ACTION OF ILLINOIS STATE FARMERS* ASSOCIATION. 561 



Patrons &quot; immersed up to their throats in partisan politics ?&quot; 

 If so, it is concealed with a Machiavelian subtlety, which 

 would prove the &quot; Patrons &quot; worthy pupils of that class of 

 journalists who have so accused them. On the contrary, is 

 not the entire absence either of partisan politics or political 

 action of any kind-, except the broad ground upon which all 

 may unite who truly love their country, commendable ? 



ACTION OF THE ILLINOIS STATE FARMERS ASSOCIATION. 



As distinguished from the action of the two representa 

 tive bodies of men composing the Granges just noticed, 

 the Illinois Farmers Association, at their second annual 

 meeting at Decatur, Illinois, took strong political ground. 

 This organization is composed of delegates from both Clubs 

 and Granges, but more largely of the former. The Pa 

 trons, however, did not attend under the auspices of the 

 Granges, but as individuals representing constituencies. 

 This body did not hesitate to express themselves emphati 

 cally upon the live political issues of the day, much to the 

 disgust of both the revolutionary and monopolist organs, 

 who, in the early days of the association, set themselves up 

 as its mentors, and who have since sought by every means 

 to guide its course. Various party &quot;organs,&quot; too, fancy 

 they see hand-writings on the wall that are particularly 

 unpleasant. 



Some of the latter are particularly anxious that the farm 

 ers should know that they themselves did not start the 

 movement, but a lot of broken-down Washington politicians 

 the only grain of truth in which bushel of chaff is that 

 the Order of Patrons of Husbandry was established at 

 Washington. This organization, however, represents only 

 one of the three great elements in the Farmers Movement. 

 24* 



