Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-05-11
Keep Organized.

EDITOR NORIhW ich5o aiiO W
me space in your columns to state to
your readers that the secy. Of Henry
County Pomona Grange requested me
to write an article in the interest OF
the Grange, and also to introduce my
self and to let the Henry County
Grangers know who their Deputy
Master is.
All who know me are aware that /
am no writer, but that will not pre-
vent me from saying to the farmer to
organize and keep organized. Al
most every other class Of people are
organized, and il stands US In need to
do so and watch our interests. The far
mer should resume control of the gov
ernment and fully protect In all their
rights the toiling millions whose labor
produces the wealth OF our nation.
The labors of the husbandman have
been blessed and abundant crops give
promise of general prosperity. For
these material blessings we should be
thankful, and rejoice that we live in
the land of plenty where the grim
spectre of hunger and want is seldom
seen. There is, however, an tmpor-
tant work sor US to do. I'm the
sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat Of
bread, - has resounded in the ear of
the farmer for years. The cycles Of
time have wrought no change In
Gods decree.
The true husbandman asks for no
change in the decree but does ask an
honest share for wife and home OF
what the harvest yields. How to OBJ
tain fair share of the profits of our
own labor, is one of the problems our
order seeks to solve. Like the fruits
of the earth, it Is only assured as re-
suit Of earnest and well-directed effort.
Surrounded as we are by thoroughly
organized forces in the professions, as
well as in every branch Of business,
we feel that there Is no way OF secur-
ing our own except through intelli-
gent cooperation on the part of the
farmer. We must help ourselves; we
are not necessarily weak and helpless
only 30 from choice or result OF
neglect. -.
Thorough organization and intelli-
gent cooperation should be our motto
and we can thus protect and promote
agriculture. The evils and hardships
of which we complain are but the re-
suits of negligence. Ii we wish re-
form, we must reform our own meth
ods. In all real reforms, our order
will not be found wanting. Much
has been accomplished already. The
elevation Of the department of agri-
culture, the oleomargarine, meat in
spection and interstate commerce
laws, the establishment and mainten-
ance of agricultural experiment sta
tions, the adaptation of the weather
service to the needs of the farmer ana
the ballot reform, are some of the re-
suits of our efforts.
In accomplishing the foregoing re-
suits, we have set lin motion agencies
which will be of incalculable benefit
to the farmer and our country. We
must in future keep watch and guard
over this legislation as there are inter
ests in this country antagonlstlc TO
some of it, and efforts will undoubted-
ly be to modify or repeal some of the
laws. We must not relax our efforts
for other needed legislation. The ad-
liberation of food products was dan
gerous to the health of our people and
fraud upon both producer and con-
sumer. We have put stop to this
nefarious business. The pure food
bill was accomplished by US, and Pc
titions put in circulation preventing
its repeal. II
Education is the great central OBJ
iect of our order. 1t is our purpose to
teach better methods in all branches
of our work, including good citizen
shin, and blind is the man who does
not see the great progress that has
been made, although the work has
lust begun. The farmers are deeply
Interested in the relations which exist
between the employer and the en-
ployee in this country, and we view
with apprehension the disagreement
which is too frequent for the best in
terest of all. Believing as we do that
the laborer is worthy of his hire,
and that steady employment at fair
wages is of vital importance, not only
to the laborer and his family but to all
the people, we deprecate all dispo-
sition on the part of greedy corpora
tions to reduce the pay of workmen,
except when declining prices make II
absolutely necessary to avoid serious
loss.
We believe that employers can bet
Ter afford to accept losses, which re-
suit from temporary causes, than to
provoke conflict with the men whose
labor in former years brought great
profit to the employer.
We have no sympathy with organ
lied capital when it's power is used to
destroy organizations formed to pro-
mote the workmen's interest.
When the patrons of Henry Go.
selected me as their Deputy, | felt in
deed they had made an unwise choice.
but since to decline was quite out of
the question, as good patron always
endeavors to perform his duty, l took
the position with desire to do my
best.
II there are any dormant oranges
here its patrons wish to have rein
stated, 1 am willing and ready to do
it; or, if any farmers in any commun-
ity where there is no grange, wishing
to have one organized, call meeting
and notify me of the same.
say, farmers, organize
Yours respy.,
Jos. RENTz.