The Grange advance., 1873-12-24

lyceum the farmer is learning to think,
as he never thought before A library
OF useful knowled ge is provided, con-
slsting Of books and papers designed to
cultivate taste for reading, and to ele-
vate the farmer IN the scale of general
intelligence.
The charitable feature of our Order
has done much towards commencing it
to favorable consideration. While the
attention Of the Oranges has been chief
ly directed to these objects, viz: the
elevation of their members as farmers.
socially and Intellectually, they have
not lost sight Of the advantages to be
gained by cooperation, in elevating
them also, and improving their condition
financially. More has been accomplish
ed in this direction, since our last meet
ing, than the most sanguine among US
then dared to hope Farm and family
supplies are now furnished the members
OF our Order at greatly reduced rates
from those formerly prevailing. Econ
omy is being practiced, and as conse-
quence, debts are being liquidated. In
this connection | desire to call your at
| tention to measures which are being
successfully adopted elsewhere in our
Order, and which should be speedily
adopted by us, designed to give the
farmer the control of the price of the
product Of the farm. Those measures
are simply the exercise of the power al
ready and always possessed by us. We
hold in our hands the supply for most
Of the wants of the world. The farm
er produces most Of the food and cloth
ing for the world. All acknowledge
that all are dependent upon him for the
very necessaries Of life. The world
must have food and clothing. Nature
creates the demand, and is imperative.
The law of political economy is fixed
and immutable, that the price of thing
depends upon the demand and supply
for that thing. The supply may be
abundant, but if it is ac;thheld the eff.
feet upon prices is the same as though
it was deficient. Now it is fortunate
circumstance that there is no law upon
the statute book compelling the farmer
to sell his produce, and he has a right,
nay, it is duty, to withhold it until
the price shall be such as to fairly re-
munerate him for his expenditure of
time, labor and capital. TO effect the
desired object of curse the Withholding
must be general, and To- this end there
must be cooperation Our ordor has
the means of cooperation, and it only
needs to be put into practice to accom-:
plish the end. The details can only be
suggested. These already adopted are
Grange storehouses~ on the lines of railr
Dads and upon water-courses the ship
ments of the produce of the farm as d.
rectly as possible to the consumer, with
out the intervention of rings or middle
men who make prices for the consumer,
as we'll as for the producer, and take the
lions share Of the profits; the erection
and improvement OF mills for reducing
the cereals to more condensed and
valuable form. thereby reducing the
cost Of transportation and effectually
providing against shrinkage and imposi.
tion in grading.
l The subject Of transportation is one
Of more vital interest to the farmer
than to any other class. The great
bulk Of freights are the products Of the
farm: Complaint is made by the farm.
ers Of the West that the tariffs upon
both persons and property imposed
by railroad corporations are exorbitant
and unjust, and might be, and ought to
be reduced. They charge upon the
corporations that they have been large.
ly built by the people, through land
grants and local bonuses, and that they
ought, therefore to subserve the inter
ests Of the people; that it is an over.
turn Of justice for railroads to exact
rates for freight and passengers as to
enable them to declare dividends upon
any other than actual stock, to make
the people pay dividends upon their
own donations in short that instead OF
proving what they were designed to be
blessings to the people they, have
become gigantic monopolies, overruling
and overriding the rights and interests