The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-19
Che 8utlanl daily Globr.
MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1874.
THE FARMERS, AND MECElAN-
gCS' CLUB or BRANDON.
Discussion of the ssGrangc question"
ON Friday Evening.

Discussion of the s.Grange question:
ON Friday Evening.
The weekly meeting of the Brandon
! Farmers and Mechanics Club, which was
held on Friday evening last, was made es-
! pecially interesting and worthy of note, and
needs a more extended report than was
given in our last issue This club is a
hourishing one, constantly increasing in
numbers and every year adding to its tinan-
ces. The spirit which pervades the doings
of its members is worthy Of emulation by
any and every organization. and il, we
think, superior to that of any other like
club in Vermont. 1t is, we are informed
by the president, the Oldest organization of
the kind in New England, and we certainly
have reason to think it is one OF the most
enterprising, as well.
Its discussions have been of late very in
teresting and attended Ivy large number
of the outside population. Its meetings
are held at seven o'clock one half hour is
allowed for transaction of business. and
then one hour and a half is set apart for
discussion of the question. The two dis
putants appointed to open the question are
allowed fifteen minutes each. after which
volunteers and others called on are allowed
ten minutes. The rules governing the de-
bate, as will be seen, are very strict and,
as we know, faithfully adhered to by the
| ,,rnciIinn ,fioar Tho
which has been before the club for the past
two meetings, is one Of so wide range,
one in which all are interested, and upon
which every one can speak, that it is liable
to remain ION the boards for some weeks
to come. 1t is set down for continued dis
cussion next meeting at least and will
doubtless call out new speakers and new
facts at that time.
The hall of the club was crowded to its
utmost capacity on last Friday evening by
gentlemen of the club and citizens gcncr-
ally. The question discussed reads as fol-
! lows:
"Will the inequalities of which tho far
mer complains, namely, in trade, by mo-
nopoles and class legislation, find a remedy
in association, and is the organization Of
Oranges likely to prove beneficial to the
! farmer
Hon. Ezra June and H. c. Harrison.
Esq, had been appointed to lead the de
bate, but on account of temporary i'll
health Judge June was excused, at his per-
sonal request, from speaking, and the lat
| for tlnn,an nnonoJ tbo
NJ. Harrison first read from The GLOBE
the address of T. A. Thompson, the national
lecturer of the oranges, as delivered at Bur
lington, and commented upon the same ;
first taking that portion of the address in
which it states that almost any agrcul-
| tural implement or machine could be pur-
| chased by them at one-half the prices paid
by the people, generally" also, in regard
to the working of the oranges in the pur-
chase of tea, coffee and grains. which was
effected through their own agents at the
great markets He refuted this statement
by referring to one of the fundamental
principles of political economy, viz; the
division of labor; showing that such an ar
rangement is practically and fatally con
trary to the great law of society. Farm
ers could not by association carry on the
business Of the merchant and conduct hi,
own affairs, successfully. Men engaged in
these occupations were advantages to the
farmer as well as the farmer to them.
The next point in the address taken VI
was where it is said that "the oranges haC
no war with railroads, but too many mid
dlemen' were being supported at the eX
pense OF the producer" The speaker con
sidered that the so-called ''middemen'
were better able to do the business than tho
farmers themselves, while it would be OF
much disadvantage to the farmer to attempt
to do away with that class, and not be ben
Gifted as much as they are under the pres
ent order Of things. Every class have ,
distinct business to perform, and it is quite
natural that he who is in the practice OF
any trade or profession can do that Will
better acceptance to all concerned than any
other outside party. Without the ''mid
dlemen" the farmers would have to pur
chase at retail and sell at any price they
could get. Then if farmers employ spe
cial agent to take the place of these mid
dlemen,' there would be an additional ex
pense involved which would add material
ly to the disadvantages already named,
these ''middlemen," also, were simply con
sumers at present, in abandoning the pro
fession they would become producers, anC
in so doing would become disadvantage
to the farmers by decreasing the price o
the commodity produced while ncrcasin!
the amount. This principle could be APP
piled in still another direction. Why coul,
not the farmer send his produce to marke
and sell to the consumers at the retail
prices, without the interference of thes
''middlemcn:' This was, he considered
practically impossible. He next referee
to the question of cheap transportation
saying that the farmers complained of tn
heavy tariffs imposed upon them by rail
road corporations, and such tariff helpe,
to dcpreciate the price of products, in OF
der that the ''middlemen' might make
profit. The farmers had said that the
knew the stockholders did not get thi
money but that the officials of the road did
The speaker considered there was not
particle of evidence to show this or tina
there had been any mismanagemcnt on tn
railroads of Vermont. He believed the
were above reproach, Notwithstanding tn
accusations of the press and others inter
ested.
Mr.. H. A. Sumner took the place o
Judge June on the question. lie said Ii
had been farmer all his life, and was in
terested in everything that pertained to tn
farmers as n class. 1t had been his PRIV
lege and sort of duty since this questio
t1,A