Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-08-10
The cranae Picnic.

The speakers at the Grange Picnic at
Alcyon Park last Wednesday, paid their
respects to the Trusts, which our neighbor
of the Constitution says are good thing, in
the following language =
Worthy Master Braddock, of the State
Grange, made the opening address. He
spoke of the mighty influence which the
trusts of this age are welding, and said if
the farmers expect to live in this age of
oppression and industrial tyranny they
should organize. He declared the Grange
TO be the greatest educator of all societies
I" AS farmers,n said he, we must protect
ourselves. To become power we must
unite and battle with the monopolistic in
fuences of the century. We must keep in
the front ranks of the procession, for we
cannot afford to wait until the procession
moves by and then fall in the rear. Too
many OF the farmers apply themselves too
close to the farm for their own good. We
will be lost in this race for right against
might, unless we keep constantly abreast
OF the times and in touch with the things
which interest and shape the destinies OF
the commercial, industrial and agricul-
tural world.
Politicians and legislators will not
champion our cause unless we keep peg
ging away and eyerlastingIy at it.
" Agriculture has made wonderful strides
10 the last quarter Of century. We have
progressed faster than some other branches
of labor.
4" We farmers must take interest in the
Grange organization. 1t is the farmers
stronghold We know what we want, but
nothing but organization will bring about
the result sought after. We have no right
to complain when the opportunity is before
as and we fail 70 embrace it,"
SUCCESS IN ORGANIZATION.
EB Cole, lecturer of the New York
State Grange, followed in a masterful adj
dress on Organization. He illustrated
the change which the farm and farmer
/" The farmer to-day he said, pays twice
as much for his labor as he did some years
back and receives twice as much for pro-
ducts, but is still more heavily in debt
than when labor was cheap and products
worth but little.
Agriculture is the mother of us all. 1t
stands the Oldest and at the head OF all in
dustry. The influence you, as farmers,
exert has been exceedingly small in shap-
ing and moulding the affairs of this Gov
eminent. because you lack organization.
We organize for resistance; to stay the
trusts, combines and monopolies which are
working to crush our business and which
haYe made the distribution of the products
unequal. We have received many hard
blow from adverse legislation, and, although
we continue to gFumble, legislators and
politicians continue to work for our des-
truction Our aim ia to stop and destroy
this impOverishing policy. The Grange is
organized for that purpose. 1t is not 9
political party, but if we will we can do q
great deal to bring about the legislative re-
forms which are SO much needed by the
farmer
THE SEDUCTIVE HANDsHAKE
We must not relax our energies, for
the politicians are constantly farming the
farmers with their glad handshakes and
plausible stories. More farmers fail from
lack of system than from any other cause.
We are educating the farmers ia the
strength OF unity, and to succeed we must
work with tireless energy and unceasing
Thought. In the march of progress none
should be IN the rear end Of the rear car,
I Mrs B. B Lold, General Deputy of the
! New York State Grange, made the closing
address. She spoke on the educational
features and said that the basis of sociahility
and intellectually and that women Ia the
home was the basis Of society for no society
could rise above womanhood She declared
that woman was on an equality with man
because the home was the foundation Of
society. Mrs. Lofd's talk was highly
appreciated, aud 1t is hoped she may again
be heard at an early date in this section.
The exhibits;