The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1911-07-14
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CHANGE


the following statement of the princi-
pies of the grange is hereby submitted
to a discriminating public by the I'M
dersigned. The members of the grange
agree with the great inventor, Thomas
A. Edison, who says that agriculture
is the greatest and most important in
dustry now engaged in by the people
of the earth, and that instead of those
who carry on this all important ma
tional function being the "slow pokes"
we have been accustomed to call them
they are destined to be, in the very
near future the most intelligent and
progressive body Of men in existence,
and not only does Edison say this,
but it is the opinion OF many of the
most learned and keenest observers
in public life today. Now. the MEM
bers of the grange recognize this high
calling, and feel that at present the
individual farmer is not as well equip
ped for The faithful carrying out OF
this grand mission as they could wish,
and the better preparation of the far
mer for the fuller civilization that he
will and in ushering in Is the avowed
purpose of the grange. 1t purposes
to so organize the separated farmer
into one fraternal body, that the
knowledge and strength of one may
be offered TO all, and thus knowledge,
prudence. tolerance, efficiency, broth
erhood and cooperation in the higher
as well as in the lower aspects of life
will gradually transform the now cha
otto. inefficient and. in many respects,
corrupt state Of society into one of
peace, plenty and harmony, and a new
race OF men that will make life a SUBJ
lime and wonderful thing. An exalted
program, truly In looking over the
seothing world of men today, one Is
struck by the change that has come
over the industrial enterprises which
yesterday were scattered and isolated,
whereas, now they are largely COM
bined into Very few immense con-
Germs that control practically the
whole earth. and the farmer feels that
iron heel as keenly rs any other class
of society, and the grange Organiza-
ton is offered to the farmers as a
means to combat the growing menace
of the powerful and INSCRIPTIONS
trusts that are undermining he very
foundation of our industrial system,
and, indeed, the government itself.
The grange does not deprecate the
power there is in organization, and
does not criticiSe the trusts on that
score, but declares that that power
should be always eXerted tor the COM
mon good, and the cooperative prin
ciple is to be the David who shall van
quish the Goliath of money greed But
is this too much to expect us to do?
We answer by pointing out to what
the grange has already done. Do not
forget that the grange is !Orty-five
years old and then. perhaps, yOu will
not be so surprised when we say that
our order was mainly instrumental in
getting the department of agriculture
established; it first advocated and fin
ally secured the passing of the law
giving the farmers rural free deliv-
cry the experiment stations OF the ma
tiOnal and state governments; the
pure food law, interstate commerce
commission; and the grange is throw
ing all its strength for the publication
and rationaliZing of many phases of
the national life. 1t will ever ne found
on the side of the public good. and the
power latent and ineffective ia the
vast number of separated individuals
will, when combined under the banner
of hte mighty brotherhood be an ire
sistible force for the advancement OF
society all along the line. The grange
has been active in spreading the in
formation obtained at the experiment
stations to the isolated farmers. and
in this 1t has stood practically alone.
for. as there was no other organiza
ton to get the people together. the
teachers sent out from the stations
formerly spoke to empty seats The
valuable information now prepared by
experts will in a short time enable,
farmers to double their productions
without increasing their labor, and
the more oranges there are the sooner
this desirable condition may be real
lied. The fruit growers of the west
do not need any argument TO prove
the good of getting together and con-
trolling the production and sale of
fruit, and what organization has done /
for the fruit grower the grange pnr- |
poses to do for the general farmer |
and even more: for the scoDe of the |
grange is greater, though We admit |
that for this latter reason our prog
ress will probably be somewhat slow, |
but nevertheless sure. Take a look !
at what is now being done for the !
farmers of Okanogan county: al I
though the grange has been IN exist /
ence only few months we have IS |
oranges, which meet ,
twice each month, and besides the |
very important fact of getting better |
acquainted with each other and get /
ting to see the best side which Is al |
ways uppermost in a meeting, they
are discussing such questions as good
roads and how to get hem, improv-
ing their stock by getting thorough
breds, better seeds, than which there
IS no more important factor in scien-
life farming, studying the best meth.
DDS of raising trees. truck and the
latest means Of marketing them. i'm
proving the school system, as Sc well
outlined by RoCsevelt's Country Life
and other educators. the
question of amending the present
fownship organization law so that
good roads may be built by bonding
the township. as recommended by the
last convention Of the Washington
Good Roads association and large
ana varied number of problems which
are constantly calling loudly for solu-
lion. We say that our organization
offers to the farmers the machine
by which they can accomplish neon
reiyable good in all directions, and +
what he will make it avail MIN will
depend entirely on the amoint and
quality. of intelligence and moral
force with which he endows IL So,