The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-04-08

| Sageu property, that ne personally
knows of one company, of recent
origio, which has placed under
mortgage to eastern capitalists, ten
thouand Iowa farms; then he finds
the same state of affairs to exist all
over the country. If this contin-
ues, the land must eventually 90 out
OF the possession of the class now
holding it. Five-sixths of the land
of English farmers within the pres
ent century has changed hands
we submit that we are following in
the footsteps of Rome. So sure as
a ike effect follows a similar cause,
so sure, if no remedy be found, will
the civilization of this epoch suc-
cum to the influences which have
overthrown the almost equal civil
ization of earlier eras. What i. the
remedy? The foundation, the bed
rock upon which alone an opposi-
ton to the unjust exactions OF COR
porate avarice can successfully be
/ founded, by which alone our Iiber~
ties can be preserved, is the purity
of the ballot box. SO long as polit-
ical corruption exists, so long will
suffrage be but a mockery, and JUS
ticc to production be denied. Pol
iticians may promise. political con-
ventions may pass resolutions, but
upon US farmers, who are the one
great class which can stand erect
in it's manhood and dares to speak
and act, Influenced only by what is
wrong, must develop the initiation
and accomplishment of successful
reform. 1t it but question of
time when this repu bile will die, if
we do not resolve that bribery in
elections must:cease. We appeal to
you, as you love your homes, as you
value your liberty, to crush this
m monstcr. We have an organization,
glorious in its possibilities. If we
but grasp its power with firm hand
resolute will and pure purpose, we
can preserve our republic from the
usurpations of coperatc avarice
and the boundless ambition or vim
dicitive revenge of the demagogue.
"Our second duty is to attend
the primaries and to secure the Sc
lection of delegates, of proved ca
pacity, OF tested fidelity to our in
terest, who will nominate men of
similar qualities to represent us in
the Safe and Nation. Accomplish
those reforms and we secure the
control of the government. OF
each are we the masters then whose
fault, whose crime is it that we are
so poorly represented and our poll
itics the nations approach.
We affirm that to purify the bal
lot and attend the primaries are du>
ties we owe as members Of the
grange, duties we owe our children,
that we may transmit to them the
liberties born of the blood of our fa
theirs, baptised with the blood of
our sons and brothers, consecrated
by the bitter grief of Widowed
wives an orphan children, solemn
duties we owe to humanity which,
for unknown generations, has suf-
fered imprison ment, and torture,
and martyrdom, that this repub-
lie, which secures TO us freedom Of
speech, OF action, Of conscience,
might have life.
The grange wastes, because it ex-
hibits vital interest in nc ques-
ton, because it urges no great re-
form with an active zeal. Without
partisanship but in Search Of truth,
we should discuss the problems of
political economy. No question
concerns us more, none are less un
derstood. When we have made
just decisien, let US stand bv our
convictions with unfiinching firm
ness, and by the ballot voice them,
until they resound in the halls of
Congress, and echo through the de-
partments of the government.
Fellow farmers, look not on the
Order with disheartened hopes;
but inspired by the grand thought
that in our hands is the destiny of
the best government man ever
founded. So act! That far into
the depths OF the dim future, men
shall recognize the Grange as the sa
viour of the republic-the conserv-
ator of human liberty.