American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-05-10
FARMERS WILL READ.

tiuence of the order of Patrons of
Husbandry have excited no little
interest in the history of the origin
and progress of that influential or
ganiZatiOn, as give.l by the st. Lou
is Republican,. The idea was orig
inally borrowed from an association
which has existed for many years
in a community of Scotch society and
seems to have had for its objects
the purchase of al! needed from
first hands, and at wholesale rates,
and the cultivation of more intimate
social relations among its members.
1t was really nothing more than II
secret CO operative, industrial and
literary association. The numbers
composing it were few and it's in
tluence small. Indeed, the fact
that such society had an exist
ence was not known beyond the
limits of the community affected by
it's institutions. In was not until
the spring OF 1868 that the Order
of Patrons of Husbandry became
known to the people of the west.
During the preceding winter, Mr..
II. =. Kelley, of Itasca, Minnesota,
and several other leading agricul-
turists of the west, happening to be
in Washington, had frequent inter
views i'm relation to the interests of
the farming population of the great
west. 1t was about that period
that the character and workings of
the Scotch society of North Caro-
lima became known to them. The
idea was seized upon, elaborated
aud matured to adapt it to the
more general purposes Of national
order.
In the beginning of 1865, the Or
der was introduced into the west by
the organization Of grange at
ItaSca, Minnesota. In a short time
another grange was organized in
Jasper county, Iowa; third grange
soon came into existence at WaukUn,
Almakee county, in the same State.
From the year 1868 the order made
little progress until the past twelve
months. A few oranges were or.
gained in Iowa, Minnesota, Wis
consin and Illinois, but mp to the
beginning of the year 1872 it is es,
timated that the whole number OF
members in the four States named
did not exceed seventy-five thOus
and. 1t is claimed that in the same
States now there are at least -four
hundred and fifty thousand patrons
The Order OF Patrons of Hus
bandry is secret society, no one
except members being allowed tt
cross the threshold of their grange
halls. Women as well as men art
admitted to the highest degrees in
the subordinate oranges. Beyond
the fourth degree it does not appear
that females are admitted. Member.
admitted to the first degree ar,
known respectively as LabOrer ant
Maid in the second degree as Cul
tivatOr and Shepherdess; in thu
third degree as Harvester an,
Cleaner, and III the fourth degre,
Husbandman and MatrOn.
The fifth degree seems to be con
ferred only in the States oranges
and upon men only. Those VIII,
have been admitted to this degre,
are called members of the Pomona
or Hope grange, composed only o
masters and past-masters of sub
ordinate oranges The sixth de
gree is conferred only on member
of the council Of the national grange
This council IS composed of master!
aud past masters of the Stat,
oranges. The council meets ono,
in every year. The seventh is til,
highest degree to which any patron
can attain. 1t is conferred only OF
members of the national senate
which is composed of members o
the council who have served ont
year in that body. The emblem o
this degree is Ceres The functions
Of the council anl senate are sim
liar to those of representatives ant
senators in legislative bodies. TIL,
supreme executive authority in thu
order is lodged in the master of thu
national grange; but each subOrdi
nate grange has its own master
Overseer, lecturer, steward, assis
tant steward, chaplain, treasurer
secretary, gate-keeper, CerOs. Pom
Ona, Flora, and lady assistant
steward. Officers in subOrdinat,
oranges are elected to serve for on
year, in State oranges two, and ii
the national grange five years. Sub
ordinate oranges. by the rules. mus
meet at least once in every month
State oranges once a year, and tn
national grange once in every tw'
years.
The order seems to be intended
to exercise moral supervision owe
its members, and provides for thu
care If such as may be unfortunate
The social character of the order il
made prominent, but the material o
the class exclusively represented il
its secret cOnclaves are, it is said
most assiduously guarded. 1t vii
be seen from the particulars glveI
above that this order is very com
pactly organized, and, when takei
in connection with it's vast increas,
in numbers, its general diffusion
over the whole country, and it
manifestation of power and purpose
It's existence constitutes a most in
teresting study for the sOciOlOgis
as well as the pubiicist. The mora
and intellectual welfare of its mem
bers, though strictly attended to
does not reveal the broader ant
deeper significance of the existenc,
of this organization. Already, il
many localities, has the occupation
of the agents, or middlemen,'