The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-06-21
The Changers.

sOOAsN Va viz W Al VI c5cehl
are making great ado over the de-
cline of the Grangers' organization.
The annual meeting of the National
Grange held some months ago in Chi
cago, and the report of the secretary
then submitted shows that member
ship in the Order fell Off greatly in the
past year. Nine thousand subordinate
Oranges surrendered their charters in
1876, and the total membership de-
creased 10000. The decline is most
noticeable in States where in 1875 the
Order embraced nearly all the adult
population.
We don't see what the monopoly
organs have TO crow ovsr,e though
the organization should go out of ex-
istence. The objects for which it was
formed have been well nigh accom-
plished. On the statute books of
every western State are laws which
hold the monopolists in check, and
they are nos likely to be repealed, no
matter what becomes Of the Grange
organization. Then we have deci-
sion of the United States Supreme
Court affirming the constitutionality
of the railroad tariff laws. Each State
can now regulate the freight and pas
senger tariffs of railroads operating in
their territory. This decision is one
Of The most important ever rendered
by the Supreme Court, and was
brought about by the Changers. II is
q fact also that all kinds of farming
implements, sewing machines, music
al instruments, etc., can now be pur-
chased by farmers for half the price
paid in 1870. The farmers arc posted
on the cost of these things now and
viii not be swindled again. And the
facilities for gathering the products
of the farm and getting them to mar
ket are greater now than ever, because
association in the Grange has caused
matters to be taken up, aud the farm
ers have co-operated for their own
benefit in making improvements and
erecting elevators in districts of mar
row compass. The farmers now con-
sign their grain to their own agents
at the trade centers, instead Of selling
it to agents, who formerly combined
to lower the price. Now they get the
advantage of the highest market price,
are paid cash, and allow their agents
a very moderate commission. Indeed
the whole trade system has been reyo-
lutionized.
If the Grange goes down it will be
owing to the completion of its work
in the trade line. 1t never owned up
to political object, which no doubt
accounts for its decline now in mem
bership, as the reform it sought could
never have been accomplished with
out political action. The soreheads
and stiff necked party men do not rel
ish the educating influences of the
Order. At the start many of the old
party wirepullers got into the Order,
and, falling to use it for party ends.
have bred discord aud i'll feeling.
1t is early yet for the monopoly or
gans TO crow over the downfall of the
Grange, 1t is yet powerful in a ma
iority Of the States. 1t is the strong
est organization in the United States
to-day, having a membership of nearly
a million, and with several millions OF
dollars invested in cooperative indus
tries. With revival Of good times
it is bound to take new start. The
hard times have accelerated the pre-
liminary work of the Order in bring
ing down prices and crushing monop-
olies. The advantages of the organi-
cation are not so clearly seen now as
formerly, but that there win be work
| for il in the future no keen observer
doubts. The strong greenback senti-
ment in the west and south is due al
most entirely to the Granger influence
and in our opinion the day will come
when our industrial classes will dis
cover that the establishment of just
financial system is of more conse-
quence TO them, and win be more
conducive to the happiness and pros
perity of the country than any reform
yet proposed in any quarter.-Neac
HGreR Union.