History of the Grange movement, or, The farmer's war against monopolies : being a full and authentic account of the struggles of the American farmers against the extortions of the railroad companies. With a history of the rise and progress of the order of Patrons of Husbandry, its objects, present condition and prospects. To which is added sketches of the leading Grangers.

Front matter

THE BUREAU OF AGRICULTURE — WASHINGTON, D. C

OPENING A FARM IN IOWA TO RAISE CORN AT 16 CENTS A BUSHEL.

HISTORY

Preface

Among the many remarkable events of the year which is just drawing to a close, none is more worthy of patient and careful study than the important movement among the agricultural classes, which has been popularly termed “The Farmer’s AVar Against Monopolies.” The rapid and astound¬ ing growth of this movement, the formation of Farmers’ Granges in every part of the Union, and the remarkable success which has attended every step of the Order of Patrons of Hus¬ bandry, have made it the most closely and anxiously observed of any of the movements of the day. The people of the United States are deeply interested in it, and on all sides there is a growing desire to know more of it. Men cannot help regarding with a deep interest an organization which bids fair to embrace the whole agricultural population at an early period, and which proposes to exert the enormous strength and power of this class of our countrymen as a compact and united force for the accomplishment of a definite object. They natu¬ rally desire to know if this new and powerful element in our public affairs is to exert its power for good or for evil ; whether it is to work for the good of the whole country, with a wise and generous regard for the welfare of all classes, or whether it seeks only the advancement of its own interests regardless of the rights or well-being of others. Even those who laughed at the movement in its infancy, are now forced to confess that the

PREFACE.

Patrons of Husbandry are to-day a power which no political party can afford to ignore, and which will soon, perhaps in the next year, be able to decide the majority of the popular elections throughout the Union.

It is but natural, then, that the people of the United States should be very desirous of knowing more about this power¬ ful Order. The whole land is full of rumors regarding it, the majority of which are utterly without foundation. The present volume is offered to the public as a means of satisfying their legitimate curiosity upon this subject. It presents a care¬ ful, and, it is believed, impartial account of the wrongs from which the agricultural classes have been suffering ; the causes which led to the organization of the Order of Patrons of Hus¬ bandry; together with an account of the establishment of the Order, its history, its present condition, its objects, and its plans and prospects for the future.

It has long been evident to earnest thinkers that the farmers of the United States are the most cruelly oppressed class of our community. In these pages the writer has sought to set forth these wrongs, and to plead the cause of the farmer, in the hope of awakening the general public to a realization of the case. We cannot afford to allow the farmer to suffer at the hands of his enemies. Upon his weal or woe depends the prosperity of the entire nation. The farmers’ cause is that of the people, and it is the aim of this work to show that in battling for the farmers’ rights, the Grange is fighting the cause of the whole people.

For several years past the country has been suffering from evils of which all have been conscious, but which none had the courage to remedy, until the Grange took up the cause of the oppressed. Prominent among these are the burdens that have been fastened upon the people by the reckless and unscrupulous

PREFACE.

course of the great Railroad Monopolies that have sprung up in our midst. These vast and powerful corporations have inaugu¬ rated a series of abuses which have gradually and effectually un¬ dermined the solid basis upon which our finances were supposed to rest. They have debauched and demoralized our Courts and Legislatures; have bribed and taken into their pay the high public officials charged with the making and execution of our laws ; have robbed the nation of a domain sufficient to consti¬ tute an empire; have flooded the land with worthless stocks and other so-called securities ; have established a system of gambling at our financial centres that has resulted in a mone¬ tary crisis which must cover the whole land with ruin and suffer¬ ing ; have set at defiance the laws of the land, and have trampled upon individual and public rights and liberties, openly boasting that they are too powerful to be made amenable to the law; and not content with all this, not satisfied with the ruin they have wrought, they propose to petition the National Legislature to give them still greater means of robbing and oppressing the people.

The Grange seeks to array the agricultural class — nearly one-half of our whole population — as a compact body against these evils, and by thus opposing a solid front to the monopolists and their selfish and unpatriotic schemes, to awaken the entire nation to a sense of the danger with which it is threatened, and secure its co-operation in the enforcement of measures which will remove the evil and bring about a more healthful state of affairs. The Grange offers to the farmers the most practicable means of bettering their condition, and while it confines its membership strictly to. the agricultural class, it appeals power¬ fully to the general public for sympathy and encouragement. Believing as he does, that the farmer has suffered great and cruel wrongs, the Author has endeavored to tell his story for him, and to show to the reader wherein it is true.

PREFACE.

The great and overwhelming interest manifested by the pub¬ lic in the question has made this a fitting time for the appear¬ ance of such a book. Evil days are upon us, and it becomes the duty of everyone to inquire the cause of this unhappy state of affairs, which is as remarkable as it is distressing. A more singular phenomenon was never offered for our consideration. There is every reason why trade this season should be abun¬ dantly prosperous. Our harvest has been abundant. The markets for our productions are in our favor. AVe have not only a ready sale for our breadstuffs and provisions, but we have begun to send abroad manufactured goods, for which we have had no foreign purchasers heretofore. Our mills have not been overstocked. Industry has generally shown a healthy and steady activity. Our depressed shipping interest has wonder¬ fully revived. And yet in spite of all this, the country has been driven into one of the most serious and alarming con¬ ditions of financial depression it has ever experienced. Every¬ one is interested in knowing the cause of this evil, and in taking measures to bring about a better state of affairs. The Author has endeavored in these pages to shed some new light upon the matter in consideration, and assist the reader in the intelligent discharge of his duty as a responsible member of the community. '\\Tt ^j[

November 25 tli, 1873.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

NO. PA0E

1. The Bureau of Agriculture— Washington, D. C .

2. Opening a Farm in Iowa to raise Corn at 16 Cents a Bushel ...

3. A Prairie Home .

4. D. TV. Adams, Master, National Grange .

6. O. H. Kelley, Secretary National- Grange.^ .

6. TYm. Saunders, First Master, National Grange . .

7. Col. John Cochrane, Master of TVisconsin .

8. C. D. Beeman, General National Deputy .

9. Mrs. D. TY. Adams, “ Ceres ” .

10. Mrs. J. C. Abbott, “ Flora ” . . .

11. T. K. Allen, Master of Missouri .

12. F. H. Dumbauld, Master of Kansas .

18. S. II. Ellis, Master of Ohio .

14. John TYeir, Master of Indiana .

15. A Grangers’ Procession and Mass Meeting .

16. Peter Cooper — Builder of the First Locomotive . .....

17. Cornelius Vanderbilt— the greatest Railroad King in the

TYorld .

18. Grand Central Railway Depot, New York City— the finest

Railroad Depot in the United States .

19. The Men who build the Railroads on the Pacific Coast . 99

20. The Great American Pesert — the Country the Pacific Rail¬

roads propose to Improve ! . Ill

21. Interior of a Palace Car . 125

22. The Parlor Car — Extra Charge for its Use . 127

23. TVilliam M. Tweed— Formerly one of the Directors of the

Erie Railroad Company . 134

24. Jay Gould . 137

25. Mr. Drew calls on Mr. Fisk . 140

26. New York Stock Exchange . 185

27. The President of the New York Stock Exchange announcing

the Suspension of Jay Cooke & Co . 1S8

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

28. Park Bank, New York— the finest Bank Building in the

United States . 192

29. Omaha— Eastern Terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad . 190

30. Scene on the Truckee— Central Pacific Railroad . 200

31. Wild-Cat Railroad Lands . 203

32. View of the Country to be opened by the Southern Pacific

Railroad . 204

33. In the Tunnel— Sierra Nevada. Central Pacific Railroad . 205

34. Duluth— Eastern Terminus of Northern Pacific Railroad . 209

35. Puget Sound. Proposed Western Terminus of the Northern

Pacific Railroad . 213

36. The Falls of the Yellowstone, on the Rqute of the Northern

Pacific Railroad . 217

37. Camp of Railroad Builders on the Northern Pacific Railroad ■ 225

38. Inhabitants of the Country through which the Northern Pi -

cific Railroad was being built . 238

39. Evening Recreations of Railroad Gamblers . 241

40. Crossing the Plains on the Union Pacific Railroad . 243

41. Snow Sheds on the Central Pacific . 249

42. United States Treasury — the Medium through which the

National Legislature robs the People . 252

43. Mining Village in Pennsylvania . 256

44. Interior of a Coal Mine . 262

45. Vertical Section of a Coal Mine . v . 268

46. Scene in the Coal Regions . 272

47. Western Coal Mine . . 276

48. Wagoning Grain to Market . 2S7

49. St. Paul, Minnesota . 290

50. The Middle-Man’s Dream of his Plunder . 296

51. Life among the Middle-Men . 305

52. Cnmp of Wagoners hauling Grain to Market . 315

53. What is left of a Crop after paying Railroad Charges . 323

54. Raising the Rates of Railroad Freights . 326

55. Farmer Gieen tries his Reaper . 342

56. Farmer Green mortgages his Farm . 345

57. S. M. Smith, Secretary of the Illinois State Farmers’ Asso¬

ciation . 358

58. W. C. Flagg, President of the Illinois State Farmers’ Asso¬

ciation . 382

59. The Granger’s Home . 375

60. Duncan M’Kay, Treasurer of the Illinois State Famers’ Asso¬

ciation . 534

Chapter I. The Rise And Progress Of American Railroads

The first Railroad Enterprises — The Pioneer Railroad — A Modest Begin¬ ning — The Mauch Chunk Railroad — Inauguration of the Railroad Sys¬ tem — Introduction of Steam — The First Locomotive — Opening of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to the Potomac — Improvements in the Construction of the Roads — Rapid increase of Railroads — Building of the Great Trunk Lines between the East and West — Efforts of the Eastern Cities to secure the Western Trade — Completion of the great Roads — Commencement of the Railroad System of the West — Its Rapid Growth — Statement of the Annual Growth and Cost of the Railroads of the United States — Their Present Condition . 21

Chapter II. History Of The “ Land Grab.”

How to build Railroads at the Expense of the People — The Public Domain of the Union a rich Field of Operations for Railroad Managers —

The first Land Grants — How the Illinois Central Road obtained its Lands — A bad Example — Handsome Profits— Inauguration of the Sys¬ tem of Land Grants — The Result — The Nation robbed by Wild Cat Rail¬ road Companies — How Congress aids the Roads in robbing the People — Actual Workings of the Subsidy System — Detailed Statement of the Amount of the Public Lands granted to each Corporation — Greed of the Railroads — Bonds and Money demanded in addition to Lands The Railroad Ring — Eloquent Denunciation of these Schemes of Plunder by Hon E. B. Wasliburne of Illinois . S3

Chapter III. Watered Stocks

of Railroad Manager* in marring Valuable Privileges from the •Recklessness of the People in gnrntrng the Demands of lire

i t r ... *1... Dfwlii it nnccili vania Kail road Com pan) vaiiuuumo *

Watered Stock— A Lesson for the People .

Chapter IV. Tiie Consolidation Process

A Railroad of necessity a Monopoly-George Stephenson’s Views— The Interests of the Roads naturally Hostile to those of the People Foolish Prodigality of the People— Competition disastrous to the Roads— Con¬ solidation of Railroads inaugurated to stop Competition— Success of the Efforts for Consolidation— The Four Enemies of Free Trade— Vander¬ bilt’s Success with the New York Central— The Pennsylvania Com¬ pany— Its History— The Reign of Monopoly successfully inaugurated... 76

Chapter V. Tiie Transportation Tax Swindle

Sources of Railroad Earnings— The Freight Business— Enormous Tribute paid by the People to the Roads— The Railroads irresponsible to the Public— The necessity of the Roads to the Country— Anomalous Posi¬ tion of the Railroads— What are Legitimate and what are Fictitious Earnings— Carelessness of the People respecting their Rights— Their Punishment — Arbitrary Course of the Roads in levying Freights — How the Railroads tax the People— The Community made to pay the Losses of the Roads — Instructive Lessons — How Competition is killed — Efforts of the State of Illinois to protect its Citizens — The Railroads refuse to obey the Law — The Railroad Yoke fastened upon the People . 88

Chapter VI. Railroad Tyranny

Dangers arising from the Railroad Monopoly — Irresponsibility of the Roads — Their Disregard of Individual Rights — A Man’s Fight with a Railroad — A Corporation’s Idea of a Contract — What a Railroad Ticket

CONTENTS.

is worth — Brutal Assault on Mr. Coleman — A Struggle for Justice —

The Policy of Railroad Corporations announced— The Public to be tied Hand and Foot — Railroad Testimony — IIow to manufacture Evidence — What a Negro got by losing his Ticket — A Specimen Railroad Murder — A Life for a Lost Ticket — A new Penalty for Drunkenness — Startling Details — The Avenue of Death — Railroad Killing not considered Mur¬ der — Unjust Treatment of Passengers — The Palace Car Swindle — Bag¬ gage Smashers — The War on the Merchants — How a Railroad endea¬ vored to ruin a Business Firm — The Power of the Corporations . 98

Chapter VII. The Capture Of The Courts

Sources of Redress for the People against Railroad Tyranny — Failure of the Courts to afford Protection — Efforts of the Railroads to debauch the Courts of Justice — The Free Pass System — Judicial Stockholders — Designs of the Railroads upon the Law — A Case in Point — How the Erie Road managed the Courts — A new System of Railroad Jurispru¬ dence — Curious Details — How Boss Tweed became a Director of Erie — Efforts of Fisk & Co. to lock up Money — Daniel Drew beaten — The Government intervenes — The War in the Courts — The Value of an Injunc¬ tion — How the Law was made to aid Sharp Practice — Mr. Jas. Fisk’s little Journey — The Country Judge vs. the City Judge — The Railroad makes War on the Press — Arrest of Mr. Samuel Bowles — Justice turned against the People . 132

Chapter VIII. Railroad Legislation

Success of the Railroads in managing Legislatures — Efforts to corrupt Congress — The Railroad Lobby at Washington — How the State Legis¬ latures are managed — A Case in Point — The Camden & Amboy Monop¬ oly and the New Jersey Legislature — Erie Legislation — Exploits of the Erie Ring at Albany — The Story of a Check Book — A Disappointed Legislature . 165

Chapter IX. Railroad Stock Gambling

Who owns the Railroads ? — The Old-fashioned Method of building a Road — The Present Style — A Contrast — The Honest Policy not suite.’ *o the Present Ideas of Railroad Men — The Art of building Railroads with ether People’s Money brought to Perfection — The Era of Mortgages — The Land Grab System — Demoralization in Railroad Finances — The Gamblers in Power— The Real Owners of the Railroads robbed by the Directors — A Rotten System and its Consequences— The Banks involved

CONTENTS.

_ The Railroads demoralizing the whole Country — The New York

Herald’s Picture of the United States Senate— Food for Patriotic Reflec¬ tion — Railroad Senators .

Chapter X. The Great Railroad Panic

A Railroad Gamblers’ Plot— The New York Gold Clique make War on the Farmers— The Attempt to lock up Money— Trouble in the New York Stock Market — A Railroad the first to succumb — The Money Market on the 17th of September— Scene in the Stock Exchange — The Panic begins — Failure of Jay Cooke & Co. — Effect of the Failure — The Stock Market demoralized — Run on the Union Trust Company — More Suspensions — Worthless Railroad Bonds the Cause of the Trouble — Spread of the Panic throughout the Country — The United States Gov¬ ernment offers Aid — Suspension of the Union Trust Company — A Rail¬ road the Cause of the Trouble — The Stock Exchange closed — An Anxious Sunday — The Railroad Gamblers demand that the United States Treasury be opened to them — Firmness of the Government — The Panic subsides — Its Lessons — A Warning to the Country . . . 133

Chapter XI. Wild Cat Railroads

False Assertions respecting Railroad Property — Railroad Building a profit¬ able Work — Useless Railroads — Why they are built — Theory of Wild Cat Railroad Constructors — Forming the Company — A Specimen Enter¬ prise — A Share of the Public Lands — How to raise Money to build a Railroad — Disposing of the Bonds — Where the Money comes from — “Judicious Advertising” — Bribing the Press — The Religious News¬ paper Press the best Friend of the Wild Cat Railroads — The Road in Operation — What becomes of the Stock — Where the Profit lies — The Crime of the Bankers — A Confidence Game — How to stop Wild Cat Railroad Building . 193

Chapter XII. The Case Of The Northern Pacific Railroad

The Road chartered by Congress — An Imperial Gift of Land — The Nation robbed of Fifty Million of Acres — Route of the Road — Character of the Country through which the Road is to be constructed — A Wilder¬ ness — Popular Doubts respecting the Success of the Road — The Capital of the Company — How it was to be raised — The People to pay for the Road — The Stockholders to receive all the Profits — The Bonds of the Northern Pacific Railroad declined in Europe — A “ Popular Loan ” inaugurated — Jay Cooke & Co. undertake its Negotiation — A Terrible

CONTENTS.

Blunder — The Loan does not command the Public Confidence — The true Character of the Scheme — What Might Have Been — The Sequel — Report of the German Commissioners — A Capitalist’s View of the Scheme — The Risks too great to warrant the Investment of German Capital — A remark¬ able Statement of the Character and Prospects of the Northern Pacific Railroad . . 208

Chapter XIII. Danger Apiead

Evils resulting to the Country from Railroad Mismanagement — The Dan¬ ger of Monopolies — Disregard of Individual and Public Rights — Efforts to corrupt the Legislative and Judicial Powers of the Country — How the Corporations menace the Public Liberties — Mistakes of the People — Helplessness of the Community — Mr.Thomas Scott’s Boast justified —

A Railroad King — Contrast between Vanderbilt and Drew — Immense Power of Commodore Vanderbilt — A Gigantic Monopoly — A Real Dan¬ ger — An unsafe Power in the Hands of an Interested Man — Danger Ahead — The Way to meet it . 236

Chapter XIV. Operations Of The Coal Ring

Character and Extent of the Coal Deposits of the United States — The Supremacy of Anthracite — Enormous Coal Wealth of the Country — This should be a Land of Cheap Fuel — Coal one of the Costliest Articles of Consumption — The Cause of this — The Anthracite Fields — Their Location and Value — The Pennsylvania Coal Ring — A Crush¬ ing Monopoly — Efforts of the Corporations to keep up the Price of Coal — Condition of the Companies kept secret — History and Present Con¬ dition of the Reading Railroad — A Dangerous Monopoly — Immense Wealth and Power of this Corporation — Ten per cent, on Watered Stock — How Money is extorted from the People by the Coal Ring — An Inside View of the Scranton Coal Sales — Amount of the Tax paid by the People to the Coal Ring— An Imperial Tribute— Who are the Sufferers — The Poor driven to Despair — How a Scarcity flf Coal is brought about — The People at the Mercy of the Coal Ring Popular vs. Corporate Rights — The Remedy for the Great Evil — How to bring down the Price of Coal and destroy the Power of the Monopoly— The Remedy in the Hands of the People— The Future of the Country at the Mercy of the Coal Ring— The Duty of Congress— Will Congress stand by « the People or yield to the Monopoly . . ^

CONTENTS.

Chapter XV. The Agricultural Classes And Their Wrongs

Detailed Statement of the Agricultural Wealth of the United States, and of the Strength of the Agricultural Class—' The American Farmer— Ilia Defects and Virtues— His Character as a Man and a Citizen— The Su¬ perior of the Old World Farmer — lie should be the most independent and contented Man on Earth — The actual State of A flairs — Hard Lot of the American Farmer — Difficulty of making the Farm pay — A real Grievance — Wrongs of the Farmer — The Effect upon the Young Men — Driven from Home — Sad Story of a Farmer's Daughter — Not an iso¬ lated Case — Cause for Apprehension — A Remedy needed . 283

Chapter XVI. The Middle-men

A Leading Cause of the Distress of Farmers — Working at Starvation Prices — High Price of Bread — Who is responsible for it — How the Middle- Men grow Rich at the Expense of the Farmer — An Unequal Divi-ion of Profits — The Farmer receives too little — Comparison between Agricul¬ tural and Manufacturing Profits — The Story of Two Brothers — A Lesson for Farmers — Profitable and Unprofitable Labor — Contrast between the Middle-Men and the Farmers — Where the Profit on Grain goes — A Palace and a Farm House — Who pay for the Splendors of the Large Cities — Need of the Farmer for Ready Money — How this Necessity is taken Advantage of — The Local Grain Dealers — IIow they plunder the Farmers — The Excess of Western Production — The Real Cause of it.... 294

Chapter XVII. The Railroads And The Farmers

Opportunity of the Railroads to plunder the Farmers— Extent of the Wheat Production of the United States — Amount consumed at Home — The Western Surplus— Amount of Corn produced— The. System of High Freights— The West shut out from Market— Effect of the Civil War— Burning Corn for I* uel — Greed of the Railroad Companies — The Cost of getting Grain to Market -Facts for Farmers-Combination of the Railroads and the Middle-Men— The Story of a Car Load of Corn— Mr. Walker’s Views— The Farmers’ Complaint— Railroads disregard the Law— Futile Efforts of the Western States to protect their Citizens— How High Freights are arranged -The Dependc net of the Farm, reupon 4he Railroads— The Effectof High Freights upon the Value of the Farm —A Startling Exhibit . 31 3

T. R. Allen, Master of Missouri. Col. John Cochrane, Master of Wiscot*

John Weir, Master of Indiana. Mrs. J. C. Abbott, ** Flora.”

O. H. Kelley, Sec’y, Nat’l Grange. D. W. Adams, Master,

SOME OF THE LEADING OFFICERS OF \

Mrs. D. W. Adams, “ Ceres.*’

(jfNat’l Grange. Wm. Saunders, First Master, Nat’l Grange. C. D. Beeman, Gen 1 Nat 1 Deputy.

THE ORDER OF PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY,

CONTENTS.

Chapter XVIII. The Story Of Farmer Green’s Reaper

A Common Fault with Farmers — Not in a Condition to incur Risks — The Danger of running into Debt — The Curse of Mortgages — Labor-Saving Machines — What they are worth — Unfair Prices demanded for them — Farmers paying twenty per cent. Interest — An iniquitous Business — Danger of Indiscriminate Purchases of Machinery — A few Words of Sober Counsel — Farmer Green and his Farm — Getting on in the World — Farmer Green buys a Reaper — How he paid for it — The first false Step — Beautiful Calculations — An Iron-clad Note — In the Toils — Arrival of the Reaper — Disappointment — Second Visit of the Agent —

The Theory of Deferred Payments — How it works — Deeper in Debt —

The Farm mortgaged — New Misfortunes — Selling the Homestead — Be¬ ginning anew — What Farmer Green’s Reaper cost him — A Lesson for Farmers . 336

Chapter XIX. Farmer Smith Speaks His Mind

The Secretary of the Illinois Farmers’ State Association; — Speech at Car¬ rollton — Views of a Practical and Thinking Farmer — Sound Views for the Consideration of the Farmers of the Union — Mr. Smith’s Home¬ stead — A comfortable Western Farm — A quiet Talk with Farmer Smith — His Statement of the Farmers’ Wrongs, and his Views as to the Remedy — Corn selling for less than Cost — “ Sixty Bushels of Corn to buy Two Pairs of Boys’ Boots” — The Mysteries of Western Coal Selling — The Farms more heavily taxed than the Railroads — The Grange offers the best Remedy, and the best Means of attaining it . 347

Chapter XX. Views Of A Wisconsin Farmer

The Master of the Wisconsin State Grange — A Model Farmer and his Farm — Colonel Cochrane’s Views of the Situation — Conflict between the Railroads and the Farms — The Roads first built with the Farmers’ Savings — How the Farmer was induced to buy Railroad Stock — How they are robbed by the Roads — Position of the Middle-men — The Cost of Western Farming — Through and Local Shipments — How the Grange helps the Cheese Makers — Farming in Wisconsin ; what it costs and what it pays — The Farmers unable to fix their Prices . 374

Chapter XXI. How The Government Robs The Farmers

Relative Strength of the Farming and Manufacturing Classes — Estimate of the Number of Employers and Working People — The Farmers at the 2

CONTENTS.

Mercy of the Manufacturers — Need of a free and cheap Market — Ilovr the Tariff works— The Government protects the Manufacturers in their Extortions from the Farmers — The Farmer requires a cheap Market — What the Farmer pays for Staple Articles of Consumption — The Far¬ mers making the Fortunes of the Manufacturers — A Tax upon Agricul¬ ture — What a Dose of Quinine costs — Necessities taxed more heavily than Luxuries — The Interests of the Farmer opposed to those of the Manufacturer — The Government hostile to the Farmers — Food for wholesome Reflection — How the Farmer can be benefited by a Free Market — How to bring it about . 389

Chapter XXII. The Remedy

Review of the Wrongs suffered by the Agricultural Classes — A Minor Evil — The Remedy — The Farmer to receive a fair Return for his Industry — The Farmer’s Interest that of the Nation — The Duty of the Country to protect the Farmer — The Kind of Laws needed — The Mo¬ nopolists the Enemies of the Whole People — A Free and Cheap Market demanded— Power of the Farmers of the United States — The Extent to which they control the Popular Vote — Number of voting Farmers —

The People in Sympathy with the Agricultural Class— What the Farmers can accomplish — Necessity of Union — A great and glorious Revolution at Hand . . 4Q0

Chapter XXIII. Organization Of Tiie Order

Mission of Mr. O. H. Kelley to the Southern States — He discovers a Remedy for the Farmers’ Grievances— Conferences at Washington— Formation of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry — Organization of the National Grange— Subsequent History of the Order— Increase of the Granges— The Grange in Iowa— Strength of the Order— The Weekly Bulletin A Wonderful History— Unprecedentedly Rapid Growth of the Order— Comments of the “ Tribune ” on the Increase of the Granges The Order in Canada — List of Canadian Granges .

Chapter XXIV. Composition Of Tiie Granges

Objects of the Order^Male and Female Members-Division tional, State, and Local Granges-Officers of the National into Na- Grange —

CONTENTS.

Membership limited to Agriculturalists — Organization of the Grange — Qualifications of Members — Secrecy required — The Degrees of the Order — The Ritual Degrees of the Subordinate Grange — Degrees of the State Grange — Degrees of the National Grange — Financial Matters — How the Grange is organized — Description of the Working System of the Order — How the Expenses of the Grange are paid — The Secret Feature con¬ sidered — Necessity for and Advantage of Secrecy — Advantages of Fe¬ male Members — Woman’s Work in the Grange — Objects of the Order

discussed . 419

Chapter XXV. The Laws Of The Order

Constitution and By-Laws of the Order — Preamble — Organization — De¬ grees — Officers — Meetings — Laws — Ritual — Membership — Fees for Membership — Dues — Requirements — Charters and Dispensations — Duties of Officers — Treasurers — Restrictions — Amendments — Birth-day of Ceres to be observed — By-Laws . 431

Chapter XXVI. The Grange As A Means Of Protection

Advantages to the Farmers of the Grange — A Means of Combination afforded them — Good Results of Combination — Harmonious Action secured — The Grange intended as a Means of resisting the Farmers’ Enemies — How it proposes to correct Abuses — The War against the Railroads — The Grange pledged to secure Measures just to all Parties — The Entire Order working for the Accomplishment of One Object — The Order the Protector of the Farmer — Plan of Action — How Measures are devised and carried out — Position of the Grange towards the Railroads — The Grange not a Political Institution — The Power of the Order, and how it is exerted — Individual Opinions respected by the Order — Prospects for the Future — Its Work — Membership confined to Agriculturalists . 440