Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1874 — PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY. [ARTICLE]

PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.

Flatten* A4*|M by flu National „ B*. Loom, Febreary it The Naiioaal Grange to-day, after the transaction of some minor business, re- « , , 01 " 1 of the Committee on ttesolrooaa, presented by Mr. Wardlow, Itwaaf U adopted it unanimously. DECLARATION OF PURPOSES. Profoundly impressed with the truth that the National Grange of the United States should definitely proclaim to the world Its JTSoeral objects, we hereby unanimously make mis declaration of purposes of the Patrons of ■ -v'" FRATBRNITY. Ftret —United by the strong and faithful tie of agriculture, w« mutually resolve to labor for the good of our Order, our country, and UNITY —'LIBERTY—CHARITY. Second—We heartily indorse tbe motto: “In essentials Unity; in non-essentials Liberty; in all things Charity.’' CO-OPERATION. Third— We shall endeavor to Advance our cause by laboring to accomplish the following objects: To develop a better and higher manhood and womanhood among ourselves; to enhance the comforts and attractions of our homes and strengthen our attachments to our parsmits; to foster mutual understanding and co-operation; to maintain inviolate our laws, and to stimulate each other to labor to hasten the good time coming; to reduoe our expenses, both individual and corporate; to buy less and produce more, in order to make our farms self-supportiug; to diversify our crops, and plant no more than we can cultivate; to condense the weight of our exports, Belling less in the bushel and more on the hoof and in fleeces; to systematize our work, and calculate intelligently on the probabilities; to discountenance the credit system, the mortgage system, the fashion system, and every other system tending to prodigality and bankruptcy. We propose meeting together, talking together, working together, buying together, selling together, and generally act’Og together, for our mutual protection and advancement, as occasion may require. We shall avoid litigation as much as possible, by arbitration in the Grange. We shall constantly strive to secure entire harmony, good-will, and vital brotherhood among ourselves, and to make our Order perpetual. We shall earnestly endeavor to suppress personal, local, sec-, Uonal, and national prejudices, all unhealthy rivalry and all selfish ambition. Faithful adherence to these principles will insure our mental, moral, social and material advancement, NO MONOPOLY. Fourth —For our business interests we desire to bring producers and consumers, farmers and manufacturers, into the most intimate relatione possible. Hence, we must dispense with a surplus of middle-men, not that we are unfriendly to them, but we do not need them. Their surplus and their exactions diminish our _profits. We wage no aggressive warfare against any other interests whatever. On tbe contrary, all our acts and all our efforts, bo far as business is concerned, are not only for the benefit of producers, but also for all other interests that try to bring those two parties into speedy and economical contact, Hence we hold that transportation companies of every kind are necessary to our success; that their interests are intimately connected with our inter--cste, and that harm on ions action is mutually advantageous. Keeping in view the first sentence of our declaration of principles of action, that “individual happiness depends upon the general prosperity,” we shall therefore advocate for every State the increase in every practicable way of all facilities for transporting cheaply to the seaboard or between home producers and consumers all the productions of our country. We adopt it' as our fixed purpose to open out the channels in Nature's great arteries, that the life-blood of commerce may flow freely. We are not enemies of railroads, navigable and irrigating canals, nor of any corporation that will advance onr industrial interests, nor of any laboring classes. In our noble Order there is no communism, no agrarianism. We are opposed to such spirit" and management of any corporation or enterprise as tend 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 tbe antagonism between capital and labor removed by common consent, and by an enlightened statesmanship worthy of the nineteenth century. We are opposed to excessive salaries, high rates of interest, and .exorbitant per cent, profits in trade. They greatly increase our burdens, and do not bear a proportion to the profits of producers. We desire only self-protection and the protection of every true interest of our land by legitimate transactions, legitimate trade, and legitimate profits. We 6hall advance the cause of education among ourselves and for our children by all just means within our power. We especially advocate for our agricultural and industrial colleges that practical agriculture, domestic science, and all the arts which adorn the home be taught in their courses of study. NOT A POLITICAL BODY. Fisth —We emphatically and sincerely assert the oft-repeated truth taught in our organie law, that the Grange—National, State or subordinate—is not a political or party organization. _ No Grange, if true to its obligations, can discuss political or religious questions, nor call political conventions, nor nominate candidates, nor even discuss their merits in its meetings; yet the principles we teach underlie all true politics, all true statesmanship, and, if properly oarried out, will tend to purify the whole political atmosphere of our country, for we seek the greatest good of the greatest number; but we must always bear it in mind that no one, by becoming a Grange member, gives up that inalienable right and duty which belongs to every American citizen to take a proper interest in the politics of hi 6 country. On the contrary,' it is right for every member to do ail in his power legitimately to influence for good the action of any political party to which he belongs. It is his duty to do all he can iu his own party to put down bribery, corruption and trickery; to see that none but competent, faithful, and honest men, who will unflinchingly stand by our industrial interests, are nominated for all positions of trust, and to have carried out the principle which should always characterize every Grange member—that the office should seek the man, and not the man the office. We acknowledge the broad principle that difference of opinion is no crime, and hold that progress toward truth is made by differences of opinion, while the fault lies in the bitterness of controversy. We desire a proper equality, equity and fairness; protection for the weak, restraint uoon the strong—in short, justly-distributed burdens and justlydistributed power. These are American ideas, the very essence of American independence, and to advocate the contrary is unworthy of the sons and daughters of an American Republic. "We cherish the belief that sectionalism is, and of right should be, dead and buried with the past. Our work is for the present and the future. In our agricultural brotherhood and its purposes we shall recognize no North, no South, no East, no West. It is reserved by every Patron as bis right as a freeman to affiliate with any party that will best carry out his principles. MEMBERSHIP. Sixth —Ours beings a peculiarly a farmers’ institution, we cannot admit all to our ranks. Many we excluded by the nature of our organization, not because they are professional men, or artisans, or laborers, but because they have not a sufficient direct interest in tilling or pasturing the soil, or may have some interest in conflict with our purposes; but we appeal to all good citizens for tbeir cordial cooperation to assist in our efforts toward reform, and that, we may eventually remove from our midst the last vestige of tyranny and corruption. We hail tbe general desire for fraternal harmony, equitable compromise, and earnest co-operation as an omen of our future success. • 1" V CHARITY. Seventh —lt shall be an abiding principle with us to relieve any of our oppressed and brotherhood by any means at our - woman’s sphere. Last, but not least, we proclaim it among our purpose* to inculcate a proper appreciation of Uw abilities and sphere of woman, as is indicated by admitting her to membership and poattUu-in our Order. GENERAL PLEDGE. Imploring the continued assistance of our Birtoe Master to guide ns in our work, we here pledge ourselves to faithfully and harmonious]/ labor for all future time to return by our united efforts te tbe wisdom, Justice, fraternity, and political purity of our fore-