The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-02-04
FROM TEXAS.
Fayet q Comfy.

E0EE0f FutF0H' L SenQ you the
names of a club OF subscribers for
The PATRON. This club was raised
for you b, our newly installed Wor-
thy Master, Bro. B. S. Purcell, at
meeting of our Grange held here
to day. Tie attendance was fair,
and the meeting really one denotlng
considerable Grange growth for this
country and the times. Nine appli-
cations for membership were re-
ceiveo, the officers elect installed,
besides other business transacted.
Times are hard here on account
OF last years short crop; all neces
saries for the sustenance of life are
scarce and dear, besides the extreme
scarcity of money, wherefore large
accessions to a Grange might be
considered remarkable were it not
for the more and more general diff
fusion of true Grange principles
through the teachings of the Grange
communicated to the public by ear
nest, devoted friends of our Order,
who ir turn are stimulated by the
good news of progress made else
where, and the sound and fearless
teachings of sound men through the
columns of sound Grange papers,
which are now reaching the homes
of thinking, burdened and overtaxed
farmers all over this broad land of
liberty, public vice, corruption, mo-
nopoly aud oppression. And the
more we are oppressed the more we
are forced to fight for right, for free
dom and for principle. The more we
inform ourselves and spread broad
cast the good news of our beloved
Order and the good that can be ac-
complished by afliliating Herewith,
thus sowing the seeds of co-opera-
ton, the onlyrmeans at our command
for a a.'common, general and effectual
defense against aggressions made
upon US and reformation of wrongs
which have been felt long and quite
heavily by all the laboring classes of
the United States. To this general
feeling of oppression may, to some
extent at least, be attributed the gen
eral desire for information, which
leads to the reading of such papers
and books that advocate our princi-
pies, which brings forth discussion
and interchange of ideas among the
people, and therefore better knowl-
edge of the true condition of things,
which, under the impetus given by
or Order, leads to the consolida-
ton of farmers to work for their
own interests, combine for their
own good, and inform themselves
for successful battle in the good
cause, TO which | can only attribute
what progress we are making here.
1t has taken long and patient toll to
make ali opening in the dense forest
Of the brambles and briars of igno-
rance, selfish interests and prejudi-
ces against us here, but we have
passed the Rubicon, and success
will crown our efforts at last. We
know no backwards; onward is our
watchword
And now, Bro. Worthington,
since no one has written anything
from here in long time, | must tell
you and your thousands of readers
a little about our cooperative store
which we started here little over
fifteen months ago. Our progress
has been slow but steady; we are
carrying stock of goods more than
as large again as when we com
menced Our custom is much bet
ter and profits larger, despite the
contrary influence of moneyed men,
even within our own gates, who op
pose the Rochdale plan of co-ope-
ration, and, Of course, favor the joint
stock plan, for the simple reason that
on the joint stock plan money will
make money no matter whether 1t
earns it or not One may have only
S5 invested in Joint stock store
and he NAV buy during the year
$500 worth from that store. He
gets at the end Of the year when div
idends are declared only his PRO rata
or per cent on his one share of stock
back, and somebody else gets the
balance of tile profits on the goods
he has bought, while the person who
has 500 invested in the same store
may trade only $50 worth in the
course of the year, yet when divi-
dends are declares he gets his per
cent according to the number of
shares he holds and not in accord
ancc to inc am cunt of profits he has
put into the concern. Now where
do the profits come from which the
man gets Oh his $500 who has pur
chased only $50 worth? Of course
not all from that $50. Then where?