Year: 1879

Mississippi has manifested for the last five years
to secure the funds donated by Congress to estab-
lish our Agricultural and Mechanical College,
shows it to be alive to the necessity of TEACHING
practical agriculture domestic science, and all
the arts which adorn the home" This College is
designed for the education of farmers and me-
chamcs boys, who have no chance to experience
the splendid advantages of tine University. 1t
does seem to me that every patriot in the State
should lend helping hand to this commendable
undertaking. But there is little hope that such
will be the>case. For, judging the future by the
past it is altogether. probable that we will have
TO ''war" for all we get for the A. s. NJ. College


If the Grange has proven a failure, then there
should be no more OF it. 1 must be dead What
strange announcement this would be to the 10
telligent men and women who meet regularly
once each month with the fifteen thousand Gran
CESS in the United States. If we were not accus-
toned to such expressions in those newspapers
which oppose an Order, it might even starte
us. The National Grange is self supporting At
its last meeting, twenty nine States were repre-
sented the representatives of several others being
prevented, by sickness and other causes, from at
tending. Nearly all the State Oranges are now
reported in good condition, increasing in mem
bership, efficiency and usefulness And there is
manifestly more determination shown on the part
of the toiling masses to protect their industries
and their rights from the encroachments of the
privileged classes than ever before in the history
of civilization They are aware that they are now
producing more wealth every year; that our ex-
ports largely exceed our imports; that fivesixths
of this excess is produced by their labor and yet,
oy md da


prived of the just rewards of their labor. They
are aware that most of the political papers, polit


clans and professions, if not enemies are un-
friendly to success, and that until the unjust
prejudice existing against our Order is re-
moved we need not look for assistance outside of
the votaries of agriculture.


am so confident that the opposition to the
Grange comes from misunderstanding of its
aims and objects, that cannot let an opportunity
pass to show to the public that it is for the best
| interests of agriculture (Which means the best
interests of the country at large, as every other
| interest is based agliculture) that we labor,
and that THE GRANGE CANNOT BE USED FOR
ANY OTHER PURPOSE. .f .-... I4..
1t is the farmers only organization, and the
| only one they have ever attempted. Ifit were
possible for the opposition to overcome it, this
generation of farmers would go back to their iso-
lated lives, and thus give up all development in
that interest which is the life of the State of Mis-
sissippi. bafa


1t is needless to add, that as agriculture -four
ishes the destnes of this State must rise fall,
and it does seem reasonable to ask of those whose
fortunes depend on the state of affairs, that
they would be as ready to build up as they seem
now to tear down, that upon which hangs the
best hope, and might add The only hope, of the
agricultural classes.


Apologising for the length of this letter, l re-
main, yours, truly and fraternally, .r
Put. DARDEN.