THE FARMER'S WAR AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 507 



The Grange is a destructive institution only so far as 

 abuses are concerned. It seeks to eradicate these ; but 

 it also seeks to build up a better system in their place. 

 It is pledged to destroy railroad tyranny, but it is also , 

 pledged to secure the inauguration of a system which 

 shall be just to the roads while destroying their power 

 to do harm. It will do nothing hastily. Its very 

 organization and mode of procedure are guarantees 

 against indiscreet and dangerous action. It is com- 

 posed of men who have the highest stake in the 

 welfare of the community; of honest, temperate, and 

 industrious men and women, a class of which the 

 Republic is especially proud. Its measures will be the 

 result of the combined wisdom of this class, and will 

 be discussed and examined patiently and fairly before 

 being decided upon. The Order has nothing to gain 

 by haste, but everything to compel it to act calmly 

 and judiciously. 



That its work will be accomplished without opposi- 

 tion, we cannot venture to hope. Several elements of 

 opposition naturally array themselves against it. The 

 railroads, whose corrupt use of power it seeks to check ; 

 the friends of the land grab system ; the coal monopo- 

 lists ; the men who dam up the avenues of approach 

 to a free market the " protected class ; " the middle- 

 men, whose vast gains are directly endangered by the 

 cooperative feature of the Order all these are its 

 natural and bitter enemies, and they will seek by every 

 means which their ingenuity can devise to weaken and 

 distract the Order and prevent the achievement of its 

 great work. A portion of the press of the country, 

 in sympathy with them, will take up their cause and 

 endeavor to discredit the Order in the eyes of the 



