The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-06-14
M isceIla Q O III 8.
90 DOES 1T PAY TO BE A GRANGER p,
AN ESSAY.
READ BEFORE THE BROAD CREEK GRANGE,
BY GEORGE N. DAVIS.

READ BEFORE THE BROAD CREEK GRANGE,
BY GEORGE N. DAVIS.
This is question that should be asked
not only by every Granger, but by every
farmer in the whole country, and 10y every
farm laborer, since the Grange is an agri-
cultural order, and only those engaged in
| agriculture, and having no occupation in
conflict with the principles of the order,
are eligible. This question should not
only be asked by us who are Changers, and
by those who are not but should be inves-
tigated in such manner as to leave no
shadow of doubt on the mind of each.-
In any pursuit in which we engage, we
ought to take stock; that is, count the pro-
fits and losses, to determine whether the
pursuit pays. Especially ought we to do so
| after we have been engaged in any pursuit
or calling for some time. We should never
follow any business nor belong to any order
which does not pay in some way.
Let us then make an inventory and at
tempt to answer the query at the head of
this article, "Does it pay to be Granger ?"
That we may find a solution to this
question, it is necessary to note the cost in
money, time, ETC., which one must necessa-
rily bear, in order to comply with the rules
of the order In money it costs the initia-
ton fee to enter the gates at first, and in
addition to this the quarterly dues FORTY
cents per Year, and then whatever it may
cost for hall rent, light, fuel, &c. All this
is not a very heavy expense. But there
are matters of cost that far exceed the
money cost. There are the meetings to at
tend, once or twice month, or once week,
as may be, (or pay small fine,) which
takes half day or half night, with the
wear and tear of horses and carriages, and
| fine clothes ifyou wear any, and we do not
| like not to do so, as the sisters are always
present and we do not like to appear in
our rough clothes in their presence.
These items would seem to sum up to
the cost of being Granger, but there are
other items to add to the real cost yet
One that has always been our friend-a
farmer, too-may turn the cold shoulder to
us because we have joined an order lie does
not choose to join, and he is jealous be-
cause he, perhaps, thinks we are initiated
into secrets which he doesn't know, but
which he will not join the order to find
out.
The laboring man is in many instances
against US, because he thinks we are orga-
nizing to put down the price of labor; not
knowing that we are bound 10y our very
obligations to he kind to the poor, and
that we believe in the doctrine that the
price Of labor, like other things, is regulat-
ed by supply and demand; and not seeming
to have any inclination to avail himself of
the privileges and blessings of the order to
which he is as eligible as the farmer him
self And the merchant or middleman is
against us, because he thinks we are against
him, land so we are in self-defence,) and
wish to get him out of our way altogether.
Others may be against us but are not
these enough 1t would seem that this
is pretty strong column of debts against
the Granger. In the face of all this, does
it pay to be Granger2 In order to deter
mine this, we must investigate further, we
must pursue our investigation, and sum up
the advantages. When we pay our money
and become members of the grange, we
are at once transferred, Gas far as business
matters are concerned, especially in pur-
chasng) from retail to wholesale basis,
and no matter how we may conduct our
purchases afterwards, we have the privilege
in all purchases by combining, and in many
without combining, of purchasing on a
wholesale basis. This privilege only be-
longs to few of the rich and to agents
and middlemen who are not Changers; and
this privilege, we think, is worth many
times the initiation fee and quarterly dues
to most of us. And do not the social and
educational advantages far over-balance
the cost of time, wear and tear of horses
and carriages, and clothes, spent in attend
ing the meetings Of the grange2 Let us
see. What are the advantages 2 The So
cial advantages are many. BY coming to.
gether and talking over matters in the
Grange we get better acquainted we gel
acquainted in way that never could be
were it not for our meeting thus. BY
meeting together and exchanging our
views we get the rough edges worn off
like the pebbles of the brook or of the sea
by the friction of the water and each other
We learn to respect the opinion of Others
we learn to exercise charity towards
Others; we are bound together in friendship
yea, a brotherhood and sisterhood- tha
would never have been had we not attend
ed the meetings of the Grange. All this il
worth something. Then meeting together
educates us in certain sense. By being
: called to fill certain offices to act OF
committees, etc, we learn much, ant
would be much better qualified were W,
ever called to fill any public station, thar
if we had never attended the meetings o.
the Grange. We also learn much in regart
to business-the difference in wholesale
and retail prices, in most all kinds of trade
, the ways Of trade and traders, the relation
, of the manufacturer to the consumer; b,
which knowledge we are often enabled t
make purchases, though not through tin
III NH kI,nH ok l..o