Action Of The State Grange

The following is the report of the committee on agricultura adopted by the National Qrange at Washington two weeks ago and by the Michigan State Grange at Lansing last week and will be of interest to many of our readers: The power that has establi -lied the credit of tliis people on a linn basis, reduced interest rates, regulated exchanges, and guaranteed prosperity in all branches of useful industry, is agriculture. During all the years wheii these tasks were of doubtful achievement its workers were quietly, steadily aiul surely effeeting a purpose not fully comprehended by the wisest statesrnen. Their productive industry was laying the safe foundations ot ñnancial greatness andcomnierciul prosperity, enriching the people, niultiplying and extending the iijjs of peace and dignifying labor by proofs of its power and its beiieticent ends. In a single decade this grand industry has added to the permanent wealth of the people a sum too great for contemplation. Kven the small proportion of its products that lias gone into foreign markets in t lint periol - a poftfon of the surplus alone - is a (iiiiti itiution to the material welfare of the people iiioomparably Jfreater than any other country has offered in a like period in the history of the world. A tliousnml million dollars of balance is inadequate exIression of lts commercial valnc, au insufficient nn:iMirr of its greatness, a deficiënt c-tiniate of its value - yet this is but the fraction of magnlllcent produclion goagad bv demauds abroad far exceeded in cach year by home consumption. The grand industry that has done so noch is yet far within th' ineasuic of posibilitie. lts rapid development lias no visible hnunds except in the iadifl'erence of the inillionsengarcd in production to the encroachments upou their civil rights. Ur, in more comprehensive phrase, thes millIom wbo till the soil with siich benefleent effect, liave yet grander achievements iu prospcit if they cjiii be true to their own InteÑaU. Tluir (langer lies in neglect of civil dutics, or Intelligent appreciation of luch dutics. It II l tact, supported by incontestable proof, that agriculture ]ays far more thau il just share of taxes for the support of forersment; and i is equally true that its products are clieapcned in the hands of producers that thcy may yield larger periclitares ot prorit to the various iuterests intervening before ultímate use. Let us confess in (uil sincerity, and with plainunilci standing of the facts. that these exactions on agriculture and its products are in no singular, or strange, but ratlier the inevitable consequences of folly pkyed by (armen themtelvM. They have ulied their fields, carral for tbelr flocks garnered the harvests and marketed the lacrease without refereace to infiuences consLintly tendingto reduce their part in the i'w.niN. They have yielded to the direction and dictation of othcr interests witli astonishing self-abnegation until at last tlit prevailing sentiment relegates theni to tbesoil as lixtures too low in the wcale of iulelligence to deserve partor Aintl the administration ot' allairs. In politics they are willing obsequióos slaves, rrnflj always to hoed the behests of party leaders. Tuey glorily Mtd worship party idols, :ind at tht' polls débase manhood in pertnnctory articulation of thr party shibboleth, theii goto their labor hampcredand worricd bj hardshipsinvited by their ballots. Ifallthis be true, maywe not say with the earncstness of eonviction. that the American farmer deserves nogreater share Ut the rewanls that follow his labor until lie displays manliood enough to Mwrt his rights in the general conduct of allairs? It lus land anil iU prodüOti lic too nuich tiixed, he can not enter eflective pratart against the exaction except throuftl tlic proper channel, and by lawful mcaus - the hallot. Having surrendered to liis masters use of theorie, and lost intelligent appreciatlon of tlie other, we lament the conclusión tlint his tatc deserves no amelioration until hu ld able to surumon manhood to shape his own destiny by intelligent and mdi'ficiideiitexercisebof all political rights and privileges. Standing in the front rank ot labor, feeding, dotbtng and MUUintng a thousand other industries with lavish freedom, ho dciirrii fnr his own na more tlian he gets, until lic resolver tu exert deccnl care over li is righu, not in tbfl BeW of labor alone, and hyways and highways of commerce, hut in the mukinjf of rules affectin the prodnctl Of Iiíh labor - the lawsof the land in which his sole part, as now ordered, is siibinission. As the representatives of n organization based on agrien ltu re, having no purpose hostile to any other useful calling, or profession, we deplore the apathr of American farmers on the question of their righes in the body politie, and iuvoke action de.sisni'il to restore equitahlc balance butween tlic v irious interesus, industries, and pro11 ss, o that no oneshall dominat eorer others, hut all persons engaged in every useful labor hall have tree and equal chance in the race of material and intellectual progre. W ¦ a-k no gifts of place, no oouceMion fiom others, no recognition or reward, except frec and equal opportunity, too long aliandoncd. hut wliich we are inllcxiblv it'Milved to icclaini in tiie hitherto sterilc tield of politics long ago relinquishcHl to plaee-hutilers whose Interest it II to toniast .¦uid perpetuóte party strile, and wbOM inetlnKU have debaiichcd the sacred privileges of citizens until the ballot box has become tlie reporitory of mercenary favora procured by the lavi-li use of money, or corrupt pronuses ot place, a shame and reproach to repiiblican governnicnt, and a menace to the liberties of the people. Beoognlzing as we do theorigin of artitieial hardships placed on agriculture, in the indifl'erence of tal uiers to civil duties which eau not delegute to others without certain liarni. in sliiiniet'ully corrut party amgm n tngendared, In the cynical contc nipt bestowed by party leaders and tbeir unscrupulous adherents upon the right ot labor, we, as the representatives of tbat ealliug which enlista the greatest number ot laboivrs, and is immeasurably gre.iler than any other - even all others - in the magnitude of the values it creates, do solcmnly declare ill our obligations to political parties terminated, and party a.-.sociation hateful, until such time as ]arty inay invite allegiance by wisdom of porpow and purity of method. As an expression of thig determination we submit the following declaration and invite thereto careful consideration frotu all good citizeus of whatever calling or professlon : Resolved, That this Xational GrangeJ epresenting a membership spread over the entire Union, will exert all its torce with unrtagging zeal and persistent purpose, to encourage independent political action, to tlie end that daugers lurking in partisan management of public affaire may be eliminated ; that corrupt party strite may incur the odium it deferves ; that the elective franchise in its exercise may become the true expreiioil of the desire of the citi.en ; that the useful industries of all our people, in evcry calling, may receive just consideration ; that tutelligence, atpuMüty, and woitb ïna.v become tlie recognized qualiflcations tor pvraonl designated to official truste; that money sliall cease to be a potentfactor in determiningnonrinations and electlons to office, and that thegovernment may return to that simplicity which betits a frncali Industrloua people. Hy ttib jdedge we solenmly declare our parpóte to abide steadfast and resolute, and with good will and unsellish desire we ask the workers of every other calling or industry to join us in earnest efl'ort toattain theobiectsnamed.