The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-10
AN INTERVIEW
WITH A PROMINENT GRANGER OF
OHIO COUNTY.

BteubenVtlle Wool House aud Its Pro-
peets. ..I,.
A representative Of tho 1SrRLLloRScE
fell in with Mr.. ]. D. Whitman, Of thi
county, yesterday, and as usual inquire,
after agricultural news. Mr.. W. was kin,
enough to hand him a copy Of the pro
Ceedingsof the Sixth Annual Session o
the West Virginia State Grange, held a
Pt, Pleasant, on the 9th and 7th OF No
yember last.
Well, brother Whitman, asked our in
terviewer, what Is the present state Of The
Grange Order, anyhow
Win what respect do you meanP
REPoRTER.-Well, in regard to numbers
for one thing, ...,I,
Win respect to numbers am bound
TO say that the Grange does not now have
as many paying members as It used TO
have.
R.-Does not this falling off seem TO in.
dictate that the Order has to great meas.
ure answered the ends Of It's origin-viz:
securing attention on the part Of the pub
lie, and especially oflaw makers, to railroad
Determinations and such like grievancesY
W.-Yes, 1t would seem so, to some ex.
tent. The public mind and also the legis.
lative mind OF the country has been awak.
ened 10 the matter you speak OF and, also
to other matters.
R-What other matters?
W.-Well, to the profits in buying and
selling, and 10 the economies that can be
practiCed in various departments OF agri.
cultural life by bringing the producer and
consumer into closer relations.
R.-How comes It that your Grange
stores have not proved successful. rs in
termediaries between the producer and
consumer.
W.-They have proved successful as a
rule. ''-'--'---
R.-My information Is that the store At
Potomac was bad failure, and also that
the one at Independence was abandoned.
W.-Those two stores failed for want OF
proper management, and not because OF
any necessary defect In the workings Of a
Grange store.
R.-Why then were not said stores start
ed up again-they or their equivalents
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
W.-Because prices have been in tho
downward direction all the time, and
grangers were apprehensive Of entering
into any ventures OF the kind.
R.-Does your order still hold out all OF
its original inducements and advantagestol
farmers? f.t itI,.I,Ta II
Wits advantages were never greater
than now-neVer 80 great may say.
R.-What are these advantages?
W.-The extinguishment Of intermed.
late profits by the doing away Of middle
men. We can bring in bulk at a Grange
center and save profits Of the retailer.
R.-But, Mr.. Whitman, Is there not
something fallacious In the idea oiearry.
Ing on business between the producer and
Consumeron such an exclusive basisP
WI am not very well prepared 10
discuss that point. I admit that there Is
force in your question. There are two
sidos to that question. -
R.-Does It not tend to impair the con.
sumptiye ability of the country by strik-
ing blow at commerce and the proper
diversity OF human employment? Il
Was l said, it does have that look,
and there are those who hold that this ID
the weak spot In tho Grange system,
RIO what extent has the membership
Of the Grange fallen of?
W.-Probably to tho eXtent Of 80 per
cent, i meanln payingmembes. ; r
R.-This looks like an ,unmistakable de
cadence. It is very heavy decline.
Wand yet the Grange is now reeeiy.
ing recognition o. me hands Of the Gov
eFnme3t RES Eot tae ta lrSt lMe. ,.,.
~ nIla at Snoo,,i.ie ~ ~ iiepOaiHS'oH
M,.mtme fegnoGaItlon OF Le Dpe, o. the
agaSIiE!;s Dep;sae;s' ps;oa.;a Me is put
i.lnse.L aLni .; III communication win us Tor the
nrst tlme'
NY What sgn!Aoaneo Is hatt
W.-unly tnat the Strange is recognized
US tne proper depository oi reliable and
useluL lnlortnatlon IN atl mat relates to the
asT,cuituIai sn interests 9l lne country,
v Hspeaking aI Mose Interests, MIR;
MAiIAaM, please tell me now tho wool
warehouse project Is working.
~. w 4: II, course our you know nov that It has
nad a hafarew % noe IN tne last Two years.
- WIS started ~ tRe Worst possible time
l4f 'he sprpess p4 NV e4perlmenE
K:.fGn mean lhat u , was gsherd In at q
tIWe %9en WE y has has not Hp pald 70 hold woSlY
W.-1es, It has had to encounter the
cohttast pesween ~ hignsr prices 9! Ae 20,
ghInR;ol lHe yeRFI aAa lower eRes At the
eng o4lt:
us " not Always ilaole 10 encounter
ths sRHNe g9htEaah elEasF NY selling too
so3n on or hoinlng teo loheE =,
!, M III a9mlt tnat tAere Is constant
i'HDilty ~ ". 81 ttiM ha;.s sort: =,
,h-+lat 9elpg tRe case, what are tho
advantages ot tAe wool 4ousa proicctF
M,-ltnas, 70 ny Judgment, both pecu-
nlsfy ana mora saVantSgss' y! teRae9Sy n
suv and + oo n,NanIISppes IIGISpe0' oG.h 70 ls
HuAi!IY "HH 40 y'VttiHheaS' ~ otueE