The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1873-06-19
The Grange" Movement.

A political movement has been go
ing on for some time at the west tina
may possibly have an important influ
encc on the future of the country
This seems the more likely because o
late it has been rapidly gaining
strength.
Early i'm 1868 a society Of farmers
was organized in Minnesota under tho
name of the 'Patrons of iIusbandrv.
The several societies or hodges were
called oranges and from this fact, tho
movement. which is thus far only tho
increase and action Of this association
has come TO bc called the Orange
movement.
The order of the Patrons Of IIus-
bandry spread slowly At first. in Min
nesota. and then in other states of the
northwest, but particularly in Iowa
and Wisconsin. For four vcars--ihat
is 10 the close Of lS7i-the organiza-
iion numbered but about sixty thou-
sand members. In little more than
a wear since that time, however, the
growth has been SO rapid that it now
claims to have at least half a million
''grangers." if that is the correct name
to give them, and to have oranges" in
nimtcen states.
Making all allowance for ovcr-statc-
mcut. and remembering that il is quite
impossible to get at tie exact truth in
regard TO such fraternity, there can
be no doubt that the oranges form a
very numerous body, and that. if they
choose to act together on any political
question, they can exert 4 tremendous
power.
II appears, however. that at first,
there was no intention of making the
order political engine. II was organ
lied for the benefit Of the farmers who
composed it, Oh the principal of TIE as
sociations or clubs formed for the pur-
pose of enabling members to buy
goods ut wholesale, and therefore
cheaper than if made in the ordinary
course OF business. The purposes of
the order also included intellectual i'm
provemcnt.
Quite naturally, the objects Of the
fraternity extended themselves. Being
wholly, or almost wholly composed of
farmers who raise grain for the eastern
market, the members were all inter
cstcd ia having the wheat and corn
from their farms carried by the rail
roads as cheaply as possible. They
persuaded themselves that the rail
roads got all the profits from the farms
of the west, aud this the railroads de-
MED. From the controversy thus Or
i@inated has Spruug a war between the
farmers and the railroad corporations,
which cannot be explained here, but
which is likely to be waged for long
time, until one party or the other is
victorious.
The order bears some resemblance
to Free Masonry II has seven degrees
of membership, to the first four Of
which women are admitted. II has
very thorough organization. Dele
gates from all the oranges form ''Na-
tional Grange" the chief officer of
which rules the immense force that
stands behind it. The order also has
not a little property, and may even be
called wealthy.
The name given TO the lodges was
happily chosen. Grange" means, in
English. farm, generally farm with
Il buildin9~at a distance from others.
But a former meanin. was, a grain
house or granary. Milton and 9th
crs used thc word in this sense; but
the use Of il in any sense has been dis
continued very generally in this coun-
try and in England. Ii will be noticed
that in the choice of this name the
Patrons Of IIusbandry followed, per-
haps without knowing IT, a very old
custom. which consists in applying to
an assembly the name of the place
where they meet. Thus church
meets i'm a church thc housc of rcprc-
scntatives meet i'm house: the hall
where lodge of Masons meet is their
lodge, aud SO on.
The Importance of this movement
and its success will depend very much
on tho manner in which il is conduct
ed. There is always danger that a
large body of men who know their
power will do some things that are nm
wise. and that in the end bring about
their defeat. We are sorry to say that
some of the acts of the oranges have
not seemed, to those who wish them
well. wholly discreet. Very few will
he bold enough to deny that the farm
ers have some reason TO he angry with
the railroads; and. on the other hand,
the railroads have some rights. Ii will
require the most judicious action 10
lead the farmers just far enough to
enable them TO get their own rights,
without going SO far as To do injustice
to the corporations they are now fight
ing so bitterly.