The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 1, 1895, Page 8

PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY AND THEIR WORK. How the Grange Origi- nated Twenty-eight Years Ago. A UNION FOR FARMERS. Patriotic Enthusiasm of the Founder, O. H. Kelly,and His Friends. DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORDER. History of the California State Grange Now In Annual Sesslon at Merced. The annual session of the State Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, which begins to- day at Merced, will be an occasion of great interest not only to members of the order but to thousands of farmers who were for- merly connected with it, or who are accus- tomed to look to it for suggestion or guid- ance in the various problems of rural life. Upon its first introduction into California in 1872, the order of Patrons of Husbandry literally swept the State, its growth and energy during the rirst two years being really pbenomenal. Its membership plunged into all forms of co-operative en- terprises with a zeal which, if it had been backed up by wider knowledge and a sounder discretion, would haveyproved highly valuable to our farming in- terests. The absence of ,these quali- ties, however, in most cases brought misfortune to the enterprises with a con- sequent falling off in memoership. Of late years interest in this praiseworthy and really useful order has been reviving, and many signs point to a renewal of its former activity and influence under more experi- enced and sober direction. If the mem- bers of the coming State Grange prove themselves equal to their opportunity the Grange will increase its power for good in the land. Tue Cain here presents a concise but complete bistory of the Grange from its first organization in Washington to the present day. This history has been care- fully compiled and written by Edward F. Adams, a well-known member of the order. No such history as hitherto been written or printed. Itis believed thatan account of this great farmers’ organization will be of material benefit, not only to farmers, but to all concerned in the pros- perity of our farming interests. The order of Patrons of Husbandry, commonly known as Grangers, was organ- ized at a private residence in Washington, D. C., on the evening of December 4, 1867. The idea originated with 0. H. Kelly, who was apparently seeking to pay off the mortgage on his new Minnesota farm by temporary service asa clerk in the Post- office Department at Washington. He was, evidently, in his home community, one of the active men whose political ser- vices are rewarded by small appointments of this kind. A year before he had per- formed temporary service for the Agricul- tural Bureau by a trip through the States lately in rebellion collecting information and statistics for the use of the Govern- ment. He was a man of keen intelligence and broad sympathies and gradually con- ceived the idea of a secret order which should unite the farmers of the entire Union for social purposes and for united action for common ends. The first notion of the special usefulness of the order seems to have been in the line of aiding to remove the asperities remain- ing from the Civil War, the importance of which suggested itself to Mr. Kelly during his tour as Government Agent in 1866. In his correspondence from the South he sug- gested the idea to his niece, a Miss Caro- line A. Hall, who at once responded with | \ & | THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1895. the order in his history of the Patrons of Husbandry up to the year 1875, and he tells the story remarkably well. It reads like an epic, and very properly closes with the blare of trumpets and the red fire which marked the crueae of the first period of gmnge history, the triumph of the hero and the confusion of doubters. Mr. Kelly’s history is not only interesting, but exceed- inglK instructive, and with the recordsof the National Gramge from the beginning to date is the authority for the statements in this article. Before beginning an outline of grange history it will be well that we have the key to its success. It was the necessities of Mr. Kelly. He was a_poor man, his farm mortgaged, separated from his family while earning bread for their support. No one can readifis boek without understand- ing that, filled as he was with enthusiasm for the idea, the thing which inspired him to action and sustained him through trials innumerable was the hope of foundinga great order of which he should be not only the father but the paid secretary at a good salary. How he came out the record does not tell. He got in the end his modest | salary of $2000 per annum from the time ke began work and until 1878, when it was | reduced to_$1500, soon after which he re- | signed, evidently with some friction not | fully disclosed by the formal record of the | proceedings. thusiasts and orgamzers he may not bave { Like most strong-willed en- | been a methodical office man and possibly attempts that he would never make other- wise. He dees not learn until later that of all those who ‘commend hardly one is likely to render any effective aid toward execution. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN, It is interesting to note the development of the plan. - September 4, 1867, Mr. Kelly writes to Anson Bartlett, whom he had then never seen: < “Among -the objects in’ view may be mentioned a cordial and- social fraternity of the farmers all over the country; en- courage them to read and tbink;' to plant fruits and flowers; beautify their homes; make them progressive. * * % I am confident that if we take hold of the mat- ter in good earnest we can make it a popu- lar and permanent institution in g very short time, and by having the fee of mem- bership at a low sum—say $1 for each de- ree—can in twelve months number our rothers by the million.” 4 Truly it is faith that moves mountains. He adds: *“To keep it free from convulsions I would suggest that religious or political questions be forbidden to be introduced in the lodges.” Surely a sound conclusion. ‘There came atime when it was hard to adhere to it, for the grange, in the flush of its first success, -almost fell. over the political precipice, whence it would have been dashed to pieces; but the firmness and good sense of its isaders prevented it. He goes on: **Asour wives and daughters are gener- ally attractive features of rural life I have planued the work to make them active A. P. ROACHE, MASTER STATE GRANGE, could never forget the days when there | th was nothing of the grange but himseli or | realize that the great order which he had | founded had outgrown the control even of | parents. How all this was the writer knows not, but at any rate Mr. Kelly retired from ser- vice in 1878. He from a small politician of gocd impulses | became a strong man. He impressed him- | self on his generation and will never be forgotten. The grange and the Nation | owe him a great debt. | to May, 1867, Mr. Kelly had done no | work upon the order; merely talked about it. That montb he met W. Ireland, | chief clerk of the Finance Office of the | Postoffice Department, and who subse- | uently became secretary of the National | Grange upon Mr. Kelly's retirement. He had previously conversed upon the snbject | with Rev. John Trimble Jr. Subsequently | he interested William Saunders, a cann Scotchman in the Bureau of Agricultur J.R. Thompson, Anson Bartlett of Ohi: A. 8. Moss of Fredonia, Y Grosh of Washington, _ 3 Wayne, N. Y., and William Muir of St. | Louis, who, with Mr. Kelly and his niece, | Miss Hall, are considered ‘the. founders of | the grange. Rev. A. B. | B. F. WALTON, CHAIRMAN 2!30\7’:1‘17! COMMITTEE STATE GRANGE. the suggestion that women be admitted to the order on equal terms with the men. This notion at the time was new and start- ling. The ‘‘side degrees” of the Eastern Star and Rebekah were familiarto the Ma- sons and Odd Fellows, but that wom could be trusted with the awful mysteries of the sanctum sanctorum of a secret or- der had not then oczurred to any one. Mr. Kelly adopted the idea, and it was the sal- vation of the plan. The interest and sym- pathy of women established the grange, and now maintain it. 2 By the time be returned to Washington the notion had got firmly fixed in his mind and gave him no ce. Day and night it was With him, an lually expanded and rew as he dreamed of the mighty changes n the condition of the farmer which could beachieved by united and intelligent ac- tion. He became an enthusiast. Mr. Kelly has himself given a full ac- count of the growth of the plan in his mind, and of his experiences in founding With these gemlemen and others Mr. Kelly consulted and worked upon a rit- ual. His room became the meetinz-place, where almost daily Messrs. Saunders,. Ireland and Trimble, ‘or' some of them, dropped in after dinner for a comfortable smoke and chat about the new order or work upon its ritual. The departinents at Washington contain representatives from all States, and continued trips are being made by department employes upon Gov- ernment business to all parts of the Union. From all parts of the country, also, there is a constant succession of visitors to Washington. There were, therefore, abundant opportunities to present the plan to representative men in all parts of the country, and the plan was certain to meet with universal ‘approval. It is a cheering fact that no one can_presernt any well-digested plan for promoting the good of his fellow-men without receiving in- stant and warm commendation. Thisen- ew with his work, and | courages the enthusiast- and leads to laborers with us in full communion. Il make the meetings of the lod sociable reunions.”” Trae as gospel and plain enough now, but then a matter of grave doubt to the stern body of Free Masons who were in council. “Let the Department of Agricul ture send out the most capable and talented me in thecountry to lecture before the lodges. * * # Let each lodge havea fair every fall. * < # Tlong to see the great army of producers turn up their eyes from their work; stir up those brains; get them in motion in the right direction; make them discard their old almanacs and signs of the moon. ¥ ¥ * Fyerything is progressing, why not thefarmer? "% * * Can you sug- gest an appropriate name for the order? ¥ ® * Theprincipal officersin alodge will be a master, overseer, chaplain, steward, assistant steward, gate-keeper, secretary and treasurer. Ceres, Flora and Pomona | will bé represented in the different degrees by ladies ir costume.”” The matter of the name and a suitable designation for the assemblies caused a great deal of worry. September 15, Mr. Bartlett writes Mr. Kelly: % “Would it not be better to drop the name ‘lodges’ and give the organized bodies of the order some name derived from or ap- plied to the cultivation of the soil? Some bave a prejudice azainst anything under the appellation of lodge; the ‘farm,’ the ‘garden’ or the ‘vineyard’ would be more appropriate and not likely to excite oppo- sition; ‘work in the vineyard,’ ‘work in the garden,” how does it strike you? For the nanje of the order how would ‘Inde- pendent Farmers’ do? * * * In regard 10 fees for membership, is §1 for each de- gree sufficient? It seemsto me it is not enough unless large dues are exacted, w would bedamaging. * * * Inthis age money makes the mare go. * * * In my view this order ought to be a wealthy one, with money in the treasury.” Again sound truth; the main trouble with the grange hasalways been its poverty. September 18 Mr. Kelly responds: “The first item is the tremendous power such an organization wiil possess. Pre suming half the agricultural population are firmly bound through this order,where will the %omwnl demagogues find sup- porters? ut we must avoid politics and religion lest we strike breakers, but we can exert a4 quiet influence. * * * Agtothe name lodges, it is conceded this is not ap- propriate. Each of us has suggested names—‘fields,” ‘farms,’ ‘beehives,’ ‘gar- dens,’ etc. Probably fifty names for the order have been suggested— Independent Order of Progressive Farmers,’ ‘Knights of the Plow,’ ‘Knights of the Flail.” * # * I hope to see every vineyard provided with a library.” By this time a large amount of cor- respondence had been had with people in different parts of the country, all of whom evidently imagined the work to be much further advanced than it really was, and to be possessed-of really strong backing; to satisfy and hold these distant friends some organization seemed to be essential. Pending that the correspondence still con- tinued, and the search for a mame. Oc- tober 13 Mr, Kelly writes: *‘The yocabulary being nearly exhausted some of our members have been seeking for a name bordering on the langhable‘ ‘Rustics,” ‘mushrooms’ and -fung’ have been suggested; we will unearth some- thing yet; the mname of ‘homestead’ in- stead of ‘lodge’ seems to me appropriate.’” A day or two later Mr. Bartlett writes to Mr. Kelly: “I find it difficult to coliect my thoughts for such a work while laboring hard on the farm every day. * * * A name for the or- deris essential before progressing far, for the work should harmonize with it. ‘Lords of the Soil,’ ‘Brethren of the Vine,’ “Temn- &l)es; ,5:: Industry,” ‘Companions of La- T ;. About the same time Mr. in a letter: “In place of ‘lodge’ have ‘gnrdun,' ‘grove,’ ‘arbor’ or simply ‘homes’; ‘gar- den’ has much to recommend it. * * * The favorite teaching spot of eminent phil- osophers; the quiet beauty, utility and do- mestic enjoyment and social utility of the garden.” These glimpses into the workshop are very interesting, and are selected from pages of letters, which in their shrewd- ness, forethought and breadth remind one of the preliminary correspondence of the patriots who framed our constitution; and it must not be forgotten that - this was correspondence between plain farmers usually living by manual labor on their farms. At this time Mr. Kelly says: I confess I built large air castleson a Muir suggests | | | * % x| civilized pecple in the country | | | foundation of inspiration from such let- ters, much to the amusement of Dr. Trimble, who always took a delight, and still does, in wrapping a wet blanket about my most ‘sanguine anticipations., But it does not mar our friendship—rather’ strengthens it, Ireland was my right- hand man, and as our work began {0 as- sume. a form approaching completidn it was ‘my earnest desire that he be the National master. He had done more work than any other person. With this in view I kept at work, intending to be secre- tary, Ereny‘well satisfied that I shouid earn the position.” CHOICE. OF A NAME. But still the name was a stumbling- block. ‘Without the name no progress could be made in . preparing the ritual, for all the symbolism must rest on the name of the order and "the assemblies. October 15 Mr, Kelly writes: “The name of the order is yet a stum- bling-block. It will turn up before long. Here we haye thought itadvisable to adopt the name ‘temple’ for the halls, the grand head to be known as the National Temple. Now, as to the subdivisions in the temple, itis to be presumed that the order that builds temples must have lands. Within the wall lgmr surrounds our temple we have a field, a vineyard, a garden. Sup- pose say we have field, vineyard, garden, temple —four points made. These we other- wise designate as spring, summer, autumn, winter. ~Again tuey indicate ¢hildhood. manhood, - prime " of - life and ol age; also preparation of "the ground, planting ‘the seed, care of the crop and, - lastly -the hdrvest. Again, the bud, the blossom, the iruit and the fall of the leaf; the initiate is first a laborer in the field, second advanced to the more noble work in the vineyard, a vine dresser; third, plaved in the garden, where the cul- wure of flowers adds refinement; fourch; being duly qualified, is assigned a- seat at the. inteilectnal feast of the temple, and becomesa hushandman; * * % . As to the ladies—Geod bless themall the time—but I think they should: ‘pay:the .regular fee; if they ‘receive benefits'irom the order we shaill ‘need funds-to pay for them. * % % “Their degrecs shouid be of & higher-order than those for the men. < October 31" Mr: Muir writes: ““There is so much 'danger from “selfish, designing - men- (especially politi zms‘i, that the utmost caution must be observed. %. % % On this rock the order will split, unless much prudence is used.” Octobe Mr. Bartlett writes: that he is very busy digging potatoes, and that Mr: Kelly must be patient. To this Mr. Kelly replies: ‘¥ %% ‘The name of the ‘League of Husbandry is proposed; if. any original name could be substituted for league it would be better.’” November4 Mr. Kelly writes: “How would ‘it do "to call the lodges ‘granges’; for instance, ‘Blue Fiy Grange zue of Husbandry 2’ *’ Mr. Bartlett “replied, sug- gesting “Patrons of Industry’” as the name of the order, whereupon Mr. Kelly substi- tuted “‘husbandry’’ for “industr and settled that the order should oe called ‘*Pa- trong of Husbandry,” and-the assemblies “granges.” space permitted similar minate discus- sions could be’quoted in' regard to every question affecting the character; objects or king of the order. . Songs; costumes, ; jewels, imagery and objects all re. ceived the same careful treatment with the result of good sense and good taste Doubtless the ritual and improved in detail since those days, but the foundation and most of the nomenclature remain ‘as ‘left by the founders, and no order in the world has a ceremoniat more pleasing and taste- ful than that of the plain hayseeds. All the correspondence was read and has been modifi 8¢S | talked over by the Washington quartet, and lots of fun they evidently had over it in those pleasant evenings after office hours. Here is -a gem (Kelly to Bartlett, November 24): “Your design to use a bell instead of a mallet is new. A facetious brother sug- gests that the master blow a8 hern., He says they are common on farms. Imagine the worthy master blowing a fish horn to call up to receive the chaplain’s bene- diction! 1t would make Gabriel blush.” THE NEW WOWAN APPEARS. These men were advanced thinkers on practical lines. Ncvember 30 Mr. Kelly writes: “I hope one good thing we can accom- plish will be to bring the wages of females up to their proper scale. I have always argued that if a female does the same work as a man she is entitled to the same pay that he receives.” It must be remembered that Mr. Kelly said this nearly thirty years ago, and be- fore the new woman was thought of. At last all was ready, and on December 4, as above stated, the conspirators as- sembled and formally organized the Na- tional Grange, with William Saunders master, Anson Bartlett overseer, J. R. Thompson lecturer, William Muir stew- ard, A. 8. Moss assistant steward, O. H. Kelly secretary, and W. M. Ireland treas- urer. Dr. Trimble refused any office, hav- ing, as he subsequently said, no faith in success. He is now secretary of the Na- tional Grange. There were no other offi- cers or members of the order, and of the above named, Bartlett, Muir and Moss were not present. The new order had not a dollar, nor any motive power except the high-pressure engine arranged to run with- out fuel inside Mr. Kelly, But they could now talk of the Order of Patrons of Hus- bandry as an existing thing. with head- quarters at the capital of the Nation, and it sounded well. The next step was to organize a subor- dinate grange for practice work, which they did at Washington mostly made up of their fellow-clerks in the de- partments and their families, and they must have had rare fun, although the grange, of course, as such never amounted to anything and does not count in the legal history of the order. The National Grange as thus organized continued with some changes, but with William Saunders as master and O. H. Kelly secretary until January 8, 1873, when the first real Na- tional Grange composed of duly qualified representatives of actual State granges met at Georgetown, Va., and took over the work of the order, which it has since car- ried on. During nearly all of this veriod the ational = Grange was mostl myth; about nlr there a was 0¥1t was the secretary,who was absent in the field, with his office in his hat. It met irregularly and informally, oppressed, toward the last, by the serious responsibili- ties piled upon it by the rapid increase of the order and correspondence and ques- tions comini before it for attention as to which they knew nothing and_could know nothing, and they were ali doubtless happ: men when the prodigious specter whicg rose from the bottle which they had un- corked settled down to its own business and took charge of it. 5 CO-OPERATION IN BUSINESS. The grange, in the form in which Mr, Kelly was about to present it to the coun- try, relied solely on the following features: First, education to be promoted by libraries, lectures, discussions and mutual information; secondly, fraternity, follow- ing in this respect the general lines of Masonry, to which most or all of its founders belonged; thirdly, companion- ship of woman in full membership and the social features naturally following. This was the contribution of Mr. Kellyand his associates to the idep of the grange. Magnificent and far-reaching as were these ideas the grange did not thrive upon them alone, nndglrmu it rested there the gran, ximali have lingered along and probably ed. The idea which gave the firstreal im- tus to the Gnnga was co-operation in usiness. This idea gradually §raw up after the organization of the National Grange; there are allusions to it in the f;ehmmuy correspondence, but .nothing any formal document previous to Janu- ary 18, 1871, when the executive committee authorized the fssuance of a circnlar lnyi!:s down the lines for a rather crude form discount purchases by members of the order. This was followed by another in the same strain dated May 1, 1872, but no clear enunciation of the policy of the grange in regard to co-operation was made previous to the formal declaration of pur- poses adopted at the session of the Na- tional Grange at St. Louis in February, 1874, Before that time in practice it had become the great rallying cry of the pro- moters of the order and many co-operative plans had been tried by subordinate granges, especially in the West. But the final impetus which lifted the grange to an immediate and trinmphant success was a fight with the railroads, into which the Western membershi rushed pellmell of its own accord, an with no instructions and no leadership from headquarters, This fight was a mere episode in the history of the grange, the permanent character of which is protec- tive, social and fraternal, rather than ag- gressive, but it advertised and established the order, and will be worthy of attention in its place. In the meantime we will assume the grange to be established for educational, fraternal, social and co- operative purposes, and follow Brother xgfily us he fares onward in its prop- aganda, STRUGGLE AT THE START. On February, 1868, Mr. Kelly resigned his Government clerkship to devote him- self entirely to the interests of the new order, thus voluntarily depriving himself of the means of livelihood, except as his | the National Grange, but apparently not before personally known to Mr. Kelly. This erange, twenty-five years later, on April 20 and 21, 1893, celebrated its silyer jubilee by a magnificent demonstration occupying two days, with exercises, fillin to suxf‘fyocsfion the large opera-house, an attended by thousandsof grangers from all parts of the country. To this celebration Brother Kelly came from his distant home as the honored guest, and we may well imagine that his emotions, standing before that vast as- semblage of his children in the order, must have been such as fall to the lot of few men in this world. Organization of granges followed at Co- lumbus, Ohio; Harrisburg, Pa.; Chicago, IlL; Newton, Iowa, and four grangesin Minnesota. At the end of the second year there were thirty-nine subordinate granges. Mr. Kelly’s methods were to work the | agricultural and local newspapers for all they were worth; to distribute all the cir- culars which he could beg or borrow money enough to print and mail, and for the rest torely on his personal exertions. Wher- ever he could interest one man by letter | there he would go and work up a grange and start a new center of growth. But all the while he was in the depths of poverty. At Washington the pressure of debt began to - be felt. May 2 Mr. Ireland writes: ““Mr. Bean is getting very anxious about his money. He hasj been up to see Thompson about it. The printers are also asking for some. What to do I don’t know. The landlady is also stirring us for hall rent.” Mr. Kelly had to write out thirteen WALTER W. GREER,OVERSEER STATE GRANGE, new mission might be made to support him. There were absolutely no assets and no income, and the promoters had already exhausted their means in the preliminary expenses of printing and postage. Febru- ary and March were devoted to the com- pletion of the ritual, and with that began the troubie of finances; there was no money for printing. Mr. Kelly’s salary had stopped with his resignation, and his co-laborers, all poor men, were not in- clined to actually impoverish themselves for the good of mankind. As the difficul- ties multiplied they be. an to have doubts. February 14 Mr. Kelly writes: “To-night Treland says to me, ‘Supposing: it should all fizzle out within a year?’ don’t like {o have any one feeling an" in- terest -say so, but it only makes me the more resolute. Interest an editor in the grange to be established in your own neighiborhood, so as to have his aid. Take in editors ‘deadhead’ and let’s see if it will fail; let us get an editor in every grange. ‘We have got to study up some pecuniary advantages to be gained by members of the order. Set your wits to work.”’ February 22, 1868, Mr. Kelly writes to Mr. Bartlett: “If we carry out our design to send ont lecturers and distribute printed matter in the form of tracts, essays, charts, etc., for the purpose of diffusing knowledge, it is evident we must have money to do it. * #* ¥ T fancy members will not grumble much at the manner of using the funds.” Contiding but mistaken man. “I hope, however, the officers of the National Grange will prove themselves entitled to salaries sufficient to prompt them to labor diligently for the benefit of the members. * % % Quronly want just now is money; had we a friend who would advance liber- ally for a few months until we get granges established, we could’ easily repay with interest. Perhaps some of those vou speak of who see such a big pile coming into the National Grange will advance a few hun- dreds.” April 3 he started out. In order to do 80 he gave his note for $40, for which in- dorsers were required, and he got Ireland, Grosh, Trimble and Thompson, and a | merry time they had with collectors before it was paid. Before leaving the National Grange held a session and formally en- tered the following on the record: ‘“‘Relative to salary: On motion of Brother Trimble it was decided unani- mously that the secretary, Brother O. H. Kelly, shall receive a salary of $2000 per annum and necessary traveling expenses | ~—the same to be collected by him from re- ceipts from subordinate granges—the sal- ary to date from December 4, 1867. Itis explicitly understood that the officers of the National Grange are not to be held personally responsible for salary or ex- penses,’” PLAN FOR REVENUE. The revenue was to be derived from fees of $15 each for instituting subordinate granges, from which must be deducted the cost of whatever supplies were furnished by the National Grange; this, to be sure, | was not much at first, but it was a hard | bargain. Before leaving, Mr. Kelly called on Worthy Master Saunders; as he handed him some blank dispensations to sign, he said jokingly: “Here { am, ready to start.” “Start for where?” said the worthy master.. ““I have bought my ticket for Harrisburg and stop there first. I propose to work my _Way organizing granges.” ‘“‘Have you any money ?” . “I haye about $2350 of grange money, but intend to pay my way as I go,” In ;(Fleunnt way Brother Saunders re- marked : “Well, you are a fool to start on such an errand.” And they shook hands and parted. Up to that time there had been advanced at various times for the good of the order by Mr. Kelldy $26 75; Saunders, McDoweil and Ireland, $10 each; Washington Prac- tice Grange, $35. Total, $91 75. Mr. Mec- Dowell, at Harrisburg, advanced $50 addi- tional. During the first year ten subor- dinate IF‘“‘“ were established, yielding $150. For the rest the supplies had to come as the manna came to Israel. FIRST GRANGE ESTABLISHED. It is impossible to follow Mr. Kelly through the details of the next two years. The first grange established was at Fre- donia, N. Y., the home of Brotber Moss of | letter pages of instructions whenever he | organized a grange, and wished to have | them Yfinwd to save work, To this Mr, d | Ireland writes: |- “The Nationa] Grange had a special | meeting last eveding, when it was ordered | that no further action be taken in the matter of nrinti% the key. The reason is We now owe, e Mr. Kelly saysas to this that he was of the opinion that !r. Ireland was the only one present at the ‘“meeting,” and deter- mined to print whenever he got ready. A PERIOD OF DISTRESS. There are pages of this correspondence | interspersed with much in a more cheer- ing vein. The facts seem to be that all the associates at Washington -were really in- terested in the work and in Mr, Kelly. None of them, however, were organizers or had any faculty of inspiring others even to the degree of interest which they felt, which was not sufficient to induce the half dozen of them to put their handsin their pockets and payoff the insignificant in- debtedness, which they were unquestion- | | GEORGE P LOUCES, MEMBER ter was received from Mr. Kelly they were encouraged and enjoyed in anticipation their distinction as the founders of a pow- erful order. When things went the other way—which was usually—and when specially pressed for small bills they evi- dently looked upon it as a private specula- tion of Mr. Kelly. 1f he won he got a permanent position at $2000 & year or more, and should therefore take all the risk and not bother them. So they were of varying minds; but as two years went on and saw only thirty-nine granges established, their predominant ieelm%:fldenfly came to be that the order was a failure and fearlest Mr. Kelly should compromise them with debt and discredit them before théir little public. The order was founded not by the excellent but half. hearted coterie at {,vv;snlnmon. but by Mr. Kelly and the energetic and capable men in-various parts of the country who grad. ually became intere: in_his work. The real work was not darried on from Wash- 7= 3 inglon, but from Mr. Kelly’s farm in innesota, four miles from a post- office. Here Mr. Kelly worked on, some- times Jaboring on his farm, but cor stantly writing, and _traveling and printing when- ever he could get money to do so. Grad- ually he interested the agricultural press, whose editors saw in the movement in- creased circulation for their papers. The “National Grange” at Washington wat unquestionably a_good name to con- jure with, and Mr. Kelly exploited it nely, but it was pure conjuring. And yet when _they put their minds to it these Washington ‘founders were wonderfully helpful, not so much in orifipal sug- gestion as in pruning and modifying. No more | sensible Granger ever lived than Wiltiam Saunders, the master of the Mythical National Grange for so many years,' and his formal official papers are models of good English and strong com- rion sense. And he had sympathy also, and a¢ uspnrently the most thrifty of the lot would come to the financial rescue on a pinch To conclude this tress, may be sai advaned by any one to the cause was finallyrepaid in full so far as he would acceptit—and they generally accepted. A POPULAR MOVEMENT. The first strong impetus glv39 to the grangecame from the idea of business co- operatbn. The idea that by co-operation the farners could exchange their products with ech other direct, eliminating all middlenen cf every description, got start- ed in the West, and once started went throug: the Mississippi Valley like wild- fire. Every grange was to have its “store”; eyvery Sate its wholesale establishment. The grmges of the Upper Mississippi Val- ley wer to exchange their corn and pork for the jugar and molasses of the Lonisi- ana graigers; they were to own their own warehotses, both at home, mn the great cities and in Liverpool; the National Grange vas to_become & vast supervising busines: establishment. As these notions began te take hold of the people interest in the grange was at once aroused. In- finitely below even the money value of the firstzrand conception of the founders of the o'der as these views were they seemed vhat was necessary to arouse the eople. ¥ ere vas something tangible, immediate, magnifient; this would rescue them from the bondage of the middleman and make them allrich. The idea spread so rapidly as to alayn the country storekeepers, who naturally began to fight, and opposition will build up anything. When one tells us we ar¢ fools to do what we wish to do, we are baund to try it at once. The busi- ness featire of the order became the main thing. Ip their eagerness to become free, no one vould wait for the other or for well-considered plans, or to learn from the acctmulated experience of others, This mcvement did not spring from the level-headed founders of the order, but seemed to grow up spontaneously from the people everywhere. Mr.}KellF was in the rmd};t of it, and was carried along with it, losing money, in the end, like the rest. For while business co-operation is en- tirely practicable and capable of immense ood to those who engaged in it wisely, Eardl; anything can bring people to grief more quickly than co-operation on the credit system, which the co-operative stores of the Mississippi Valley almost universally engage in. But this they did not yet know, and the work of organiza- tion'in this line, once started about 1871, went merrily on. WAR AGAINST MONOPOLY. In 1870 a new element was first intro- duced into grange work by a letter to Mr. Kelly from W. W. Corbett, editor of the Prairie Farmer. Mr. Corbett writes: “It seems to me that we'z:an order have a work to perform in the war that is to be waged in this country at no distant day by the people against the monstrous mo- nopolies that are overshadowing us. Rail- roads, insurance companies, warehouse and ty legrn%h companies are crushing the Iife oft ofythe producinyg clusses.” Three pages of type follow this opening with & brilliant arraignment of the capi- talistic combinations then proceeding to the injury of the farmers, and a stirrin, appeal to the leaders of the Patrons of usbpndry to take up the fight and meet organization against them by organization in their own interest. The idea was evidently new to Mr. Kelly, who comments on it as follows: “This was boldly striking out in a direc- tion that would find us an able adversary. I had some misgivings as to the result of such a war, but looked upon the publica- tion of the letter as another way of bring- in%the order more prominently before the public.” And sure emough it did. From that time on ‘“‘Business Co-operation and Down With Monopolies” was the warcry and watchword of the fighting Grangers, and riod of financial dis- that every dollar ever EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STATE GRANGE, ably able to do. When some cheering let- | by flma’e signs if they did not conquer they at least scored some notable victories. There fwere organized in 1868 ten subordi- nate granges; in 1869 thirty-nine subordi- nates and one Siate Grange; in 1870 thirty-eight subordinates and one State Grange, and in 1871 there were 138 subordi- - nates lorganized in a large number of States in which State granges were estab- lished in a short time. By this time a large number of enthusi- astic men had been educated in the work and enlisted as deputies in all parts of the Union, a; from this on there was no trouble for funds, nor doubt of success, At the amnual session of the ‘‘National Grange’” Jiunuary 3, 1872, the first master of a real G presented himself to take partim the deliberations of the little ‘Washin, junto, a_little to the disgust of the re: it members, who disliked to have a see how very little there was of . In truth, however, thig had come to be quite well unders leaders of the West, and uxfi among the