The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-03-16
TEE GnANaEIN rnNAs.

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THE GRANGE IN TEXAS.
Reflective men who have intelli'
gently observed The workings Of the
order are disposed 10 ask what haS the
Grange done for Texas? We Imagine
that II would be difficult 10 give II
definite answer TO this query. IL IN
true, we might loosely gcncralIHe by
ayerring, that II has stimulated farm
ers to u broader intelligence, ard pos
slLIy wiser aud more rigid economy,
but has It's results equaled the antici'
patlons Of the thinkers OF the country
or Appropriated to the immense
power for good that might be exercised
by the order. II i9 estimated by Col
onel w. w. Lang, The Master of tho
Oranges in this State, TINT there are
sixty thousand members Of the order
IN Texas. II Is an order compact, well
organized and powerful, and passl-
bly, compliant TO the Task of muasura-
bly, revolution2lng trade in the State.
II has been All organization In
Texas for four years and In
that period Of time has not only OBJ
tanned great political power, but II has
been largely instrumental in directing
the legislation Of the commonwealth,
and especially has its influence been
felt In the formation of the new Con
stilutiOn.
Let us now ask where are the large
factories Of agricultural machinery
that IL should have established? where
are the cooperative stores that might
have driven competitors less favorably
situated to the wall? Where are the
direct shipments, stripped of the com
missions and brokerage, to the con
sumers? What better, higher, more
remunerative system OF agriculture
has 1t inaugurated. and developed?
What proportion of that vast sum an
nunllY sent abroad to manufacturers of
implements, furniture, etc., has it re-
tanned in Texas, and wherein is the
condition of farmers bettered materially
since 1873 at which time the Grange
first commenced operations in the
state? tits possibly true that purchasing
agencies have been organized that can
undersell to some extent other mer-
chants; 1t is also probable that few
spasmodic efforts have been made to-
wards the commencement of manu-
lactures, but have the grand total of
results been commensurate with the
great numbers and power of the order
1t Is conceded that the revenues of the
order have been large, the one item
alone of admission into the Grange,
($5, we believe,l must have realized
nearly 100000. When we view this
order dispassionately, in the light of
the past history of all like orders, and
in the light of the very recent pro-
nounced decrease in the number of
Oranges IN Iowa and other States, we
are forced to the conclusion that II
more vigorous and wisely directed
effort is needed to realize the in
tention of It's founders, and thus deepen
and permanently strengthen the or
else it will be written
down in political history as transit
tory and i'll directed effort to run
counter to the settled course of trade
and commerce.
The American people from their
very nature seem incapable of banding
themselves together under the re-
ond leadership of such associa-
tons. Whether this arises from the
peculiar individuality of the race or
our system of republican government
is a question for political economists
to solve. For ourselves, we are in
clined to think that our form of gov
eminent has much to do with these
since it is known that coop
erative societies, botn in England and
germany, have met with wonderful
success. In the American there is an
Independence of character, an aversion
o dictation, n strong settled, domi-
lant purpose to act and do for himself,
hat repels the idea OF a massed ASSOC
;iation of effort. Whether the Gran
gers Will be enabled to overcome or
neasurably eradicate these elements
If American character will yet have
o be determined, but the indications
ire that il will not he done.