Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1875 — Talk With Grangers. [ARTICLE]

Talk With Grangers.

To those who have joined the Farmers’ Movement; those who are Patrons from a sincere and earnest desire to protect, instruct, to elevate the farmers so that they may be able to meet any and ail other classes, at any and all times; that they may claim the right to be represented as weU as taxed, and of speaking for themselves wherever their interests are concerned; to those well-meaning brothers and sisters we will with all seriousness put a few questions. Are you doing all in your power to advance the interests of the Order to which you are confidently ’ooking for such results ? Do you endeavor to strengthen your Grange by inviting and trying to persuade all Eersons suitable for membership to join? •o you aim to inform yourself so that you will be able to show them that, in common with yourself, their only hope is in co-operation, and that there is not the remotest hope of successful co-operation without organization ? The organization you now have is perfect and full of power if it is wisely managed and sufficiently prized; it is everything you desire if you, in return, but do your duty to that. Organization, however, of itself is inanimate and only prepares you for the work I you must certainly perform, or you are only an inefficient element that tends to weakness, and not strength. Let every member, of both sexes, be fully impressed with the idea that there is work for each and all to do; there is no avenue to success in this movement, and through this organization, even, except by work. If all do their duty their desires are within easy range of possibility and their fondest hopes may be realized. On the other hand, should members, as soon as the novelty of initiation is worn off, become sluggish and cold, certainly no progress can be made. It is only by keeping the importance of the movement constantly in view, never forgeting the fatal consequence of letting the fires on the altars go out, or even burn too low, through indifference and neglect of those who are most interested and on whom it alone depends for sue-’ cess. Do you realize that if the present movement fails, in the interests of manhood and labor, it will be utterly impossible to ever rally again? If the Order disband now we shall wholly lose confidence in ourselves, become thoroughly demoralized and further weakened by our failure; we shall then be the unresisting and easy prey of those from whose clutches «ve vainly thought to escape. Capital will then indeed be king, with absolute and undisputed sway, and laboring humanity will then bend and groan beneath its heavier burdens with none to hear their cries and pity their oppressions; with no appeal from the cruel fate that remorselessly follows them except in bloody revolution. And this even affords no hope; the history of the Communists and breadrioters is but the history of failure—strugging for a foothold among humanity, they have but sunk themselves in deeper degradation. The only hope is in the Grange. There is no escaping the conclusion; we all know it; let us, therefore, in the name of justice and country and posterity to come, rouse up, fire our hearts with new zeal for the work that must be done if this new sun is not to go down leaving us in darkness and utter despair. —Dirigo (Maine) Rural.