The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-12-27
THE STATE GRANGE.
ADDRESS.
Annual Report of Worthy Master Put
Darden to the State Grange Of Mis-
sissiPpi, Held At Jackson, Dec. IL
and 10, 1852.


{ BROTHERS AND slsTERs - When ne Ia
) met ia annual session in this city 81
e years ago, the Grange vas in RELAXED an
, depleted condition which followed after to
{ rapid and igjudicious organization. Lon
! rolls Of names gave Us a feeling aad an ai
1 Of potency which We did not possess, an
: when the numbers grew less, many heart
grew faint, and there we're evil foreboding
! for the future. Our treasury was exhaust
) ed The press was silent as to our Order
! Many of our influential, abs ard wealth,
members turned their backs upon Us. Hov
dark seemed some of those days. And yer.
few are aware of the great work which va:
performed, by few faithful and brave mel
and women, to save the order in Missis
sippi and place it upon permanent and ris
ing ground.
Through the operation of various un
friendly forces the order was made unpopu-
lar, and at one time was reduced to about
fifty subordinate Oranges in the State
Large numbers of our members were taught
to believe the order was failure; that il
antagonized other professions aud indus
tries, and that its ulterior object was tc
organize political party which would be
detrimental to the best interests of the
country, Our general membership had not
then learned that the Grange was organized
tice that are fastened upon the laboring
AID producing classes; that it does not in
tend to make war upon other professions,
nor to interfere in any manner with politi-
cal parties. They were led to believe that
our only legitimate object was to improve
our methods of farming 'by making two
blades of grass grow where only one grew
before" and that when we left the field to
discuss public questions the order would be
destroyed by the indignation of public sem
timent
This want of information on the part of
our members, as to the real methods and
purposes Of the order, produced feeling Of
insecurity-a want of faith in the fnal re-
sult-which was not confined to this State
alone
At the Cincinnati meeting OF the National
dition existed throughout the entire order.
All loved its social and fraternal features,
but its jurisdiction being limited to objects
too sentimental, to ETHEREAL, SO to speak,
could not take deep root in the minds Of
the members, and establish their confidence
in its usefulness and fnal triumph. Political
and religious subjects were excluded and so
strict was the construction put upon the let
ter of this law, thai the wonder now
is how members found matter TO interest
them at all. And we can look back and see
but one vital spark that smouldered amidst
all that was ritualistic, unmportant, COM
monplaee (and yet edneationaD of grange
proceedings of those days. Having receiv-
ed its Ritual-completed its Bylaws and
fixed for ever woman's position in the o..
der, there seemed to be a halt in our Ma
tional Body, and vague inquiry of what
next shall be DONE The Richmond session
brought the skeleton from the closet, and
showed to wondering eyes what an abused
skeleton he had been after all. Discounten-
anced and closeted as a partisan politician
and abused as party disintegrater-he was
brought out iu his innocence and proved to
be only political economy. 1t was no
longer question of doubt, that the time
had come when farmers must grapple with
public questions, or sink out Of sight 80 far
that they might not hope for their voices
ever to be heard in the future. Thus the |
tocsin sounded and manfully has there been |
a marshalling of forces-so that granger has
grown to be synonymous with educator and |
reformer. Evils that were discerned from |
afar, injustice only suspected from the in
equality of things, have been brought to
the surface and presented to the people
stripped of the mysteries of their iniquity |
and in all the boldneas and fagrancy of in
justice usurpation and corruption. The
turning point was reached. Since that |
time our course has been onward aud up
ward. Whilst we have lost some political
partsans, who lore their party more than
their class or country, our ranks have been |
steadily augmented by those who need
relief from the burdens of injustice placed |
upon them by class legislation and by ''cus-
toms grown heavy with age" At the re-
cent meeting of the National Grange 80
States were represented, and the most en-
couraging and satisfactory reports received |
that have ever been made to that Body. In
stead Of 80 subordinate Grangers, as referred
to above, we have represented in this meeting
nearly 200, and our members constantly in |
creasing; with more determination, better
and more clearly defined OBJ
iacts, and methods than ever before. No one |
now doubts the permaneucy of the
Order, and no public man has the temerity |
to assail it. With an able and Efficient |
press to sustain it.-many friends in high /
places, the public has at length recognized
the fact that the farmers in no inconsidera-
bic numbers have organized as a.class, not
to war upon others rights, but to protect
their own whenever necessary at the ballot
box, or against the combination of those
who rob them ofthe rewards Of their labors
Then greet you to-day in the strongest
words Of hope and encouragement. The
future Of the American farmer depends upon
The ultimate triumph Of the grange.
THE FINANCIAL coSnruoE OF oUR
FARMERS
In travelling over the State during the
last SIX years, / have taken great interest
ii studying the condition of our farmers. I
have visited their homes in nearly every
neighborhood; have talked with them
aboat their nethodso of farming, their profits
and their prospects, and do now unhesita-
tingly declare that there IS no general pros
perity among them. There aTe certainly
reasons for this One Is, they are making
cotton the leading crop. and the history 81
Ill countries shows that adversely follows
operations. which are directed
.hieily 10 the production Of one crop. Ne
sessity seemed 70 force this plan upon our
Iarnaers Just after the var, but the time has
n 49,