The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-06-14

rate. All this is worth something and
we think now the credit column over-bal-
ances the debtor column, and that if both
were figured up according to real value we
should find that it does pay and pay large
ly to be Granger, according to this in
| ventory so far carried and that here we
might close this article, but that we think
the advantages of being Granger only
begun to he told. That we cannot stop
here and do the subject justice no one &C.
quainted with the good wrought by the
| order in general sense will deny.
Only few short years ago-only as far
| back as 1870 or VI, how different was the
status of the farmer as concerns influence
| to what it is now Then it seemed that
| he was nothing more nor less than an en-
tirely dependent being, looking to the
merchant or agent to supply his wants,
| and charge him whatever they saw fit for
their services, which was generally good
round sum. If he wished to purchase fer
tilzers or machinery he had his man to go
to or come to him, as might be, pay him
ibis price, or more commonly give his paper
for it, without once considering the ques-
ton of profit made by the party, or in many
cases the quality of the article purchased.
'Howmany thousand sewing machines were
bought by the ladies and their husbands
for from sixty to eighty-five dollars, that
only cost the manufacturer SlS to S25, the
margin going to enrich the manufacturer
and his two or three agents through whose
hands it must pass before it reached the
innocent housewife, who must earn the
price by the honest sweat of her brow
What has the order done to remedy these
evils. Much indeed. By combining to-
gether, the once powerless farmers have
burst the bands that so long bound them,
and instead of covering at the feet of the
oppressor, have assumed the aggressive,
and the consequence is, that many of his
foes, (who were, at one time, ifnot sucking
the blood from his veins, taking his honest
profits away from him. have fallen so as
not to be in any way dangerous; these
tremble from fear, and all are willing to
show him respect. Machinery and fertil-
izers can be bought at trifle above man
ufacturers' prices; the ladies can buy their
sewing machines for from $15 to $780,
Thousands were dreaming that this great
change in prices was brought about
through the influence of this order, and in
a few years we hope the same power will
bring other things nearer to their real
value. All this is worth something, and
seems to me is paying to farmers, and
especially to Changers. This is no over
drawn picture. 1t is real; it is true.
What must we concluds, then, in the
light of all these considerations 2 Since
the Grange is an organization of farmers,
and since it has wrought all this gosd to
farmers and Others, it pays farmers to be or
gained; they cannot afford not to be-
And if farmers ought to be organized and
the Grange is an agricultural organization,
it pays every farmer to be Granger-
Hence it pays us of Broad Creek Grange
to belong to the Grange, attend its meet
ings, perform our several duties, and learn
the various phases ofbusiness that we learn
here. If it does not pay in money it pays
more than its equivalent in knowledge !;
knowledge of those we meet, knowledge
of agriculture, knowledge Of business and
it ooiU pay by being always prepared by
being organized, to resist oppression and
correct evils, come from whatever source
they may.