The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-03-25
SHALL THE GRANGE
DABBLE IN POLITICS
The Trusts and the Railroads Are In
POIitICS-Can the Farmers Afford
To Stay Out!

CARNATIONS split. 1t is my purposI
in this issue to discuss this objection
/ A few generations ago politics mean
very little in a national way. It mat
tered very little to the average MAJ
what was being done at Washington
But we are living under a new eco
nomic system today. The domain o
politics has been extended because So
ciety has become so inextricably com
pick. Individual activity has prac'
tically ceased. 1t is the age of coop.
Grafton and corporation. He who
makes up his mind to go it alone
has but a short road to go. Politics
meet US everywhere from the cradle &c
the grave; for politics is simply the
science of social and economic relation
ship OF man with man-of one citizen
with all the other citizens. II farm
ers' society taboos politics, then it
must not discuss markets, or roads, OF
taxes, or schools, or transportation
rates, or mail service, or banks, or
practical cooperation, for all of these
questions mean politics. 1t cannot
even discuss apple packing, because
some fellow will lead up to a discus
sion of the Lafean bill now before con-
gress, and it will all end in a horrible
political wrangle. So they, therefore,
will be confined to such questions as
forage crops, silos, cover crops, the
balanced ration, etc.
AS matter OF fact this objection to
any political discussion in the Grange
comes from those who are hopelessly
behind the times. We cannot be sue
cessful farmers unless we understand
the conditions under which we live
and work, and are prepared to meet
them. Can we as farmers afford to
stay out of politics? Are the railroads
and Standard Oil and the whiskey ring
keeping out of politics2 Are Other
lines OF industry avoiding politics2 Can
we alone afford to pay no attention to
these questions1 Can we afford to lei
few corporation hirelings make oul
laws, fix our taxes, determine oul
freight rates, and pass a tariff law under
which agricultural machinery, made in
the United States, after it has been
sent to Europe, shipped back again,
paying the duty, can be bought
cheaper than direct from the factory?
Nor can the nation afford to have
the farmer neglect the study OF politi'
cal questions. The farm vote COM
prises about thirty per cent of the tota
of the nation. If that thirty per cent
normally the most independent of all
be left the prey Of selfish politician:
thru ignorance and prejudice it i:
surely an inestimable loss to the coun'
try.
The real source of the objection &c
farmers societies taking an interest il
public affairs comes from the corup
special interests and their politica
hirelings; from men to whom roads ant
schools are nothing more than pawn:
in their game. They know that it i:
only the ignorant that can be made tt
believe that the interests of the trust.
are the interests of the people.
Yet, in a certain sense, the Grange
has nothing to do with politics. .
When politics. means the scramble
for Office the Grange takes no part. 1
has no more sympathy with the asso
ciated outs" than with the consoli
dated ms" AS an organization i
does not enter any party organization
1t can endorse no party. 1t neithe
dominates nor endorses candidates. l
does not allow discussion on the rela
tive merits of parties in its meetings.
The reason for this is plain. Gu
order is primarily an educational one
The Grange enlightens the farmer oil
issues and measures. 1t creates AMI
moulds public sentiment. 1t unite
on principles, but there must always b.
difference of opinion on methods o
procedure. Thus we are all agreed
that the interests Of the rapacious AMI
lawless exploiters Of Wall Street are no
the interests OF the people. The,
heartily approve the course Of the Can