Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-27
Tx PATRONS IN TENNESSEE.
- - [KpOHYile Ags.l ~

bandry in Tenhcssee to shake orr
confidence in its future stability
and success. We do not deny
that some things have occurred
we had rather not, but then we
are all fallible. None of us are
perfect. Ii we have committed
mistakes, let us have the charity
to conclude that they were more of
the head than the heart, aud, in
The future, strive to guard against
them. We have simply been pass
ing through our probationary ex-
fstence. 1t has been one OF trial.
Our noble. Order sprang suddenly
into existence. 1t swept like a
tornado over the State. There
was but little time for thought
and investigation. We hurriedly
concluded that we would reap all
at once immense financial advanta-
ges and that We would reduce the
price Of everything we had to buy
to a mere song. Scores of good
men have been disappointed in
this expectation not so much, lets
us justly remark, on account of
the inability Of the Order to bring
about this result as on account of
the i~nefliciency of many of the
subordinate oranges in laying hold
Of the financial benefits extended
to them by the Order. If such
benefits nave not been secured it
has been because the oranges re-
ferred to have not done their duty.
We have been more troubled
and bothered by oul business sys-
TEN than by any other cause
Somehow or other we have never
been fully able to devise and put
forth a system that would meet the
demands of the Order. We have
been at sea. We have ~1oundered
in the depths Of its mighty waters.
We had hoped, ere this, that some
financial brain would arise and
prove itself equal to the emergen-
cy Of leading us underlings on
through the intricate labyrinths
of trade. We have been disap
pointed. AT first we seemed to
start off right, that of uniting as
oranges and trading directly with
the manufacturers and merchants,
and OF selling our products direct.
ly TO the consumers. This was
easy, natural and legitimate, and
our people comprehended it with
out an effort. Many of them
seized the plan and went to work
on it and were successful. Direct
ly, however, it began to be whis-
pered that we had better have
agents, general and local, and In
the course of time, that plan was
inaugurated, and with what sue
cess we leave to others TO deter
mine.
For one we had ardently hoped,
in common with hundreds of 9th
ers, the National Grange, at it's
recent session in Louisville, would
be equal to the occasion and draft
a business plan that would meet
the e~Xigences of the Order. 1t
was not done, and what is worse,
it seems to have been given up in
despair. 1t was, it is true, agita.
ted, but the agitation only de-
veloped the apparent incapacity of
that body to handle the problem.
Some were in favor of employing
agents on stipulated salaries, while
some were for their working their
way along on commissions.
What will the Tennessee State
Grange do? 1t will soon assemble
in Jackson, West Tennessee, 1t
Will be called upon to shoulder
this question and 20 put it in a
shape to satisfy our people from
one end of the State to the other.
We are inclined to believe that we
have been trying too hard to build
up a system which has been in
vogue from time immemorial.
Whether we can do this success
fully, is the question, end it is one
we are compelled to investigate.
1t is apparent to every careful OBJ
server that every attempt we have
made TO establish a business of
our own, we have been confronted
with sharp competition and forced
to come down accordingly.