The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-09-14
THE STATE GRANGE.
LT. Altman, Press Correspondent.

bilious parent, II his children show apt
ness for learning, does not want them
to bury their talents on the farm. Too
long has the farmer himself regarded
his occupation as inferior to that OF
many others and IL is not strange that
others have taken him at his own esti-
mate of himself.
To feed the world is neither a small
nor an ignoble task. This the farmer
must do but IL is by no means all that
devolves upon him. As citizen he
has duties as exacting as those OF any
other class and perhaps more far reach
ing in results. II the great question OF
self government is left to the cities and
centres Of population there is scarcely
any question as to the ultimate result.
Even now corruption and maladminis-
tration seem to have the upper hand In
the congested centres. What will the
future show II this country is to enjoy
continued progress for generations to
come the people of the rural districts
must make themselves felt. They must
be the final arbiters in the conflict be-
tween the employer and the employed.
II they fail to measure up to their
responsibility neither history nor phil
osophy warrant hopeful view of the
future. The youth who chooses the
farm and seeks to fully fit himself for
the work may thus become a leader In
promoting those healthful agencies that
will hold in check, If they do not stamp
out, the evils that threaten. Should
the same youth go to town and himself
steer clear of evil, he will have to be
possessed of more than ordinary ability
and pluck II he gets his head above the
crowd. Most likely he will loose his
individuality, become mere cog in the
machine to be cast aside and replaced
in time by another.
Would you encourage the boy to stay
on the farm and to make man OF him
self, organize grange in your neigh
borhood, attend the meetings and make
them in an educational and social way
all that they can be made. In doing
this you will be doing missionary work,
the good results Of which time alone
will tell.
With 40 per cent. of the population Of
the country engaged in agriculture the
farmer must exert a greater influence
in public affairs. That so large part
of the people have so little to say in
legislative halls is menace TO popular
government. 1t is the main reason why
some people are getting more than
their share and many less than their
rightful share of the fruits OF labor.
The reason for this condition is that
the farmer hitherto has stood to much
aloof from his fellows. In this age the
individual counts for little. He who
would make his power felt must CO.
operate with those whose interests are
in common with his own. No doubt the
great majority of the farmers desire to
do this or at least admit that they
ought to do it. To all such the doors
of the Grange stands open. They will
lind it power fully competent TO do
the work that ought to be done and In
it they will find a field large enough for
the exercise OF all their faculties.
One OF the purposes OF the grange is
to impress upon the American farmer a
keener sense of the privileges and
responsibilities OF citizenship. We read
land the Centurian said unto Paul with
a great sum obtained. this freedom, "
but Paul with a touch OF pride, no
doubt said ~ was born Free" Again
"'In that elder day to be a Roman was
greater than to be king" Yet Paul
died martyr to his convictions and
even the elder Roman might be Danish
cd at the caprice of his neighbors.
II Roman citizenship, with its limita-
tlons, was priced SO highly, what is il
not to be an American ? The greater
the treasure the more carefully must II
be guarded. Base indeed is he who
does not desire to leave conditions as
good for his children as he found them
at the beginning of his career. This
can only be insured by the vigilence Of
the citizen. Whatever OF evil creeps
into our system does so because OF the
apathy or ignorance OF the people. The
grange seeks to keep the farmer posted
on conditions and the causes that pro
duce them and to inspire him with
honesty, Independence and courage
enough to vote his convictions or
election day.
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