160 THE GROUNDSWELL. 



the bomb fell harmless ; the still-born myth failed to stir up 

 the feeling among Southern Patrons that was intended. 



On the other hand, it is a gratifying fact that in no portion 

 of the country, except the Western States, has the Order made 

 so rapid progress as at the South. There, at least, the col 

 ored element gives no trouble. Why 

 should it in this Order, any more 

 than in Masonry, for instance ? No 

 individual, unless he or she be a 

 farmer, or at least connected with 

 agricultural pursuits, and respecta 

 ble, is admitted into the Order. 



The constitution of the Order 

 does not allow either politics or re 

 ligion to interfere with the work. 



Cotton Plant. ,,..,, , 



Every individual member is as 



free and untrammeled in these matters as though not a Pa 

 tron. Nor does the constitution contain any reference to 

 color. If the requisite number of persons of color should 

 apply for a dispensation, it would be issued ; or, if not, it 

 would be a proceeding, on the part of the officer refusing, of 

 an entirely arbitrary character, for which he could not readily 

 account to the National Grange. It is to be hoped, indeed, 

 that Granges, composed of persons of color, will be estab 

 lished all over the South and elsewhere, provided the agri 

 cultural element is strong enough to support one. In the 

 North there will rarely be any necessity for Granges of col 

 ored brethren, for, there, comparatively few persons of color 

 take to farming regularly. Their tropical nature leads them 

 to engage in such labor in cities as save them from exposure 

 to the weather in winter. There is nothing in the ritual of 

 the Order that precludes the admission of any person on ac 

 count of nationality or color, no matter what it be. Ther&amp;lt;* 



