of the Order suggest at this
meeting to advance the interests of
agriculture, and protect farmers
from the combinations formed to
rob them of the profits of their la
Dor? 1t seems to US that the prin-
cipIes which underlie our organiza-
ton are sound, and that our laws
are suited to the purpose for which
they were made, and we have no
recommendations to make that
would, if adopted, effect changes
IN our Declaration of Purposes, or
IN the fundamental law of the Or
der. The subjects of Transporta-
ton, cooperation, Finance, Edu
cation, Dormant Oranges and Ag-
rIculture, have been thoroughly dis.
cussed in the reports of committees
and the addresses of officers at pre-
vious sessions of this body, and will
again receive the attention of the
able committees appointed for that
purpose at this session, and we are
sure there is no occasion for us TO
enter upon the discussion of these
subjects. After careful considera.
ton, your Committee have arrived
at the conclusion that what the
Good of the Order requires from
US, If anything, is a few:practical
suggestions for the benefit of the
members of Subordinate Oranges.
Here is the foundation of our struc-
ture, and to these. brothers and sis
tiers, we must look for the accom-
plishment of the great purposes of !
our organization. If they fail to do |
their work thoroughly and well our |
efforts will be of no avail. We
can not do their work. We can
only advise and suggest. They |
must perform the labor and carry |
out our plans, or failure is the iney, |
table result. Some of our mem
bers, we fear, have expected too
much of the National and State
Oranges, too much from the organi-
"a ion. These agencies can only
help those who help themselves.
We must not wait for something to
be done for US, we must rather
strive to do something for ourselves
and others, and if we will only do
this, cooperating intelligently to-
gether, success is assured.
our committee are aware of the
TACT, that there are many Subordi.
nate Oranges in the country where
our suggestions are not needed.
Their members understand well the
secret of making their Grange
meetings. interesting and know how
o cooperate for mutual advantage.
9ut unfortunately many of our
are not in a flourishirg
condition and the members do sot
ucceed in making their meetings
lther interesting or profitable, and
is IN the hope that we may help
hose who have not yet learned to
lelP themselves that we make a
ew suggestions: I,
First--Use judgment in selecting
he officers Of your Grange. Put
ne right man in the right place.