Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-17
AGRICULTURAL.
MATTE. Prepared SPECIALLY FOR
TIE RECORD UNION"
Revival of the Grange-A Lesson to Wheat
Growers-FailuTe Of the wheat
Growers Association.


Oue of the original ideas of the founders
of the Grange was, through its influence, to
bring together the farmers of the North and
South, AID in this way help to wear away the
feeling of arrangement of the two sections
caused by the civil war. A great deal of
pains was taken to introduce the Grange into
the Southern States, and although at FIRST tie
Southern farmers seemed to look upon it with
indifference, IL not suspicion, a few years suf-
feed 70 plant it in every State and county of
the South as well as Of the North. The good
will towards all the producing classes pervad-
ing the ritual and instructions by degrees
won respectful consideration wherever, North
or South, the institution was established.
Northern men were cent South to organize
local Oranges and Southern men were sent
North for the same purpose, and in this way
gradually a better feeling was cultivated
between the farmers North and South.
Then when the National Grange, COM
posed os the Masters of all the
State Oranges, met, there was q convention of
represt native producers from every part of
the Union, called together for the purposes
of social culture, practical education and gen.
orally to improve the condition of those they
represented. They came together under the
significant and comprehensive term of broth
ers, and without exception the meeting was
mutually cordial and agreeable. In their in.
tercourse one with the other they found they
were brothers not only in name but in reality.
The coalition Of the farmer. both North
and South, was not in many respects what in
great free nation-the leading agricultural
nation CT the earth-iE ought to be, and
these representative farmers have pledged
themselves and their constituents to go to
work in good earnest TO improve that condi-
ton. In many particulars success has crowned
their efforts both North and South. Farmers
throughout the country have, through the
iHh1encs Of the Grange meetings, become
better acquainted with each other. They
have by degrees worn away that shyness and
suspicion of each other which isolation begets,
and have cultivated much closer and more
elevating social relations. Not only has this
influence been exerted over the men, but the
women and children have been brought within
the sphere of the Grange influence; and here
particularly Is the social side of the Grange
bearing good fruit. The Grange is elev2tiDg
the position OF the farmers wife above that
of a mere drudge in the kitchen, and making
of her an independent thinking being. 1t is
inspiring her with higher hopes, higher am
billions, and is educating her to fill higher
standard in society than she has in the past
occupied. The social and educational il flu
ences of the Grange have more than fulfilled
the anticipations Of the founders.
At the last meeting of the National Grange
every State in the Union was represented,
and the standard of observation-disclosures among
its members showed q great advance over
that Of the earlier conventions. The last
National meeting brought together the els-
waiting and educational results of over dozen
years of thought and study of an entire class
of people directed especially to the improve
ment of that class. 1t is becoming evident
to all thoughtful people in the Grange that
the organic alton is doing more than any other
Influence or organization, political, social or
educational, in the country, to create a real
united feeling between the masses North and
South, to spread substantial and parctical
patriotism throughout the country, and to
raise the standard of general Intelligence
among the entire agricultural community of
the nation. The Grange excludes all strictly
party questions relating to the politics Of
the country from consideration in its meet
ings, and heretofore the political influence
of the Grange has been comparatively
small bus any organization that brings SO
large class CT citizzns together for the con-
sidsration OF questions affecting that class,
and that is having great an iEhdence over
the social, moral and educational staniing of
its membership, cannot long remain without
influence 10 the politics and In every depart
ment of the local and general governments Of
the country Thsre is not another voluntary
organization In the country capable of exert.
ing so crest and powerful an influence over
the political and business interests as is the
Grange, AID We predict the day is lot far
distant when that influence will be exsrted
and felt. The intelligence of the Grange
membership is nov equal to the scrutinizing
consideration OF Ill practical questions of po-
Etical economy, as the tariff protection and
free trade, and these questions will, in the
Grange. be Invested OF political bias and
prejudice and be considered in their true
bearing on the industries of the country.
The relations of trade and commerce and Of
the manufacturing Interests to agriculture
are being studied by the farmers in their
meetings. and the time is coming when the
Oranges viii be able to exert their power and
influence to correct the wrongs that have
grown up In these relations as against the
farmers. Il has always been admitted by
the greatest statesmen of our land that the
virtue of the country and the stability of the
government rested in the country, and that
it needed but an occasion to call out this
tntuc anu cause ~ W W GAeELcu lAS9F VI
such stability. The Grange is a practical
organization of that virtue in advance
Of the occasion. But one step precedes an
other. The Grange has taught the farmers
the power Of organization, and through the
present organization they begin to see the
occasion of other and closer and stronger Or
CARNATIONS. They begin to see now that
owing to the existence of such closer and
stronger organizations ameng other classes,
and 70 tba abaapoa Of fhana fba far
ers, the farmers have been falling behind in
the road to individual inhnencs and individ-
ual wealth. They begin to see that the rep
resentation of the farmers as q class in our
halls of legislation is far below that Of any
other business class. They begin to see that
the great business combinations and corpora
tions OF the country are composed of and
managed by those who live and grow rich on
handling the produce of the farmer. They
begin to zee that the rich and influential men
of the nation-the millionaires-have been
made 50 by their connections with and
their management of these corpora
tions in their own interests and against
the interests of agriculture. While the
farmers ware without organization in bust
ness way and divided politically, they were
powerless to correct wrongs growing out of
the political or business combinations Of the
cuntry. But now that they are organized,
and through this organization see their weak
ness for want of other and stronger organiza-
tions, they do not propose TO remain power
less much longer. A fuller realization of
these business relations of the farmers to
other classes is having its influence just now
in revival of the Grange. Accassions to the
Grange are more rapid at this time than at any
other period since its first organization, and
these accessions are. TO great extent, now
being made for business considerations. The
farmers are becoming tired of single-handei
contest, with the incorporated wealth and IN
huence Of the nation against them. They do
not propose in the future to remain quiet and
inactive complainants of the wrongs and OPP
pressions that are practiced upon them, but
they will meet organized power and Influence
with organized power and influence. They
will meet corporations with corporations.
They will accept and take advantage of the
machinery necessary to success. They viii
move with the spirit of the age.
Lesson to Wheat-Growers.
If the wheat growers of this State neaded
another lesson ia favor Of summer-fallowiDg
their lands for wheat, the present season
seems calculated to afford that lesson. The
rainfall for the present season has been bat
about three-fourths the average rainfall for