Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-02-13
Farm and Fireside.



In nearly every county of the Western
and some of the Southern States the
grangers have been holding their annual
conventions, and our exchanges, for the
last two weeks, have been burdened with
reports of their proceedings. Instead of
dying out, as has been asserted, there has
been an extraordinary accession of strength
on the part of the movement. 1t has al
ready gained political control of Wisconsin
and California, and is debating terms TO the
old parties in Iowa and Kansas. BY the
next election the grangers will hold Illinois.
Minnesota and Michigan. When tho
movement was inaugurated it was in es-
sence and spirit, purely selG-protective. 1t
embraced men of all shades Of political
opinion, and had for its design the break
ing down Of the system of middle men in
trade, and, by local combination, to pro-
cure farming and agricultural implements
at first band and first cost. The Order
grew and flourished. Then came the quar-
rel with the railroads, and for the first time
the farmers found out their real strength.
They demanded cheap transportation for
the products of their farms. They had
"htChOu WIN SdliSldClIOu lut TuDlu uGNtl-
opment of the railroad system in their
midst. The energetic and enterpIising
settlers who had made their homes upon
the fertile praries of Illinois, Iowa and
Minnesota, and the more distant West,
hailed with eagerness this means of COM
munication with Eastern markets, natur-
ally expecting thereby to ensure remuner-
alive prices Tor their crops. But they were
previously disappointed. The cost of
transportation, for years. has been so great
as to leave nothing for the farmer after the
paying of the railroads and middle men.
The issue made was legitimate one. Ev-
erybody saw the justice of the demand,
and in the same ratio that it was opposed
by the railroads the movement gained in
strength. 1t was the old contest of right
against might. From what was at first, :"
local quarrel bas--DHiear, . great rCiu- "a
ura hy the pash .lisrL- .''e''' N"t!iational
question, and possibly the beginning of a
great national party. Not n week ago,
Senator Morton, himself an honored men-
Der of the Order, offered the following res
olution in Congress:
Rcsolved, That the Committee of Trans
portation Routes 10. the Seaboard be in
structed TO consider and report bill
creating Commission of five eminent and
skilful persons, appointed by the President,
by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, who shall examine and report to
Congress what legislation is necessary and
practicable in regard to Interstate railroads
to promote the following objects, viz: The
speedy transportation, at reasonable rates,
of freights and passengers; the safety and
comfort of passengers by providing for the
lnSnpptiOn of hri1pnS tracks. locomotives
and cars; and the reform Of any abuses
that may exist in consequence of extortion
or unjust discrimination in the transporta-
ton of freight and passengers; and, in
general, what regulations are necessary to
promote the efficiency of railroads, the in
terest of commerce, and the convenience
and safety of the travelling public.
During the recess of Congress, the COM
mittee named have been busily engaged in
collecting data and facts connected with
the subject, and their report shows them TO
be in full sympathy with the ideas adj
vanced by Senator Morton in his address
accompanying the resolution. We have
from the first deprecated the idea of turn
ing the movement from its original pur-
pose into political channel. That there is
a great temptation for so powerful an or
ganization 10 try its hand in the formation
of a new party is undeniable. The great
mass of the members undoubtedly believe
that, should they gain victory at the polls,
they would have matters in their own
hands, aud could manage the affairs of the
nation pretty much as they liked. They
could have cheap freights, free trade, low
taxes, and general prosperity. There
would be, too, for the ambitious and aspir-
ing, remunerative official positions, the
chances Of obtaining political prominence,
with thousand glitterng hopes and pos
sibilities Of the future. These are power
full incentives, and have already wrought
serious mischief 10 the Order in portions of
the West by the endeavor to secure ascend
ancy at the polls. So far as agriculture is
concerned, the grange movement is des-
tined to mark a new departure in the in
terests of the country. 1t enlightens and
instructs the farmers and broadens Their
general ideas, not only as regards the til.
ling of the ground, but as to the progress
and welfare of the country.
There are now, according TO the official
statistics, published January first, 9291
subordinate oranges within the limits o
the United States. The ten Western States
have in the aggregate 67l3, about five
seyenths of the entire Order. Iowa has the
largest number of any one Slate, 1889
Missouri has 1900; Illinois, 79s: Indiana
1882; Kansas, 72l. In the South, where The
progress has been equally rapid, Mississip
pi reports 5O7 subordinate oranges; Georgia
1927 Alabama, S26; Tennessee, 262; soutl
Carolina, 1914; North Carolina, 12s; Ken
lucky and Arkansas, ll6 each. In New
England the Order is spreading rapidly
there being now probably nearly one hun
dred subordinate bodies, though at th
time OF the date of the report there wer
but %. California has 1928; Pennsylvania, As
New York and New jersey, "a each; Mary
land, 7. The order-which, a month age
numbered nearly 100000, of which half ar
Voters-suppOrts a dozen or more news
papers, exclusively devoted to its interests
-ROsLOn GIobo