The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-03-11
Dirigo Rural.

Drlgo Rural.
Thousands of farmers are now
more or less perfectly organized in
the Grange. The result is, they have
found associating with each other
both pleasant and profitable. They
understand one another better and
respect each other more. So far as
practiced, the social and educational
features are gratifying success, and
the cooperative feature, under good
management, yields a hundred fold
every time. Why stop, then, with
success closely following in our foot
steps? lit is found that association
is valuable to farmers as well as 9th
ers, why may it not also be profita-
BILE for them to consider their rela-
tons TO public affairs? If there is
system of political management that
operates IN conjunction with other
causes to keep the noses of farmers
forever to the grindstone, why
should they not seek to have a voice
in the things that are of such vital
concern to them?
Go to the cities and what do we
see? Not only system and co-ope-
ratien but palaces and buildings of
magnificent structure, with display
of wealth and grandeur that almost
bewilders imagination. Why is this
so? The source of all wealth is labor
and a very large per cent of the lab
orers of the country are found in the
rural districts and are mostly far
mers. Whence, then. the accumu-
lation of wealth in the cities?
Whence the ability and the means
to erect all those imposing structures
to arts, to science, to ambition and
pride? 1t is no secret that in the
cities of the Old World all the indie
scribable grandeur of the lordly tenn
pies, magnificent cathedrals ano
towering monuments which marks
them wonders of the world, has
been wrought out of the oppression
of the people, the producers of
wealth, by the strong hand of pow
err, and by violence if need be.
But we say that feudalism is dead,
at least here; that we have new
country so full of resources that an
abundance is assured to all; that
these are enlightened days and we
have the bulwark of universal edu-
cation to protect US against the greed
of capital; that the Goddess of Lib
erty shields every citizen with the
egis of equal rights. If this be SO,
why does the country, the only
source of wealth and the only source
of supplies upon which the people
subsist, bear such meagre, such pitt
full comparison to the cities, in point
of wealth, power, fine buildings, ele
CANT adornments and tributes to art
and science? Why are mortgages
on real estate accommodating in the
hands of capitalists with such fear
full rapidity? Why are we creating
millionaires ten-fold faster than the
rest of the world?
Do the fates decree that farmers
be forever chained to the edicts that
permits them to learn only to la6or
and to economize, or shall it transpire
that they are not without the
strength of purpose that will enable
them to sieze the magic wand,
ORGANIZE, and brusht away the
cobwebs of their own folly that
they may see clearly to escape the
cunning devices that cheat and rob
them, so for lifetime of constant
sweat and toll they have little or
nothing to show.
Political questions are forbidden
in the Grange as subjects OF discus
sion. but it is enjoined upon farmers
as sacred duty that they owe
themselves and their class. "To do
all they can to put down bribery,
corruption and trickery; see that
none but honest men who will I'M
Ainchingly stand by their interests,
are nominated for positions OF pup
lie trust;' and "that they do the
work by such means as are best
suited to their hands, or best calcu-
lated to achieve success.
Is there then, single reason why
any farmer or any Patron of Hus-
bandry should continue to wallow
in the partisan miro and filth OF re-
nnblicanism, democracy or green
backism, when they are at liberty
TO seek the desired end in their own
and a much better way. Why 60
into political brothels for candidates
for important trusts, when we have
good men of our own, or why &c
there to contend for rights that
already belong to us? Why should
farmers not put their own men IN
nomination fromGovernor and. Con