Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-26


purchases. Ifa person can save from 10
to 20 per cent on the purchases Of his goods,
how long would it take TO restore to him his
Eve dollars that he invested TO become a
member Of the grange, and the Eve dollars
is not dead loss to him, either. Most peo-
pie are capable Of making their own esti.
mates from this statement. Our country
stores are matter Of convenience, aud we
have no disposition TO annihilate them--not
all Of them--but there are too many, and
the laboring classes have to support too many
merchants and middlemeu aud their fami.
lies. Besides, merchant wants to aud ,ciH
makc--if he can--as many thousands Of dol
lars as a farmer or mechanic can hundreds
with the same amount Of capital invested,
aud great deal harder labor
The merchants say to people, "Don't join
the grauge we will sell you goods cheaper
than you can get them at any grange store" I"
But would they do this were il not for the
grange? Who believes it2 If they wonld
it would be all that the grangers want.
But let the grange 60 down, will the mer-
chants make these offers2 or if they do will
they fulfill them Don't let us try the ex.
pertinent to see.
These matters put me in mind Of gen.
tlenan who many years ago wanted to cross
lake Champlan when the boats were running
one another for passengers. The gentleman
inquired of one boat if that was the-boat.
NO" says the captain "this is the
boat, and we carry cheaper than the -
boat" "tbat is not the question, says the
gentleman. l want to patronize the boat
that made yOu carry cheaper" and that is
what people ought to do in this case.
These orders, Patrons and Sovereigns.
were originated for the mutual benefit of
farmers and mechanics, and the larger the
order in each town the greater the iudvidu-
al benefit, and there is scarcely possibility
but every one that joins can receive more
pecuniary benefit than the price of the men,
bership fee. Therefore is it not the duty of
those that the order is designed TO benefit,
to lend helping hand to sustain them
Let every individual consider this matter
for himself. There are but very few farm
ers who do not want more or less -four, corn,
shorts, salt, &C., on which if they could buy
by the car load, as the grange could if the
members were numerous enough, they could
make great saving to themselves as we'll as
to give it to mddlemen to buy for them
They can also save greater per cent on
many other kinds Of goods, by buying in CO.
operation. What are the arguments 10 fa-
vor Of cheese factories2 are they not that
cooperation Of the business reduces the ag-
gregate expenses? Cooperation in the
business of buying goods has the same re-
suits, aud he who cannot see it must be
willfuIly blind. 1t is true that tn is order is
increasing at very rapid rate, and we have
no reason to anticipate any faiIure of it.
But when we look around in town OF two
or three hundred families of farmers and
consider that not more than from twenty five
to fifty have joined this order, it seems as
though there were too many that are not
willing to accept the benefits that are being
held out to them. Consequently the ankle
ty of some of US in their behalf, aud also
that by their association with US we can get
little more benefit ourselves. Now, can't
you see the point and be induced to appre-
ciate it? A PATRON