The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-24
PATRONS OF HUSBAADRY.
ANEW RooK By THE SECRETARY
OF THE NATIONAL GRANGE,
GIVING A HISTORY OF
THE ORDER.
Who First Conceived the Idea Of q
Farmers Industrial Leagus--The
Primary Organization.
Rapid Spread Of the Movement until
the Sons Of Toll are Leagued To-
gether in Almost Every Town
in the Land,

the Sons Of Toll are Leagued To-
gsther in Almost Every Town
in the Land.
WARRINGTON June II, 1875.
Among the social phenomena Of recent
history stand prominent
THE PATRONS OF HUsBANDRY,"
an organization of mushroom growth, but
ofinhuence, wealth, and usefulness, and
beyond that of sturdy responsibility and
strength of purpose that association with
nature always inspires, and faith that is
rooted and grounded in the dignity Of
labor. So sudden, 80 rapid, 80 extensive
has been its growth that the organization
is almost stranger to itself, and is only
aware that it is powerful, without knowing
how or when it became so.
Mr.. o. Fl. Kelley, of this city, the
parent and nurse of the order, and at
present secretary Of the National Grange.
has issued within few days volume
giving history of its conception, its birth,
its growth, and the secret struggles that
led TO the public triumphs of which he is
so proud. Judged by the standard Of ht-
erary merit Mr.. Kelley's work would not
rank very nlgn, out as
A HANDBOOK OF INFORMATION
it is very valuable.
In anticipation Of its possession by every
member OF the great agricultural family OF
the country will give an abstract of
its contents, for the story which it relates
is new to me, and think will be new to
the majority o! readers.
Mr.. Kelley was a farmer in Minnesota
and suffering severely from the draught OF
1923, he came to Washington as clerk
in the Agricultural Department, and here
he remained till 1866, when he went south
to gather information for that department
concerning the agricultural condition and
prospects Of the war-swept land. One Of
the results Of his observation was an i'm
preston, which aftcrward ripened into con.
viction, that one of the best means Of re.
viving agriculture and
RESTORING KINDLY FEELINGS AMONG TIKI
SOUTHERN PEOPLE
was the organization of secret society o.
agriculutrists. in which the two extremes o.
territory and political opinion could NEE
on q common basis and with a common pur
pose. When Mr.. Kelly returned he
preached the subject to many of his friends
but met with little encouragement. He per
severed however, and soon found fellow
feeling in an associate at Washington, witt
has told the story as follows:
On rainy afternoon in the fall of 1865
two gentlemen were introduced to each
other by q mutual friend in one of tn,
committee rooms of the National Capitol
The one was from the frontier of the new
State Of Minnesota, and was fair type o
the active, energetic, enterprising, and 90
ahead western farmer, who had just re
tured from a tour of the South, whittier b
had been sent by order of the President O
the United States to investigate and repor
to the Agricultural Department the cond
ton and prospects of the agricultural II
sources of the south. The other was Vel
monter, so recently from
THE GREEN HILLsIDEs OF YANKEEDoM
that the habit of asking questions wheI
ever desirable information was to be oil
tanned was still strong upon him. Til
chance meeting, so casual in its characte
and 80 like, in its persons and its inc
dents, the thousands of accidental meeting
Of strangers that occur ever day, striking
ly the truth that
"God moves In mysterious way,
His wonders to perform"
for from it sprang one of the grandest an
most benefcent, moral, industrial, socia
and educational reforms of the century,
not of all time. The Vermonter at ono
marked his new western acquaintance {
legitimate prey. He had just returned
not only with his note book filed wit
notes upon the agricultural condition an
resources of the south, but with his hea
crammed with information, and impre
sions as to the political feeling and Il
social status of its people, Cleaned by pc
sonal contact with and observation anon
them. All this information and all thes
impressions the other desired to know
and enforced his demands with such poin
ed and persistent questions, that the ate
noon was consumed in uninterrupted col
versation and discussion. Dinner was 70
gotten, daylight faded, twilight deepene
into darkness, the gas was lighted and ii
conversation still ran on. The evenin
hours had recorded themselves upon Ii
dial and fed before the new friends sep
rated, each having received ideas whiC
neither had before entertained.
ORIGIN OF THE ORDER.
These gentlemen talked the matter ov'
repeatedly till their plans were vel
much matured, and Mr.. VIM. Saunder
of the Agricultural Department, whom
have just quoted, communicated the ide
TO friends he met at the meeting of Il
United States Pathological Society in S
Louis in 1858, with whom also it met wi,
great favor.
Mr.. Arson Bartlett, of North Madiso
Lake county, Ohio, was the next gentl
man to unite his fortunes with the incip
ent society, and a brisk correspondence W,
continued for several months, in which Il
plans were fully discussed and still farth,
matured. Miss 9. A. Hall, niece of NJ
Kelly, and at present assistant stewards
OF the National Grange, was admitted
confidence, aud to her.
THE MULTITUDE OF FARMERS WIVES AN
DAUGHTERS.
owe their membership of the grang
These, with the Rev. DR.. Trimble, of W as
ington, Mr.. Ireland, Of the post Office d
partment, and j. r. thomson. constitute
the body of communicates at that time
When the plans were all made the que
ton of name came up, and, as is alwa!
the case, every person interested had OF
to suggest, each thinking his own the bes
The following are some Of the suggestion
Independent Farmers" "Independel
Order of Progressive Farmers" "knigh
of the Plow, knights of the Sickle
Knights of the Flail. "Rustics," Mus
roo,,,o ~ ttEuu0 NJ - tAT ,nrds 80 kha So;l