The Grange advance., 1874-03-04

Your Company still Lives, and Con'
tinaes to:Iss1e Policies and Pay
Losses.
THIS ASSOCIATION
Is, THE ONLY PURELY
COOPERATIVE INSURANCE COMPANY
In this State, and. Saved for the Farm
ers in the Last Five Years Over
s15eysss.se

$15eyeee.ee
~
AND THAT'S WHATS THE NATTER.
To the Farmers Of Minnesota;
Ere this many Of you have read the viru-
lent letter Of Hon. J. C. Burbank, Presi-
dent of the St. Paul Fire and Marine In
surance Company, published in the St.
Paul Daily Press of the 26th inst, introduce
ing the remarkable report of Charles D.
Sherwood, O. F. Brand and r. A. Simmons.
self-constituted subcommittee of the
State Grange Of this State, to investigate
the affairs of our Association. Many Of
you who are not personally acquainted with
the distinguished gentlemen who composed
that self-constituted subcommittee and the
manner Of their appointment, and are not
informed of the vigorous and incessant
warfare which has been carried on for the
last two or three years by the Stock Insur-
ance Companies, and especially the St.
Paul Fire and Marine against ourAssociation
in the Legislature and out of it, will be
not little surprised at Mr.. Sherwood's re-
port, after having so recently read the very
favorable report OF John A. Jackson,
Chairman of the Committee duly appointed
by the State Grange, in convention assem-
bled, to inquire into and investigate the
affairs of our Association, which was made
and adopted by the State Grange at its last
meeting in December. But if you can be
convinced that the Committee have been
made the dupes or willing tools of the
Stock Insurance Company to make raid
on our Association and the cooperative
system generally, your surprise will vanish
into thin air and you will be ready to pro-
nounce this another of the flank movements
made by monopolists to break down the
farmers are trying to adopt in self-pro-
lection.
A few facts relative to the creation, sur
roundings and doings Of this subcommittee
will clearly indicate the purpose and animus
of the same.
The Executive Committee of the State
Grange or O quorum thereof, &C. D. Sher.
wood not being present, met at st. Paul on
the 21st day OF January last for the trans
action Of business. J. W. McClung, and
Mr.. Currier, the State Agent of the New
York Continental Insurance Company, ap-
peared before the committee and presented
plans for the organization of q Farmers
Stock Insurance Company. Immediately af-
ter these plans were submitted by the above
named gentlemen, the Executive Commit
tee, in the absence Of Geo. I. Parsons, ap-
pointed said Currier and one of their own
number, E. H. s. Dart, a committee of two
to examine our Association, but on rehec-
tion and on the return of the chairman of
the committee, it is but fair to be presumed
it was thought a little too thin. And there
fore the committee annulled the appoint
ment of Currier and Dart Committee. Mr..
Currier has waged persistent warfare up
on our Association ever since he came to
this State.
The Executive Committee having COM
pleted their business on the 22d adjourned
to the 31st Of March next. A few days af-
ter this c. D. Sherwood turns up in St.
Paul and Immediately calls the Executive
Committee of the State Grange together
again, under the pretext that "grave and
important business mot mentioning what)
must be transacted by the Committee. So
on the Both of January last bare quorum,
four in number, of the Committee met at
St. Paul on the call of Sherwood to trans
act such grave and important business"
which appeared to be, first, the adoption Of
the resolutions presented by C. D. Sherwood
himseL, creating this subcommittee, George
I. Parsons in the chair, the others and only
ones present voting themselves such sub
committee to investigate our Association.
The next "grave and important business"
transacted by this Executive Committee
was to vote themselves Honorary Members
of the State Senate to examine and investi-
gate the soundness and supervise the acts
Of that Honorable body, which latter busi-
ness, by the way, seems to be in conflict
avith the cypress avishes Of the State Grange as
expressed at its last meeting.
This "grave and important business of
the Executive Committee be it remembered,
was transacted at time when no COM
plants had been made by the members of
the Association when all losses were paid
up promptly and the affairs and business
in fourishing condition and within week
after the adjournment Of the annual meet
ing of the Members and Directors Of the
Association, when over one hundred were
present electing their officers, auditing the
accounts and examining and reviewing
generally, the business and affairs of the
Association for the past year, and after
they had published to the world that the
management and standing Of the Associa-
taoa, "as quite satisfactory to them. After
traasactlng this "grave and important
business in Executive Committee it ap-
pears that they changed their coats and be-
came self constituted subcommittee
OF the State Grange laden with the great
good OF the Order. proceeded to their ar.
duous duties, and after laboring: and work.
ing for twenty long days t6a3y three Of
which we're occupied at the Office Of our As
soeistion) the baasaee Of the time being dill
igently employed in consulting authorities
on insurance and investigating the plans
Of. W. McClpng, Gurrier, Burbank & Co.
for the organization Of 4 Farmers' Stock
Insurance Company. Ia