Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-05-21
The Growing Grange Power

Past Master Wright, OF Califor ia, au-
thor OF the ''Dccl ration Of Purposes Of
the National Grange.' and Worthy Lee
turer Thompson we're lately entertained
Mt the Knickerbocker Grange, No. l4.
Patrons OF Husbandry New York. Among
the entertainers were Worthy Master
Moore. editor OF the Rural New Yorker
Past Masters Wells and Munday, Over
seer Wilson, Secretary Naughton, Prof.
Halleck. e. Edwards Lester, author OF
- The Glory and Shame Of England"
ard Sisters Hallcck, Nau9hton and Bene-
dict. Grand Lecturer Thompson sud:
81 sc before me- a brother and sister
Professor an Mrs. lIallcck-whO be.
came Changers mt the same time did. in
1866. when there were only 20 oranges i'll
the United States. and cLrnection with
the infant order was almost disgraceiul.
American f.rmers. until recently, have
ignored the principle that is moving the
wcrld-thc principle of association. Their
individualiz nion W. the cause of their
.ubjection to almost .cry other interest.
S:x years ago no manufacture rs dealt with
us directly; no elevators or warehouses
were owned by us, and no banks or in
suranec companies were controlled by US.
New, in one State alone, there are thirty
eight fire insur,, ce companies; and more
than OLc-halt Of the elevators and ware
houses in Iowa and Wisconsin are under
our control. Furthermore, VIC have
agents in every section OF the country, to
whom we ship our products, and from
whom we receive prices forty or fifty per
cent higher than those we used to get
from local buyers. In cons. qucncc Of
the fairness Of our treatment by these
agents, who are bound by the ties Of
brotherhood and heavy money bonds. the
Patrons Of Husbandry saved s. 900, 600
in 1873. $4,000. 600 in 1874, ard, accord
ing to present indications, will cave al
least $50. OOO,0O in 1875. Six years ago
there were ten oranges; the next year
there were thirty.eight; the next, thirty
nine; the next, 10, 0OO, 600; the next, TO-
600. Now there are fifteen oranges join
ing our ranks daily, and we number
1900, 900. Our experience is pointed
proof that women arc worthy members Of
vi every unioa. Wehave 400, 600 Of them
among ue, and we ought to be qualified
10 give an opinion Of this kind.
Past Master Wright said
II heartily indorse what our worthy
lecturer has said. The Grange move
ment began in California two years ago,
yet we have accomplished some important
results In b. halt OF agriculture. Our State
Grange was formed when there were only
1850 subordinate Changers 10 the whole
country. We now haye 242 subordinate
oranges, with membership OF 20, OOO.
We have saved between s., 600. 900 and
S., 900, co., The oranges have also bro
ught ncighbors together who, although
living only few miles apart. were almost
strangers. We have the 'Grankcrs'
Bank Of California, with q capital OF S..
OOO. coo, which Is doing good service.
aoi the Farmers Fire Insurance Com
paNy,' which insurs our properly at one.
third OF the former rates. We are COM
pleting business association on a basis
Of 81, 600. 0c0. We do not expect these
corporations to manage all our affairs,
hot merely to establish healthy COMPETE
ten. We have done much to rtunile the
sections sundt red bv the war;"