The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-11-27
THE NATIONAL GRANGE

Pursuant to resolution adopted at the
meeting of the National Grange Of the Pa
irons of Husbandry at Charleston, s. c., in
February last, the time Of the annual meet
ing was changed from February to Noyem
Der, and the place for the next meeting was
fixed at Louisville, Ky. Accordingly the Ma
tional Grange met at Louisville on the 18th
inst, and has been in session there for a
week past
From Il lengthy and well prepared article
in the Chicago Times we condensc u few
facts and figures in reference to the order OF
the Patrons of Ilusbandry as it now exists in
the United States
The order claims an existence of nine
years, though in 1868 there were but three
oranges, and the number increased very
slowly until three years ago. In 1872 there
were but 100, in 1875 there were $4,000, and
in 1876, 24,002, with an estimated member
ship of 100000
The order seems to flourish most in the
south and west In New England the oranges
are scarce, Maine having but 4G, Massachu
sets ca; in the Middle states they are u little
more numerous-New York having 254
Pennsylvania 3G7, and New Jersey 81; bu,
in the West, Indiana has 2033, Illinois 1889
Missouri 2,U32, &C.; and in the South Ken
lucky has 1908, Tennessee 1901, georgia
705, South Carolina $50, &c.
AS at present organized the order has sew.
en- degrees, three of which are subordinate or
probational as entered apprentice and fel.
low. craft in masonry; the fourth husband.
man being the equivalent of master in ma.
sonry. The fifth degree Pomona is that
IN which the county councils and state gran
ges work-it is only open to masters and
past masters and their wives and the few eX.
ira delegates let into the county oranges.
The sixth degree (Pora) is that in which the
National grange works. 1t is only open to
masters and past master of the state grange,
and their wives. Above all this is the senate,
the seventh degree Ceres or Demeter), com
posed of the ripened past officials Of the Ma
tional grange. There was strong party of
reformers represented at the last meeting of
the National Grange IN favor of abolshng
all the degrees above the fourth, and the
movement is still stronger in the meeting.
The objection to the upper degrees is, that
they make the order essentially aristocraic
and centralizing in its constitution placing
the higher degrees beyond this possibility
of attainment by the body of the member.
ship.
The finances of the national grange have
also been the subject of good deal Of wrang.
ling and dissatisfaction. The last annual re.
port showed the receipts of the year to have
been about $3.50, 900, of which $9l coo remain
ed in the treasury. Such surplus was
deemed dangerous and demoralizing, and
steps were taken to reduce it by distribution
to the state oranges; but as most OF the state
oranges were in arrears for dues, and these
arrears were deducted from their proportion
of the surplus, the distribution has tended
very little to reduce the gross amount. The
movement now is to cut down the income by
reducing the price of dispersations, monthly
dues of members, &c.
There is also trouble in the grange with
regard to its head officers. Adams, the mas.
ter, is denounced as a 'pious fraud" IN
stead of being a farmer, he is in reality a
merchant and the President of railroad
Besides which he has given dissatisfaction
by his appointment of committees and open
ottn 10 fn lnhhu ~ n 81 It'd
lie has been bounced"
There were also grievious complaints
against Kelly-"Boss Kelly" MS he is called
the National Secretary. The principal
charge against him is that, like Grant, he mas
too many relations. A brotherin-law, one
Robert Farley, master of Grange IN New
York, flying the name of Farley & Co. the
"Co." supposed to be Kelly~under the pretense
of grange national purchasing agency, sue
cceded, by Kelly's indorsemsnt, in swindllng
the local oranges out of about $4,000. The
National Grange was asked to make good
the loss, with what success tie published
proceedings thus far fail TO reveal, but Kelly
has had address enough TO have himself re.
elected.
The proceedings of the National Grange
now IN session its meetings beng held with
closed Doors are furnished 10 the press in
stinted Instalments From these we learn
that on the first day the principal subject of
interest was the report of the executive com.
miitee, the salient feature of which was a
thrust at the Farley national purchasing
agency, and recommendation that there be
hereafter no purchasing agencies except a
single agent in each state, wac is TO have no
perquisites, but TO be paid salary by the
state grange. We do not learn whether this
recommendation was adopted.
Among the propositions brought before
the Grange and discussed was one to memo
rialze congress 10 provide by law against
any renewal of patents, and that all patents
deemed valuable shall be purchased by con.
gress and made free 10 the people.
favor ~ ,hol,sbinrv oil DO