The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-26
SECRET ORDERS.
Schools For Grown Up Children.
An Evening Spent With Large
Agricultural Organization.
There Are No Mysterious Rites Per,
formed by the Members.
The Portals Are but Indifferently
Guarded by the Sentinels.
How the Meetings Are Conductedi and
What the Objects OF These Orders
Essays, Speeches and Prayer-A
Touch of Human Nature.
To the Editor Of The Anpeal.

To the Editor OF The Appeal
The Southwest is honeycombed with ag-
p ricultural organizations OF secret char
acier, with signs, symbols, grips and pass
n words. Whatever or whoever sowed the
4 dragons teeth let economists determine
and decide to their own good satisfaction,
the fact remains that almost every farming
community has its Alliance, Agricultural
Wheel, Grange or Knights OF Labor AS
sembly, where the sons Of toll and the
fathers OF the sons OF toll meet ia weekly
communion. They meet at night in all
subordinate branches, usually in the
'churchhouse," which also does duty as
a schoolhouse during the week. The
straight-back benches are ranged in order,
the modest pulpit holds the Bible, and the
bench by the wall has its water bucket
and drinking gourd wherewith the parson
and elect slake their thirst. The stove in
r the center stands knee deep in sand boxed
in cleverly, and serves the double purpose
OF stove and cupisdore. The early arrivals
secure seats within splitting distance and
remain through the meetings the envy Of
lilONt WIZ lllhaN hithH tAliNAblhli
a crack in the floor or the open window.
Behind small deal table on the floor, in
front OF the pulpit. the presiding officer
sits with the official prothonotary by his
side. The records are more than print.
4 tive, being kept on hy.leaves from old
j books. the backso posters and the insides
4 OF envelopes. They are faithfully II clum-
Ill. lsAs. lnNt UuH lss a
light oil solitary tallow candle
they are read by the secretary with
j due solemnity and impressiveness. Much
comment and criticism has been bestowed
upon these labor organizations. Some
claimed that the scheme was Republican
trick 10 denude the Democratic party OF
the agricultural voters, Others that the or
der was n secret, oathbound compact of
the Carbonari order that meant revolution
and destruction Of the Republic, and
others still believe il Is the work OF cum
ming politicians who want office. No mat
ter what the name Of the order may be. II
Is not looked upon with favor by town
folk" Thanks TO friend who "youchcd
-~.Or me-" whatever that means, and had
me indicted into the mysterious presence
oil the secret conyOcation, had the curious
pleasure Of witnessing one session OF a sub
organization ItftuAls w IOlt Ahnul
two miles 20 the place. church and
school building, aud found everything in
full blast, there being an unusually large
attendance. At iint blush ii did not APP
pear particularly secret. The door aud
windows OF the church were open and
no sentry visible. We had reached
near the hitching rack that stood
some distance from the building
when wei were commanded 20 "Alighl
and give the password" We alighted
and gave the password, that Is, my com
panion gave all that was given, and we
entered the building aud remained seated
for some twcnty'minutes before the inside
sentinel came around and asked for the
"house-word." This was also given by
my companion, who was high officer in
the order and seemed TO have everything
nj his fingers ends. The session seemed
sngularly Tree from any atetmpt at rcyo.
luton. Indeed, II was nothing more OF
less than a meeting Of farmers who, after
going through with a ritual In which they
took much pride apparently, they cx,
changed ideas upon various topics. Of
moment only TO themselyc. loung ladic,
were there with crcdiiable essays and
Young men were thcro with speeches often
more noisy than eloquent These wcn
the elect and held high seats, or seats In
front. Tho rank aud flo were silcn
enough. except when some speaker would
round OF a period with some particularly
brilliant observation, such, iorinslance, "a
"Wc'rc In this movement 10 stay, ms
Nl.brcthrcn, and We must stand together, ",
must make a spoon or spoil horn, whei
the sturdy ycomen would cheer Justify an,
bo answered by thousand echoes iron
the billy woods around. Some Of the az
gumonis are unique, but before giving on
FROM memory word explanatory
There IL n firm. unyielding belief in IN,
heart OF every cotton planter that thos
speculative gentlemen Ia New York an'
elsewhere are In League TO dciraud then
out Of q fair price ior their cotton. The.
neither reason by induction nor analogy
but taking firm hold Of the conclusion
that those fellows are putting price Ol
our cotton before Il Is planted" wandc
back 10 their premises with refreshing In
difference. liza corner" should happel
10 put the price OF cotton hctiti0usly up
cent Der pound, aud the farmer gets ia
brnrht OF the advance, while the shorts
are wearing sackcloili aud ashcl over Uhvi
losses, no account Is taken OF Mis- fact
''thcyar gamblers, and II they lose I,
what they deserve" but when the farmC
II told by another New Yorker, twclv
months M ADVANCE, that hlh toltph VIII y
worth 40 much, ycarhence aud that Oh
United States will n,isc 20 many bales, h
u regarded rs an enemy OF darkness
whose occult potency pfcsagcs harm an
disaster. Therefore when tho sccrclar
reads q faithful record Of the last meeting
10 which all listen with baicd breathi
the president asks II any brother has any
thing 10 oGcr In the way Of a speech. III
Bills aud Jacks arc each requested
knock OF" something, n mere COURTESY
Notwithstanding the fact that the gontl'
men called upon decline In n manner !
convey the Impression that tbSy has
made speeches and can make speeches
wonderful cloquence, but that tonigl
people must DO denied the luxury Of hea
ina them. OF course everybody know
this and al know that In the absence
the preacher, the philosopher OF the >
ciety, the local Squire " the only one wi
can to depended on for n speech, and n
way no says "Air. Prcsidentand brethren
n conclusive evidence Of the OF that he
not at all Ignorant Of his peculiar oratoric
powers "Ihe way these corners, as the