Year: 1874

The National Convention of Grangers,
at its recent session in St. Louis, adopted
the following platform:


Profoundly impressed with the truth,
that the National Grange Of the United
States should definitely proclaim to the
world its general object, we hereby nnan-
imously make this declaration of the pur-
poses of the Patrons of Husbandry.


First-United by the strong and faith
fnl tie of agriculture, we mentally resolve
to labor for tho good of our order, our
country and mankind.


second-We heartily endorse the mot
to: In essentials, unity in non essentials,
liberty in all things, charity


Third--We shall endeavor to advance
our cause by laboring to accomplish the
following objects: To develope better
and higher manhood and womanhood
among ourselves; to enhance the comforts
and attractions of our homes, and strength
en- our attachments to our pursuits; to
foster mutual understanding and co-opera-
ton; to maintain inviolate our laws, and
to emulate each other to labor to hasten
the good time coming; to reduce our ex.
penses, both individual and corporate, to
buy less and produce more in order to
make our farms self-sustaining; to diversi-
fy our crops, and crop not more than we
can cultivate; to condense the weight Of
our exports, selling less in the bushel and
more on hoof and in fleece; to systematize
our work and calculate .intelligently. on
probabilities; to discountenance the cred
it system, the mortgage system, the fashion
system, and every other system tending
to prodigality and bankruptcy. We propose
meeting together, talking together, work
ing together. buying together, selling TO
gether, and in general acting together for
our mutual protection and advancement as
occasion may require. We shall avoid
litigation as much as possible by arbitra-
ton in the grange; we shall constantly
strive to secure entire harmony, good
WI, and vital rsRHJou uu,7asS 0ur+I
selves, and to make our order perpetual.
We shall earnestly endeavor 10 suppress
personal, local, sectional and national pre-
judices; all unhealthy rivalry; all selfish
ambition. A faithful adherence to these
principles will insure our mental, moral,
social and material advancements.


Fourth-For our business interests VIC
desire to bring producers and consumers,
farmers and manufacturers, into the most
direct and friendly relations possible
hence we must dispense with the surplus
of middle men, not that we are uniriendly
to them, but do not need them Their
surplus and their exactions diminish our
profits. We wage no aggressive warfare
against any other interests whatever; on
the contrary, all our acts and all our ef-
forts, 80 far as business is concerned arc
not only for the benefit of producers and
consumers, but also for all other interests
that tend to bring these two parties into
speedy and economical contact. Hence
we hold that transportation companies OF
every kind arc necessary to our success;
their interests are intimately connected
with our interests, and harmonious action.
is mutually advantageous. keeping in view
the first sentence in our declaration of
principles Of action, "that individual hap
piness depends upon general prosperity"
We shall therefore advocate for every
State the increase in every practicable
way Of all facilities for transporting cheap
ly to the seaboard, or between hone pro
ducers and consumers, all productions of
our country. We adopt it as our fixed
purpose to open out the channels in the
nations great arteries, that the life blood
of commerce may flow more freely. We
are not enemies of railroads, navigable and
irrigating canals, nor of any corporation
that will advance our industrial interests,
Tor of any laboring classes. In our noble
order there is no communism, no agra.
rianism. We are opposed to such spirit
and management of any corporation or
enterprise as tends to oppress the people
and rob them of their just profits. We
are not enemies to capital, but we oppose
the tyranny Of monopolies; We long TO see
the antagonism between capital and labor
removed by common consent and by an
enlightened craftsmanship, worthy of the
nineteenth century. We are opposed to
excessive salaries, high rates of interest,