The Grange advance., 1874-07-01
lowing increase in their members, and the
business done by them:

1900 5,29U
Mr.. Delitzch adds that at the date of his
report the numbers have risen to nearly
$500; and from the returns received at
the Central Office (which, however, were
| only full in all respects as to 942 associa-
tions) he gives the following estimate:
Thalers. { Sterling
Total business, 100000, 900 $4,000, 900
Cash credits, $4,000, 900 81, ,000, 200
to members, $4,000, 900 4,3oo, 900
Loan capital, S., ,000,00 II, $50 600
The total number of members he esti-
mates in like manner At l, 100000.
| Such, in brief outline, has been the op-
Grafton of the two principal forms of that
ladder of systematic association for pro-
duction and distribution, up which the
working classes of Europe are now striv.
ing to climb out of the mire where the
iron tramp of capital, competing for profits
at their cost, has trodden them down, to
that happier stage of existence where this
keen competition for profit shall be trans
formed into generous emulation for excel.
| lence and the producer shall shake hands
in friendly union with the capitalists, in
whose ranks he will be included.
The two forms of associations remaining
to be noticed are, to certain extent, anti
| cipations Of the flowers and fruits by which
this stage Of existence will be cheered and
adorned. They are instances of the spirit
Of union directed, either to create common
meeting places for bodily recreation or in
tellectual enjoy ment among the working
| classes, or to import into their houses those
appliances for promoting health and COM
fort which the richer classes have long
since learned to consider necessaries of
life in their own homes.
A few illustrations here follow to show
the advantage of this sy stem Of working
together by combined capital for the ad.
vantage Of the poor.
In Mr.. G. J. Holyoake's interesting ac-
count of the Great Equitable Pioneers
tied ''Self Help by the People," One
member, who had lived in cellar for thir-
ty years, and was never out Of debt, one
morning astonished his milkman by dis
playing, with pardonable pride, &5 note,
the first he had ever possessed, and asking
for change. Another, q woman, who was
told by some enemy of the store that it
would break, replied, "Well, it will break
with its own, if it do break, for have on
ly paid in one shilling, and have ESQ
there now" A third, who when he joined
the Society had never been out of shop
keepers books for forty years, in nine years
afterwards had paid as contributions f2
lss. d., had drawn out Ell los. 3D., and
had still G5 left. A fourth, whose debt to
his shopkeeper during twenty-five years
had averaged from 40s. to 50s., and.hi ex-
penditure los. week, had paid into the
Society &2 los. 3D., drawn out G6 U.s. 3d.,
and had &8 0s. Sd. remaining, as the result
of nine years. dealings. A fifth had paid
in 15s., and in the course of two years
gained Els, Of which he had used ELI los.
lid. only. A sixth, who had generally
owed his shopkeeper from 20s. to Sos, had
stored up from nine years. dealings with
the Society e3 Is. l0d., out of an average
expenditure Of 9s. a week, having paid in
as contributions FL 1Ss. Id, and drawn
out FL Us. Id. A seventh, man above
sixty, told Mr.. Holyoake that had it not
been for the store he did not know how he
could have lived without going to the
workhouse. 1t had nearly kept him in
food by the profits on the goods he had
purchased for the last eleven years, dur
ing which he had received in dividends
EFT Is. 3d., and had still ell left in the
Society. But it is needless to multiply in
stances. Those already given may suffice,
to illustrate the important improvement in
the actual condition of members Of the
working class, even those in the receipt Of
comparatively small earnings, from the
profits upon an expenditure, by no means
embracing, at the time to which these
statements relate, all their outlay.
The Storm at Minneapolis June
30th.
Mr.. Charles r. Putnam, a brother-in.law Of
Hon. Geo. A. Bracket, liued IN q two-story