The Grange advance., 1873-12-17
THE GRANGER CHIEF.
Personal Appearance and Character
OF the Founder OF the Changers.

From the New York Tribune.
Mr.. Saunders, the founder Of the Or
der of the Patrons Of Husbandry, is des-
cribed as genial, unostentatious, sensible
Scotchman. He is upward Of 60 years
of age, a man of large frame, something
above medium height, with grey hair, a
beard almost white; and, although his
complexion is rather dark, he has the
lightest blue eyes | ever saw-eyes
which would delight the transcendental
Alcott, who believes that the blue-eyed
will inherit the earth. He has high
and somewhat retreating forehead, a
nose which evinces strength Of character,
and rather sober expression Of counte-
nance, as a man Of thoug hit rather than
Of Il man who is controlled by his feel
ings. His bearing is such that he elicits
good will from others; those who are as
sociated with him holding him in pro-
found and even tender regard
Mr.. Saunders came to this country in
1917. Prior to that time he had been
engaged in horticultural and agricultural
pursuits in and about London, where he
also organized several societies Of persons
engaged in occupations similar to his
own. For several years past he had
been, as he is at present, the Superin-
tendent Of the gardens Of the Depart
ment, Of Agriculture, and the beauty Of
the gardens, considering the brief period
they have been in existence, certainly
does credit to his skill and taste.
The Order of the Patrons Of Hus-
bardry was first conceived in his mind
some seven years ago. The grand OBJ
jccts he had in view were general i'm
provement in husbandry, the promotion
Of the welfare and happiness Of those en-
gagged in agriculture and kindred pur-
suits, and the increase consequent upon
these, Of the general wealth and prosper
ity of the country. He had observed
that the popular modes Of treating an in
terest in husbandry, and of securing Z,
diffusion Of knowledge, with /, view to its
application for the increase Of the pro-
ducts Of the soil, were imperfect and
wholly inadequate. He saw that. for
the welfare Of the great producing masses
of the country, and for the efficiency in
their labors, two things were essential
education, especially instruction in rela-
tion to the best methods Of production,
and unity of action, and these two essen
tials he kept and still keeps steadily in
view.
Having settled upon the ends to be ac-
complished, he spent two ycars-1S65
and 1966-in corresponding with the
principal agriculturists Of this country
and Great Britain, with the view of in
terestinY them in this project. Refer
ring to his correspondence then and since,
which has been very extensive; he as
sured me that in it all he had never made
use Of franked envelope, although the
franked envelopes Of the Agricultural
Bureau were always at his disposal. At
length, after much labor and preparation,
in December, 1867, the first Grange was
organized in this city, consisting of agri-
culturists from various States Of the
Union. Soon afterward the Secretary
Of this first Grange, while on a visit to
his friends in Minnesota, organized the
second Grange, and during the five years
following societies were formed to con-
siderable number in various States. But
the progress of the movement was slow,
and the founder met with numerous dis
couragements. Many Oranges disband-
ed, failing to realize the great advantages
that had been held out to them, and he
was obliged to urge the others, by letter,
to hold on, assuring them that considera-
BILE results could not be counted on until
the movement had become extensive,
but that, when it did once get we'll un-
der way, they would, to use his phrase,
"do big business -
Eleven months ago there were but
1,lO0 Oranges in the whole country. It
was then that the movement took a sud
den forward start, and it has since grown
with rapidity astounding to Mr.. Saun-
ders, and to everybody else. There are
now over $500 Oranges in all the States,
and they are are increasing by the hundreds
weekly. There are over 1900 in Iowa
alone. In Pennsylvania, % Oranges
were formed not long ago, the result Of
an agents labors there for few weeks.
Speaking Of this rapid growth, Mr..
Saunders remarked that the thing was
now beyond his control, and that he
could do little else than sit still and ob.
serve its course. Still, he receives a
large mail daily from all parts Of the
country, and he has numerous calls from