Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1873 — Address of the Executive Committee of the State Grange of Wisconsin. [ARTICLE]

Address of the Executive Committee of the State Grange of Wisconsin.

, Watertown, August 27. The address of the Executive Committee of the State Grange of Wisconsin, and | the Master of the Subordinate Granges of the,State together assembled, is as follows: ..Developed by the exigencies of- the times, various organizations have gi own up of late among the fanners of the country, partaking mostl/of a reformatory political character, and looking forward to political action as .the means of accomplishing desired,reunite. Along with them there seems. to be a tendency by the public at large to confound the Order known as “The Patrpnß of Husbandry,” the formation, objects and designs of which are of an essentially different character. We also apprehend that, from a want of proper and correct Information, or from a hope of accomplishing their ends, designing persons may seek admission within the Order with the intent of endeavoring to. cpmmit the organization to some Hue of political'action. Fcr the purpose of correcting public opinion. and to prevent any misconception as to the real object? and purposes of the Order: also, to warn the class of persons alluded to, and thereby rave the Order a great deal of vexation ami trouble, we devin it advisable at this time to make the following statement to our fellow-citizens of Wisconsin : The Order was started in 1867,. with the special objects in view of elevating farmers as a class and farming as an occupation. The form of organization provides for the admission of-both sexes to membership. It* was designed as a medium for more socjul intercourse, to provide a refuge for .overwork, to relieve occupation fr,ofn the feature of constant and non-intermitting toil, thus cieating within the sphere of active farming life much-needed sources of rational recreative enjoyment. It was designed with a view Io general educational and instructive purposes, by establishing within the Grange reading-rooms and libraries, and i for the delivery of popular lectures. It was designed as a medium for frequent consultations and discussions upon matters pertaining to the occupation its members were engaged in, and upon all business relations connected with it, thus affording opportunities for the same united action commercially constantly practiced by oilier occupations, and which had not heretofore been taken advantage of by thccraft, at the same time correcting the abuses of an “ territorial agency nyswhich had grown into proportions felt to be oppressive. These were some of the means contemplated by the provisions of the organization, to help farmers as a class to work their way to a position at h ast upon a level with others, if it did not win “the lead.” It is believed that no paternal organization occupies a situation so comprehensive in its scop-’, or which offers such material benefit, to its members. With elevated social and educational features it combines that of business co-operation, the growing extent and magnitude of whiclrrtmnow indicated, no adequate conception had heretofore been entertained. Whfljt a lield for benefl- ( cent human effort here presents itself to view! Bitt, Sus I aiiied “by the paternal and business features of the Order, it is to its provisions for pm/ianency thatwe. must look with hope for ultimate success in elevating the craft. Obviously -to-ac-complish the objects of the Order, permanency is indispensable. To secure permanency, the only elements whichmight lead ro internal dissension and consequent disintegration were, specially provided against by the founders of the Order, m the restrictive provisions of Article 12 of the Consib tution, to-wit: “Religious or political questions will not be tolerated as subject* of discussion in the work of the Order, and no ppliticator religious tests for membership shall be applied.” There, is no.uiis tuking_llie„spiritand. ini ent jiL this prurinion/ The Order of l-atr-ons of Husbandry” contemplates for itself a field of labor amply comprehensive for any one organization, and one wfiichlwill’lax its working abilities to the fullest extent., Tiie Order was expected to, and does, include men of all poltttcalupftiiOTiH; it was to~Wexpuctcd that with the advent of time questions of public policy would constantly arise and demand the attention of members; while imperative restrictions for preserving the integrity of the Order wereembodied in its organic law/ yet independent, intelligent political action “outside the gate” was expected from the members individually as good citizens, taking a practical interest in the general welfare. Indeed, as there arise questions exciting public attention generally, but in the just and equitable solution of which, farmers, as a class, have a direct and absorbing interest, it would seem wanting in a proper appreciation of our dut> as citizens and farmers, not to throw our influence in such a direction as woUIU correct the abuses complained of. We are not unmindful that the sympathies of our members are with those efforts at organization having in view the restraining by political action the oppressive power of capital, a power which, by the means of cunningly devised combinations and corrupt laws, passed at its bidding through venal representatives, has reduced the producing classes to a condition approaching that not inaptly and tauntingly termed “white slavery,” a power which silently but surely appropriates to itself a large moiety of the products of that t toil, the enjoyment of the whole of which is among these inalienable natural rights with which all men arc endowed by their Creator. These and many other abuses and complaints are among those enumerated and complained of by associations formed for the express purpose of correcting them by political action. To all these movemen t* are -extended.-the warmest sympathies of all true “Patrons of Husbandry;” nay, more, their active participation individually as citizens, as members of those Farmers’Associations, conventions, unions, any or all organizations which are politically reformatory, but not as members of the Grange. The Order does not deny the necessity of these associations to correct by political action many “great wrongs.” The potency of the means is admitted. These wrongs are to be corrected by popular political power, by substituting representatives of the integrity of the people fur representatives of the corruption of the people, by the election of inch whose lives and actions will reflect honor upon the positions in which they are placed, and not shameful humiliation upon their country and constituents. There is no restriction placed upon members of the Order to prevent their joining tliese. associatJo«K4 4»n --tlie contrary, they naturally afford opportunities which the Granges do not. ‘They are regarded as the outgrowth of a want never provided for by the Grange, and never intended to be provided for by it. Profoundly impressed that the Order of the “Patrons of Husbandry” is pregnant with blessings to the class for whese benefit it was instituted, that the. specilic ends and.objects sought to be attained by the Order are so comprehensive that their realization demands all the time, energy and devotion that can be brought to bear through one organization, we here express our determination to maintain the Order in its integrity as a iionpoliiical organization, to resist and expose every attempt to inveigle the Order into apparent collusion with movements to form new political parties or to support or resuscitate old ones, to visit with prompt expulsion and the lasting condemnation of the Order any member so lost to honor as to lend himself to such measures. While thus setting forth the position of the Order as to its sphere of action, we are not unmindful of the rapid progress made by ideas which, resulting for the time in popular demonstrations against special flagrant excesses of combined capital, have for their remote cause and foundation those deeper convictions which have gradually developed themselves among the people everywhere, and which are the fountain from which the progressive intelligence of labor i$ constantly springing and pressing for solution ouestions involving inalienable natural rights, and demanding that such relations shall be established among men as will cause “a more eqliitable distribution of the profits of labor.” Being a producing class, it would be paradoxical to presume thrft the pulse us the intelligent American fanner did nut beat in sympathy with the spirit of inquiry abroad among the laboring classes, stiring up new veins of thought upon human rights, and a desire for the administration of government,more in accordance with a purpose to secure these rights and the ends for which governments are instituted among men. All good Patrons of Husbandry being in harmony with these views, we trust, there can hereafter be no doubt as to the direction the influence of members of the Order iu Wisconsin will be thrown “outside the gate” upon questions affeeliiig-the- publie-welfare whenever occasion ad- 1 .. ‘