Year: 1875

Brothers and sisters-oliicers-


low me to congratulate you for having


been selected by your comrades to fill


the different positions so necessary to


the eiiectual working Of a subordinate


Grange. BE faithful, be diligent, that


you may understand what your duty
/ is. You have been duly elected and


have accepted the call, and are now


about to be installed. Hence, you


should consider well the obligation


you are about to take upon yourselves


as officers of this Grange; and lot it


not be said hereafter by your brothers


and sisters that they were mistaken


in making the selection they did.


Whatever is worth doing at all is


worth doing well, and we cannot do


anything well without a design; a


design is useless, unless put into exc


cution it matters not how much YOU


design unless you execute the power


of thought and action is lost. An


old motto, used by the founders of our


government was Eternal vigilence


is the price Of liberty" Hence, Eter-


nal action on our part will make US


successful Changers.


Let all meet punctually at the hour


appointed TO assemble. Come up with


your hearts in the work of the Grange,


and failure is impossible. When out


of the Grange room at our homes, let


US ever lie thoughtful and use every


spare moment in reading and study


But, above all, let US study to know


ourselves. Let US be peaceful and


quiet citizens, ever ready to aid the


needy. Let US be industrious, and
encourage industry, and keep no
id!ers about US. ldleness is the bane
of intempcrance, dishonesty, and dis
honor


Questions of vita! Importance are
now being considered by our Order.
The question of immigration is one
that should receive the serious consid-
Grafton of all the oranges in North
Louisiana, and especially the oranges
of our own parish. Large bodies of
land, belonging to spectators, resi-
dents and nonresidents, are lying in
our parish that are doing nobody any
good-not even the tax collector. | |.
would like to see parish councils !
formed of all the grrnges, and take
this matter into consideration and see
if some plan cannot be arranged with
the owners to obtain these lands at /
low prices on long time, and do what
we can to have them settled up. To
do this we need not go abroad to find
settlers; we have numbers of good
men in our psrish-hardy farmers
who are now either renting or crop
ping on shares. who would be willing
to locate these wild lands, provided
they could obtain titles to them on
reasonable time at low prices and be
assured of having necessary aid rem
dered. To talk of emigration without
pecunlary aid being given is idle talk.
No great enterprise can be undertaken
nor any great good accomplished
without some sacrifice. Let some
plan be inaugurated to have these
large bodies of wild land settled and
cleared up by the honest yeomanry of
our land; and, in the language of
Worthy Master Lewis, of the State
Grange, They will make cur hills
and valleys blossom as the rose"-
build school houses, churches and
railroads, and will furnish conserva-
tive element, that in time will oblter.
ate the last vestige Of bad govern
ment.


The question of Home Agencies is
now receiving the atttenion of many of
the thinking men of the Order; but as
this is question that belongs to the
secret working of the oranges, for the
present l simply give it this passing
notice, and inform you that it is un-
der consideration of the Council.


Among the different questions that
demand our immediate attention and
immediate action, there is none of so
much vital Importance as the labor
question. This question has also had
The consideration of Beuc River
Council. The Council referred this
subject to select committee, who, af-
ter considering-the question carefully,
saw many difficulties that would have
to be removed in order to harmonic
The sntagonism between capital and
abor. As an entering wedge the
drew up an address, setting
Iorth helr views as to the most prac-
iicable plan Of disposing of this ques-
ion. The address was unanimously {
adopted by the Council and published {
IN the RIcHLASD BEACON, Decem ber {
9TH, lS74-(See address.) One of I
he main and leading features advises t
he employer TO contract with the en- J
,loye for bis or her full time during |
he term Of contract. This address, as I
night have been expected, has been I
attacked and criticised; but, in my t
Judgment, the main principles of the I
ADDRESS must be carried out before we
AN ever prosper as an agricultural q
PEOPLE, and earnestly urge grangers, d
Employers and employees. to observe
he main features of the address in
making contracts. Try it Que year,
md carry out the suggestions faith S
ully, and, in my opinion, both parties /
Will be better satisfied at the close OF
his year than they were at the close '
# last. :


Let us be firm and faithful to our $
to white and black. and use '