The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-07-07
.'.1I1N5i;;iiiIi 1GR1oUnTUR1I ORGANIZATION

TRONS OF HUSBANDBY. The hlassachu.
sstts Ploughman, referring to the impor-
tanoS ogFagricdlture asthe basis Of all
other Interests, comments upon. the me-
oessity of organization on tho part OF it's
followers. This, it contends. is the lever
that Is to lift agriculture to the place
where it properly belongs, as the first
among the recognized agencies in hu-
man progress. 1t seems that recent
organization Inns been started with a
view to this end. This organization is
termed 1.-THE Patrons OF Hnsbandry. !"
The Ploughmdn snys:
The readers Of the Ploughman are fn.
miliar with the investigation that has
been making in these columns of late
into the character and scope of the COM
pnratively recent organization, styled
the "Pntrons Of Husbandry." From
what has been elected. it Las become
obvious that it is designed to supply the
very need, on o broad national basis.
which agriculturists everywhere confess
the existence of. It's headquarters ore
in Washington, as seems eminently pro-
per; but its secret organization is spread
ing, like n net work, over the entire
country. Its central purpose is to bring
about tho material and moral advantages
Of union aud active cooperation among
farmers. How such consummation
could be secured has long been serious
question, hnt this society appears TO
have brought it about without noise or
opposition. It is now an accomplished
and successful fact. Remarkable results,
of O practical sort only, have been
achieved by it. It is visibly drawing
producers and consumers closer togeth-
or, dismissing to productive employment
vast numbers Of middlemen, and bring
ing down to reasonable stnndnrd tho
prices of manufactured articles TINT ore
in constant use by ngriculturists. It is
establishing "Granges" in every town
and village, to which men aud women
are equally admitted as members. thus
recognizing the real influence of woman
in the highest triumphs OF agriculture.
In the National Grange, all the States
of the Union have representatives..
A few facts will best illustrate tho
working OF this extended association of
agrioulturists. A single County in Illi-
nois saved to the farmers last season,
Sl5, 900 on the price of farm tools.
Plows that before cost from S22 to S28.
are purchased by this association at from
S15 to $40. Ouitivators dropped in
price to the Western farmer from $40
and $35 to 22l and $26. So with trees
and plants from the nurseries. The
makers OF farm implements nre ecatter
ing their circulars among the Oranges,
and Offering the members tools ut from
onefourth to more than one-third less
than the middlemen's prices. Produce
mill fftr rAo nh 1>o r1rof ~
rates, thus saving the difference to the
scarcely trouble themselves to handle it
ut all. Agents from every local Grange
will find the profitable market for beef,
mutton, butter, cheese, eggs, fruit, grain
and other staples of agriculture and
save to tile agricultural class the i'm
menso sums which the consumer help
lessly pays over to the exacting middle
men. Here is tue point where this
organization specially benefits the
farmer; it enables him to command the
market, instead OF being made the con-
tinual prey of plundering traffickers, who
never did days work in their lives.
This is the real good Of organization.
Tho railroad men, the iron men, tho
manufacturers, the shoe and leather
dealers, the coal men, the real estate
men, all have their compact associations,
their exchanges. boards Of trade. and so
forth, professedly 70 further their own
interests Thu ''Patrons of Husbandry"
is an association, as wide as the Union
itself. whose purpose it is to do for the
great mass Of our agricultural popula-
lion what other callings are no wise
backward about doing for themselves.
Its operations are to be co-extensive with
the interest OF agriculture itself. The
Oranges OF State will be capable Of
sending the produce of their members
to market at reduced rates Of transporta-
ton, choosing favorable times for sale,
and saving to producer and consumer
the vast amounts that are now exacted
by a non producing class from both.
Suoh are. in outline. the objects of the
association of the "Patrons of Hus-
bandry." They originate with the ne
ceasities OF the period, are in the inte-
rest Of the largest class of laborers, aud
directly benefits society in all it's practi
cal relations. We therefore hail it as o
determined movement for the elevation
OF agriculture, and welcome it's estn-
blishment among the progressive
agencies Of our time. It cannot root
itself too rapidly in the favor Of the
great class for whose welfare it is spe-
cially designed.
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