The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-12-20

interests were In direct conflict with our
farmers. Others were started in towns
without single farmer upon the charter;
this kept farmers from joining and brought
the Grange into disrepute; but it is differ
ent now. We have to-day many OF the
best farmers in Massachusetts, with us.
The professors in our agricultural colleges,
members of the State Board OF Agricul-
ture, and numbers of other prominent and
progressive men and women are now
members, and members who will do their
utmost to keep its precepts and advance
its interests. Our stores on the Rochdale
plan are all successful, but we hold that
the greatest inducements oHeren BY the
Grange are its educational and social adj
vantages. Specially do | love and value
it for its nationality, and through its wide
spread influence and teachings it may yet
be used even to the saving of the nation
itself.
Bro. Adams not being present when
Minnerota was called, Bro. T. A. Tholnp-
SON was invited to report for that State.
He said the Order in Minnesota had
passed through the same ordeal as 1t had
in others. 1t had passed its lowest point
and is now having as bright an outlook
as at any former time, and its march is
now onward. Their last Grange meeting
was the best ever held. Minnesota is
prospecting.
Bro. Darden, of Miss-Said that at the
last meeting of their State Grange year
ago, owing to the ravages of the yellow
fever, and funds of the State Grange being
all gone, the outlook was discouraging.
But they determined to pay no salaries to
officers except Secretary and to push
ahead. Appointed forty or fifty lecturers
to visit different parts OF the State. He
had devoted August and September last
| to this work, and could now say he was
never more encouraged than at present.
| The worst obstacle to overcome was that
| the people. were not posted as to the
| Grange, its objects and its results. Out of
seventeen counties he had visited he had
never failed to re-organize in single in
stance. Over three hundred Subordinate
| Oranges have been revived in our State
within the past year, and the spirit was
never better since the early days of the
Order. Was happy to say that in Miss
issippi our membership had more than
doubled within the year We have 40 to
| SO cooperative associations, not one of
| which had been failure. AS an instance,
in my own county we organized with only
| &35 apital. they now have $1,000. In
less than year hence we shall have not
less than 100 CO. operative stores. We want
Grange papers and lecturers. We must
give up the defensive and take up the
aggressive to prosper more. Recip-
rocating most heartily the sentiments
of the brother from Maine in re
gard to the mission of our Order in
wiping out sectional difficulties, and
coming as he did from the extreme South,
it did his heart good to hear such express
sions of good will
Bro. Eshbaugh of Mo.-In our State
we made the mistake of not understand
/ ing the educational work of our Order,
and before we did unerstand it many left
our ranks. In the last fifteen months
am happy to say that our Order has had
an upward tendency in Missouri We
have found out by careful investigation
and statistics that eight agricultural and
| Grange papers are now read by our far
mers where one was formerly circulated
Our last State Grange session held few
weeks since was the best ever held
| Would testify to the valuable aid the Or
/ der in our State has sustained through the
earnest work of the sisters of the Grange
| The Order is a fixed fact in Missouri
/ Bro. Chase, of n. H.-Our member
| ship was originally the same as in other
States, composed of several classes. Some
joined for money only, others for social
| and fraternal advantages. The first are
about all out Those left are caring for
the Grange because of the social and fra
ternal benefits. He was opposed to all
this talk of business through the Grange
We had lost sight of our landmarks
Those who founded the Grange did not
I anticipate the financial matters. We must
| build upon these social and fraternal fea
lures.
Bro. Brigham of Ohio-The Order in
/ Ohio owes much of its success TO Bro
Ellis. Our experiences are much the same
as others. We have written up against
the names of many, Weighed in the bal
ance and found wanting" All who ever
were good Patrons are with us to-day.
| They don't know the meaning of the word
j fail, and you may rest assured that when
/ ever the National organization shall meet
a representative will be there to say, 1--WE
are still living and working in Ohio"
i Bro. Shipley, of Oregon am sorry to
say that with us the Order is not in as
1 good condition as formerly. Various
causes have brought this about. Our iso-
lation, covering as we do vast territory,
and that in many portions but sparsely
settled, it is hard to keep up the commu-
nication with all our Oranges. They are
away upon Pujet Sound, in little valleys,
away out among the mountains We can't
reach them all with lecturers. In thickly
! settled counties, as in the Willamette val
ley, the Order was never more Furnishing
We never intend to give up the ship.
The Grange shall live in Oregon
1 Bro. Harwell, Of Tenn.-I am sorry TO
| say we are in luke-warm condition; but
amid the darkness we have bright spots,
where we hope to keep the fires burning,
! and from these nuclei eventually once
more eniiven all. 1t is not necessary to
! give the reasons for our condition: much