Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-08-17
PATRONS OF mUsBANDRY
MORTIMER WHITEHEAD.

lately returned from an extensive trip
through the West. He found the
crops flourishing. He says that ''the
condition of affairs agreeably surprise
him, and that he returned home salts
fed and much more encouraged than
when he went away" The Good
Book saws, Moreover the profit of
the earth is for all, the king himself
is fed from the field" In these days
the profit Of the earth seems to be for
all. except the farmer who produces II.
Verify the kings of our country are
fed. and build their millions from the
"profit of the earth" Millions were
never being accumulated so rapidly
as now; commerce, trade and manu-
features are all "booming;" the profit
of the earth" is for them, for not IN
the history Of the country has our ag-
ricultural been so depressed as now.
UNEQUAL laws, unequal taxation, dis
examinations, combinations, trusts, J"
are absorbing the profit of the earth. ="
They are happy, and satisfied and
encouraged" at the bountiful crops
of the wear, but they are leaving the
producer ''poor indeed" Farmers
should think of these things. Grum-
bling and complaining of the situa-
ton will never bring a remedy In
telligent, united action will alone
bring relief. In the words of an old
English poet of years ago
"Say to these lords of land and money,
They shall not treat the poor like bees,
And rob them of life's honey.
Yes, my farmer friend, you are in
rut of ignorance and inaction, and
you will have to climb out by your
own eXertions, for neither politician,
nor LAWYER, nor merchant, nor doctor
nor mechanic. nor laborer, nor any
other class will lend hand to help
YOU out so long as they may proht by
Your inertia and lack of knowledge.
And these classes do profit by you
and continue TO do so until your eyes
are opened to the fact that the maxim
Knight makes right may be applied
TO one class as we'll as TO another, and
WHY not to the farmer? The farmer
has the superiority of numbers, and,
on the whole, intelligence enough Or
he will stir himself to use his brain)
to make him the strongest power in
the land. Then why does he waste
his time grumbling, and warp his
sense of equity by harboring ineffect-
ual envy?
Arouse yourselves, farmers, to bet
ter thingsl What does an honest man
want in free country like this? Why
fair laws which protect all classes
alike, and by which any man may, if
he will create for himself the necessi
ties, the comforts, nay, even the luXu-
ries of life without interference, so
long as he does no injustice to his
neighbor, and in spite of the lazy and
narrow coward who is ready to de-
stroy with dynamite what he lacks the
industry to get for himself.
The farmer has the right to make
laws for himself, and can do so by
sending farmers to represent him, but
he sends lawyers instead, and why?
Because he is insufficient and weak,
has more right than might. Having
might of numbers he lacks might of
mind and will, and this is the case
with all creatures who growl and
threaten and never act, and such are
generally held in contempt and very
little attention paid to their com
plants.
What farmers need is to grumble
less and think more, to think earnest
ly, impartially and to some purpose,
and to see that their purpose, if it be
honest purpose, equitable purpose,
fair and just purpose have full fruition
in action, prompt, decisive, combined?
Need l answer! In the Grange
IXenia, IN National Farm and Preside.
There is no telling how much good
has resulted, and will continue to flow
out from the Grange through a proper
understanding and appreciation of
the objects and purposes of our Order
.. No one can intelligently es-
innate the great advantages OF the
Grange, as an educator, or form any
adequate conception of its power and
influence upon the minds and hearts
of its members without visiting its
meetings, hearing its inspiring songs,
the beautiful essays which are read,
the addresses made, and know some
thing of the Grange literature of the
country, and note the improved con-
dition of Grange communities, COM
pared with what they were before the
Grange made its appearance. Then
and not till then can we have a
proper conception of the vastness of
the scope, power, and influence of its
teachings.
"Viewing the Grange from the
standpoint thus taken, which obser-
walton and experience only can give,
we are prepared to exclailn in the
language of a leading journalist, "a
positive and untaught eloquence has
cropped out all over the State. Farm
ers whose faces seemed set in despair
have by degrees changedinto brighter
shape from the new intellectual life
that has opened up to them. Eyes
that were before expressionless take
new depth and new beauty from
the wider and grander range of
vision that has been opened up to
them by the Grange. 1t is something
.Lo. ,,,,ohare onI onnnart Of