Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-27
THE GRANGE.


Annual Meeting of the National Grange.
Thirty States and Territories were
represented in the recent meeting of
the National Grange at Chicago. Dele
gates were present from California to
the Atlantic coast, and from Maine to
Texas, and all our exchanges report a
most enthusiastic and profitable session.
Such deep root has the Order now
taken, that from France and England
come words of congratulation and let
ters of inquiry, while even from far off
India, has been received communica-
ton asking for information and
expressing the hope for an estab-
lishment of the Order there.
A review of the proceedings willshow
that the attention hitherto given to the
work of organization and matters of
minor Importance has now given place
to the greater one of cooperation, be.
ginning with the membership of a single
grange up to great system of interna-
tional unity.
At the last session, convened at Louis
vile, an agent was appointed to visit
Europe for this purpose. Compiler
tions OF very serious character has
already arisen between the National
Grange and the cooperative societies Of
Great Britain in regard to our purpo-
ses as an order, owing to misrepresen-
tations by unfriendly parties, all of
which difficulties have now been settled
by him, and arrangements made for q
| business connection with their societies.
Cooperation was declared to be the
"salvation of the farmers" In Europe
there are 100000 men now united in
various cooperative associations, and
Brother Wright, the agent above re-
ferred to, who has visited them, say
"they propose to establish depots and
buy of our agents; SO through the lat
ter our products can get directly to tho
consumer with the least possible amount
Again, the farmer must have his sup
Observation-Disclosures articles. By ar
engagements we have saved largely
here. The European manufacturers
are prepared to supply us and cheaply.
We are not going to send all of our sur
plus products abroad; but little
healthy competition between European
manufacturers and American manufac-
turers will tend to our profit all round
better goods and lower prices and
more satisfaction to the farmers. An
Independent movement of the farmers
of this kind will give us better stand
ing and more influence. The way is open.
If we have the disposition, We can do it.
From California and Oregon this di-
rect system of cooperation has already
been put in force. Patrons united,
chartered their own ships, and direct
trade between producer and consumer
was successfully inaugurated. It began
with fight with Friedland l. Co., large
shippers of grain. This concern char
tered all the shipping and thereupon
determined to pay only ST. per cwt.
for wheat. The farmers met and re-
solved not to sell for less than 81. 65.
So no wheat came in and demurrage on
idle shipping was SO heavy as to break
some Of Friedland's agents. Then the
farmers chartered ships at low rates and
shipped themselves at heavy profit.
The perfectiDg of this system of buy
ing and selling has been the principal
business transacted in Chicago, and we
shall expect to hear from Bro. Adams
at the coming session of the State
Grange, detailed report of the plan
adopted. It will doubtless be such an
one as will unite the business interests
of the Subordinate Oranges; the direct
connection of the latter with the State
Agency; the unifcation of this with a
national one, and through this perfect
system of exchange with the co-opera-
tive associations of Europe.
PRESENT CONDITION OF THE ORDER.
Granpaa Or. Nanhor-