The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-10-12
Correspondence baltimore County Union.
THE GRANGE.

In closing our letter, the first part of which was
published in last weeks issue of the UNION we
shall not attempt IN explanation of the third par
agraph of"0ld Fogys" article on the Grange, as
tits so thoroughly incomprehensible it battles all
efforts at solution. As we are not working out
engmas at present we will leave this for some one
to unravel who has more time to bestow upon such
harmless amusements. Before passing on we
would simply state that as his premises are wrong
his dlatiOn must necessarily be Referring to
that 'middle-man" or agent" he says, "here
comes in one OF the greatest anomalies connected
with the Grange" Ifpermitted to judge by state
ments contained in the foregoing part of his letter,
we not surprised that cold Fogy" should have
arrived at such conclusion.
The prime object of the Grange was co-opera-
ton. A combined effort of agriculturahsts to rid
themselves of certain grievances which every
farmer knows has existed foryears. The middle
man. to be disposed of is not much the honest
and legitimate commission merchant, but the
agent who drives over the country with his fine
turn out selling fertilizers and agricultural imple
ments at the expense of the farmer. For instance,
this man receives twenty-five dollars commission
on every reaper he sells, and the manufacturer
does not lose it it must come out of the pocket of
the farmer. By cooperation the Grange has
pretty well gotten this class of men out of the way
and is now able to buy from first hands at greatly
reduced prices, though we do not propose to tell
"a farmer who is not Granger" just what that
reduction is. If by Kidding ourselves of these
clancy agents" some of the better class of commits
sion merchants are hurt, certainly no farmer
would feel that this was reasonable ground for his
Directing to an Order intended to mutually benefit
erery tller of the soil.
We reiterate that the day -aborer in agriculture
is not excluded from membership, notwithstand-
ing "Old Fogy" seems determined to have it so.
By reference to the constitution of the National
Grange it will be seen that any one actually IN
gagged in agriculture either owner, renter or
laborer, are entitled equally to enjoy the benefits
derived therefrom. If the man who tramps The
rough fields day after day, or who swings heavy
cradle in harvest with the thermometer at 1869 to
HOO in the sun, is not actually engaged in agri-
culture, will "Old Fogy" please inform us who is
| Further, we know of no properly managed Grange
where the day -laborer is turned down for the rea-
| son that he is compelled to work for his daily
! bread. Nor have we any knowledge of one where
the agents for fertilizers and the hucksters are
'hourshing in all their glory;" hence we conclude
that if these things are facts they only exist in
| some isolated section and are likely to diminish
instead of multiply, as "Od Fogy" predicts. Ask
that much abused store-keeper where you buy
your groceries if this is not so. As regards loss
occasoned by said fertilizer agents and hucksters
! we would state for the satisfaction of "a farmer
who is not Granger" that the amount is not sufh-
cient to produce any very disastrous results to the
| general agency, and for his peace of mind we
think we can assure him that the Grange has got
| ten beyond this While it handles all the leading
brands of fertilizers it also manufactures two of its
own, one from formula of its agent, the other
| from formula of its own, and known as the
"Agency's Favorite' and the "Granger's Own
Their popularity, particularly the former, is al
most without precedent, and the demand far in ex-
cess of the supply, which is the strongest argu-
| ment we can use to show the advantages they
| oth fort hot in nd
| quality. This great reputation could not have
| been acquired had they not have shown the most
thoroughly satisfactory results wherever used.
| We're there other pecuniary considerations
this ought to be sufficient for ga farmer who is not
| Granger to unite with an Order that will fur
nsh him first-class fertilizer for less money than
he has heretofore paid for an inferior article Nor
is this all. There is scarcely any farm supplies
that he does not save money on by purchasing
through this source. The reason for this is Obvi-
| Gus. By cooperation the Grange, through its
| agent goes into the market as what is called a
"bg buyer" and as such is entitled to, and does
get the heaviest discounts all its purchases just
as the large merchant or capitalist possess advan
| tages over the small dealer. The Grange simply
does what every tradesman and farmer that is
not Granger" aims to do, that is, buy at the
| lowest and sell at the highest prices obtainable-
This Is accepted legitimate rule in all branches
| of trade. and the man who conducts business on
any other principle will soon have to make room
| for successor.
The Grange offers to ereyy tller of the ground
protection against abuses which have long existed,
| by which the merchant grew rich while the farmer
was getting poorer. 1t offers facilities for pur-
chasing farm supplies at figures far below what he
| can buy for outside. 1t establishes headquarters
where he can at all times obtain reliable nf0rma-
ton regarding quotations and sales of farm pro-
| duce. 1t furnishes market where he can dis
pose of his grain and be sure tlat he gets every
cent realized from the sale and not be ''gouged"
out of or 10 cents per bushel as has often been
the case in the past We might mention many
other ways in which the Grange is a benefit but
| for fear of firing the reader will only name one
other that is the moral and social elevation of its
members and the general influence for good upon
| society. Patrons of Husbandry, we congratulate
| you upon having at last found a way out of your
difficulties and the means of etfectually protecting
yourselves against well disciplined set of swim
| dlers who have preyed upon your resources and
harrassed you in your operations all through the
| past.
In conclusion we have no hesitation in saying
that of all industries the farming interest stands
at the head. Let the agricuturalist cease his OPP
| eratiOns for short time and what follows? You
check the progress of all other enterprises, sweep
our commerce from the seas and destroy the life
| of the land.
With our best wishes for his health and happi-
ness we take our leave of "0ld Fogy" for the pres
| ent hoping that at no far distant day we shall
have the pleasure of cordially welcoming him and
| all his hands into the Grange. ID.
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