The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1896-02-19
THE STATE GRNAGE.
WORDS OF CHEER AND COUNSEL
FROM MASTER THOMPSON.

WORDS OF CHEER AND COUNSEL
FROM MASTER THOMPSON
Roviow of tho Past, with solno Expeota.
tions OF the order In tlle Future. !. An 1sx.
colIent Address. } s5 81 +, 3 q.
Following is the full text Of The adj
Kershaw, master Of the Stats Grange
Of South Carolina, at its recent meet
ing in Columbia
Brothers and Sisters of the Grange.
It is Q very gratifying and pleasant
thought that the grange in South
Carolina has sufficiently revived to
make p g {, it possible for US again to as:
years a,tgei;s. fShas languished
4, a g Il ss tcfes the SStete,f
I'S5 ! -, fsrs subIgrangss fell
aioW the required number to form a
State Grange. In q few counties IIer.
shaw, Sumter, Florence and Oconee,
the grange has never ceased to work,
and owing to the zeal and perseyer-
ance Of the oranges in these counties,
other oranges have been organized
and old oranges reorganized !; and to.
day many who once thought the
grange too conservative and slow,
now concede that it is the best organi-
zation for farmers and tie best adapt
ed to their wants. The grange has es-;
capped the rocks upon which other or.
ders have been wrecked, and now is
an old organization, ready at all time.
to enter any contest in which th
rights and interests of the farmers are
concerned. Not that we desire to-
make war against any other interests
or professions, but that we seek to look
after the interest that SO closely con-
Germ the farmers. BY all unalterable
law, we know that all other profes-
sions and classes must subsist from
the products of the farm. Still our
every effort should be to so educate
the farmer that he will be enabled to
retain his legitimate share of his pro-
ducts and see that other professions
get no more than their legitimate
share. 1t matters not how progressive
the agriculturist may become, it he
cannot reap the benefit of what is
rightfully his own, his best efforts are
lost, and he becomes the dupe Of
somebody else. s
EDUCATIONAL INFLU ENCE OF THE Or.
DER.
The grange has exerted very great
and general influence among it's mem.
bers and among farmers generally, in
an educational way. The farmers
think of, discuss and decide questions
for themselves, the effect Of which
is felt in every neighborhood.. Then
our educational feature of the grange
has been Of vast benefit to our young
men, discussing some agricultural
topic, thus causing them to read and
becoming accustomed to express thems
selves in debate. thus qualifying its
members to become useful members Of
society, and better fitting them for
positions in life, to which they may
be called rs Ii ,ls. Il, e ]! I, 5slIs
THE SOCIAL, INFLUENCE.
4 BY nature and circumstances and
profession, farmers are inclined too
much to become isolated. Where
oranges exist this has been to g great
extent done away with, farmers and
their families, meet with their broth
er farmers in the grange and thus
learn to know each other better and
broaden their opinions of each other
and become less harrow-minded and
selfish. This commingly, and die cuss-
ing our farm affairs, begets an aspira-
ton and healthy rivalry among farm
ers and their families that nothing
else will. Stupid must the farmers be,
who cannot learn something from the
experience of his brother farmers. It
has been we'll said, ''The desire to
tighten the burdens and to cheer our
sisters and brothers in the arduous
labors of field and home is one of the
brightest features of our order"
FINANCIAL BENEFITS AND CORPORATION.
While in some sections, fear too
much stress has been laid on the f.
nancial feature of the grange, to the
exclusion of other benefits to be de-
rived, still it is the privilege and duty
of members Of the order to avail them.
selves Of every facility offered by the
grange of bettering their condition fl ).
nancially, In my own county and
other counties in this State, the grange
trade has grown to such proportions
that it is earnestly sought. The coop
GRAFTON among the members ofthe
grange has been the means of saving
thousands of dollars tot the farmers
and their families in tho matter of fer.
tilizers and supplies. Butt cannot
too earnestly urge upon the members
the great importance of guarding very
carefully their good name in their
business transactions. Let strict in.
tegrity mark each and all of your
business dealings. I have often won
dered that all progressive farmers do
not see and acknowledge the great
benefits to be derived from organized
efforts in promoting and protecting
the great and many interests of agri-
culture. s.sa
CONDITION OF AaRIouIrURE in, THE
NY s,,'aA TIL.
Wh.. lined that the condi-
ton Of the farmers Of late years has
not been what we would have liked it
to be. Still take pleasure in stating
that / believe the condition of the
farmers today is better than it has
been for several years. Tie financial
strlngency and low price of cottonof
the past few years has in my judg-
ment been 0, blessing in disguise to the
farmers. 1t has taught us economy !,
it has taught us that the all cotton
crop would not do 1t taught us to pro
duce moro and buy less, II has, taught
us to diversity our crops, it has taught
us to plant and produce more food
crops 1t has taught us that a small
cotton crop increases the demand and
thereby bring. more money than q
large crop. which increases the sup.
,,l,y,4,sgA nj xr,b;ln r od,nst +hot coront