The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-03-09
" respectfully,
JAS. n. LIpscoMB,
Master State Grange.

Very respectfully,
JAS. n. LIpsCoMB,
Master State Grange.
Clio, S. c., Feb. 10. 1882.
Hon. j. ". kpscomb- see there
is a measure on foot to lug the Gran,ro
into politics. write TO you rs the Mas.
ter Of our state Grange for information
and nsk your views on the measure.
Hoping to hear from YOU soon. | am
In iull respect, your friend and brother.
T. n. EpINs.
Hon. T. n. Edins-DEAR SIR AND
BROTHER: have just received yours Of
February 10th, saying: II see there is a
move OH foot 20 lug the Grange into mol.
ltics. | write to you MS Master of our
State Grange for information and ask
your views OH the measure"
suppose this alludes to a newspaner
recently established in Columbia. named
the Reform Siynal and its claiming to be
an agricultural and grange paper. IA I
understand ii, this paper was established
by number of stockholders, most of
whom are members of FcasteryilIe
Grange, Fairfield County. Tho Master
OF that Grange wrote me letter and the
Grange passed resolution and sent it to
me, setting forth that such paper was
to be issued to advocate the interests cr
the Grange and agriculture without set.
ting forth either the namc or political
tencts of it, TO this | replied that the
State Grange had acted upon the matter
OF newspaper organ for il and it's off.
GERS. and had placed tho matter in the
hands of It's Executive Committee to
carry out. When the Executive Com.
mittee takes final action, said action will
he mandatory upon me and the other
oi1cers ot the State Grange, and sugges,
ted that any proposition as 10 being an
organ ne submitted in writing TO the
Executive Committee. I could, there.
fore, do nothing as to constituting or re.
cognizing said paper as in any way con.
nected with the State Grange, but l was
glad to see that paper was going to be
published that intended to advocate ag.
riculture and grange, as it claimed, aud
that ! or any officer would cheerfully
furnish any information from our re-.
spective offices that might be of interest
TO its subscribers who were patrons OF
Eusbandry. closed by snying that
there could be no political connection
between the Cyange or any of its officers
and newspaper of any kind. laid the
correspondence and matter before Bros.
PATTERSON and Massey of the Executive
Committee, Bro. Norris not present. and
the conclusion was that nothing was to
be done by the Commission or me, unless
some definite proposition was made. and
then we would act Upon this statement
ihe matter stands this way. So far as
teasterville Grange is concerned the
Rcform Signal is an organ, but so far as
the State Grange il concerned there il
not The slightest foundation for such an
assertion, or 30 far rs know MS to apy
number of individual members of the
order. have never received but one
note, except those from Feas.erv;lie
Grange, before stated, or had b, , single
patron to talk to me in such IL way as to
cause me to suppose it was claimed 10
represent the State Grange or order,
The State Grange adopted resolution
instructing its Executive Committee 10
make an effort to have the Agricultural
Bureau and State Agricultural Society
join it in publishing paper that would
serve a, an organ for each respectively.
and, failing in that, 10 recommend to the
order in the State the Southern Patron. n
grange paper now published in Missis.
sippi. A communication from the Ex.
ecutivc Committee Of the State Grange
j.. now in the hands of Governor Hagood.
Chairman Of the Agricultural Bureau.
awaiting meeting OF said Bureau, and
the Executive Committee is waiting for
All answer to said proposition as prelimi-
nary 10 action es 10 the 6iississippi paper.
Now, as to politics in the Grange.
There can be none OF a partisan charac.
ter, and 30 far MS / am concerned. nj.
though always considered rather extreme
"straight.out Democrat" have cndeay.
| ored TO do no act or say no word that
would have the slightest semblauce OF
political partiality in my intercourse will,
the members of the order, officially OF
otherwise, and feel confident that such
members as belong to other political par.
ties will sustain me in the assertion.
Some, even in tho order, may not ba
aware that even in South Carolina there
are Republicans" and "Greenbackers. u
as we'll as Democrats" in the Grange
and some of the most efficient Masters
and officers of some of the strongest and
most flourishing Granges are of the two
first nomed. In other States the editors
OF grange organs are divided among the
various parties. My views as to politics
IN the Grange are to discuss anything and
everything of benefit or interest to the
order or the people, but to do it strictly
as Patrons, and not as either Democrats
Republicans or Greenbackers, and when
conclusion is reached, that is deemed
wise. true and just, then let each and all
go TO their political party meetings and
work end insist that said party shall aci
and aid in carrying such conclusions out
On this ground / stand in the National
Grange and in the State Grange.
There can be no harm done in discuss
ing and considering any question, If this
rule is fairly adhered to, and the Grange
be more useful and better appreciated
if it was more extensively used in this
way
Now, have written you long lette,
as Master of State Grange and before
closing l want to say word as an un
official citizen.
There seems great van. &c r.opel
understanding among the people, ant
between the people and their public rep
rcsentatives and officials. Does not mucl
if not all of this come from our not fairl,
and fully expressing our views and want
Mt the right time and in the right way
Instead of grumbling, abusing and de
nonncing our representatives and threat
ening to quit tho Democratic party afte
things are done. would it not bc bette
TO determine what wo want and what "
don't yrant 1nna on,1 ho ,,,.e 49, .o1L :