Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-26
Mr.. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
A Reply to the Cabinet Officer From
Secretary Woodman.
Character and Purposes of the Great
Order of Agriculturists - Charges
Concerning the Finances.
TO the Editor of The Evening Star:

of the United States. upon the action of the
National Grange in criticising the following
extract from his speech before the agricul-
tural congress at Chicago: 1.-THE most in
sidious and destructive foe to farmers is the
professional farmer, the promoter of oranges
ana alliances, who for political purposes
farms the farmer. He will not succeed bet
ter by forming oranges and alliances, which
generally seek to attend to some other bust
ness than farming
Mr.. Morton is reported as saying: "The
grange Is an independent body. There can
be no objection to that or any other indie
pendent body attending to the purposes for
which it was created. 1t is subject to criti-
cism whenever it devotes itself to any other
purposes. And only to those grangers and
oranges who have been instituted for other
than agricultural advancement can any of
the language used In the remarks at Chi
caso on the 10th of last October be ap-
pheo. The gentlemen who applied and mt
teo these remarks to themselves have no
cause for self-congratulation. What would
they think II farmers who formerly belong
ed TO the grange should pass a series of res
buttons inquiring what became of more
than S2OO.OOU that the National Grange al
iesed some years since 1t held in the form
OF government bonds for the benefit of the
order! OF course, IL is understood that the
reply to such a resolution would be that it
mad been returned to the state oranges in
each case. and then the question would be:
w nat dld the state oranges do with it?
How much of the SZOO,uUu ever reached the
original donors or contributors of that
sum-"
The above would hardly merit notice. as
It's lalsity is well known to every patron.
dld II not come from one who is occupying
the exalted position of Secretary of Agri-
culture or the United States, an office Gre
ated through the earnest work and infiu-
ence or the great brotherhood of farmers
whose interests he has been chosen 10 rep
resent AS it is natural to infer that man
possessing intelligence sufficient to qualify
MIN Tor such a position would not publish
statements or insinuations deroGatory to
the acts or motives OF others without evil
dence to Substantiate them, it becomes nee
essary to briefly notice his Elusive attack
upon the grange, in order to enlighten him
and disabuse The minds of those who may
be led to place confidence in his statements
on account OF cthe nigh postum he occupies.
The clear inference to be drawn from his
remarks at Chicago, taken in connection
with his rejolnder TO the action Of the Ma
tional Grange. Is that the aims anu pur-
poses of the Order OF Patrons Of Huspandry
are not to promote the welfare of tarmers
but to advance the political interests OF its
founders and promoters, and lhat "A very
large amount OF funds of the order have
been used for that purpose.
The utter aDSurdlIy OF this allega ton is
evident from the fact that no organiza ton
of farmers ostensibly to benefit agriculture
and the condition OF farmers generally. but
really to promote the political interests OF
Its members has ever survived more than
one political campaign, while The National
Grange of the Order of Patrons of Hus-
bandry has just held its twenty-seventh
annual session, and Is better organized.
more firmly established upon its platform
of principles and better prepared TO accom-
plish its grand purposes than ever before.
Its declaration of principles has been before
challenging criticism and receiving only
concentrations. The following paragraph
from that notable document Will Indicate
the clear and unalterable position Of the
order upon partisan politics:
1--WE emphatically and sincerely assert
the oft-repeated truth taught in our or
ganic law. that the grange-nationol, state
or subordinate-is not political or party
organization. No grange, If true to lis OBJ
legations, can discuss partisan or sectarian
questions, nor call political conventions.
nor nominate candidates, nor even discuss
their merits in it's meetings"
The officers and delegates of the national
and state oranges, as well as he ms mber-
ship of the order, belong to all the different
political parties in the country. Mr. Nor
ton cannot affect concealment of his ami
mostly to the order by claiming that II" had
reference only to the members Of the
National Grange at Syracuse who favored
and voted unanimously for resolutions in
question; for the unmistakable inca ming
and intention of his language Is far-reach-
ing, and involves not only the foun iers of
the order, but all officers and members
who have been promoters of oranges" and
counseled in shaping its policy and apply
ing it's funds. from it's earliest inception to
the present time
1t will require stronger proof than the
mere assertion or insinuation of any one
man, however high his official standing
may be, to convince the American farmers
that such men as d. Wyatt Aiken and J.
NJ. Lipscomb of South Carolina, W. H.
Chambers Of Alabama, b. F. Wardlaw of
Florida, Col. T. J. Smith of Georgia, Saml.
f. Adams of Minnesota, Judge } mn T.
Jones of Arkansas, Dudley W. Adams of
Iowa. Rev. S. H. Ellis of Ohio. Victor F..
Pio'et of Pennsylvania, Gov. Fred. Noble
of Maine. Judge r. E. Boice o. Oregon,
Gov. Cyrus G. Luce of Michigan. W. A.
Armstrong of New York and several of his
predecessors in the high office he holds,
together with tens of thousands of other
representative farmers. with their wives,
sons and daughters. associated with hem,
have banded together for political pur-
poses to farm the farmers" AMI cxtort
money from them to be used for personal
and political purposes.
1t is well known, however, that in the
early history of the order some aspiring
politicians. claiming to be farmers" affili-
ated with it for the very purpose indicated
by Mr.. Morton, but finding the organization
strongly non-partisan, and no hope for the
advancement of their political aspirations
left it in disgust. Hence, they have not
are now imputing the same selfish motive
to those who have honestly and faithfully
given their best energies to maintaining its
usefulness that induced themselves to be-
come "grangers, but not Patrons of Hus-
bandry.
1t is quite probable that Nebraska may
have furnished one or more of that class
who are now charging not only political
but financial corruption to the order AS I
am in possession of all the facts figures
and financial history of the order, l feel
confident that l shall be able to crafty
Mr.. Mortons desire for enlightenment about
the disposition of that 5000 of govern
ment bonds"
The largest amount of L. S. bonds ever
owned or alleged to be held" by the Ma
tional Grange was 100000 costing and val
ued at $6S.S25. The largest assets of the
National Grange were December 81, 1874 as
follows:
L. 5. bonds. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. S6S S25 90
Cash on deposit In fiscal agency. 21,103 %
NeprasFSa state orange note....... $500 90
from this amount the expenses OF the
eighth session, held in Charleston, S. c., in
February, 1873, We're paid.
During the years of 1874 and 1873 great
suffering existed among the farmers of
some of the southern and western states
depreda tons of grasshoppers in the latter
for their relief. Nebraska received 5000
the National Grange of $3.50, to be used
fhaaG