The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-10-15

tied resources? I answer you can do
it by establishing cooperative
stores as our friends here in Monroe
have done; by having your own
bank associations as the Patrons Of
California have done; your own
mutual life and fire associations, as
the members of the Order have done
in many of the States. Ask your
brother Patrons of Monroe if their
co operative stores have not saved
to them hundreds of dollars.
By what folly or delusion have
we permitted ourselves, fer ages, to
be thus robbed? and are we going
to permit it to continue?
We have in this State 394 Gran>
ges, with a membership Of eight
thousand. The average expenses
of each of these Nom bers we will
put at S10O, which is low estimate.
This will amount in the aggregate to
100000; 25 per cent on this sum,
which is less than the percentage
generally charged, will am ount to
100000, which amount will pay
the expenses of every member of
our State Grange inclading mile
age will pay the expenses of con-
ducting our cooperative stores into
the markets and purchase at whole
sale prices, with dlscount.for cash !,
at much less rate than our country
merchants can buy; for our com
bined trade would be much larger
and more desirable, and give to
each, county in the State hand
some Grange library. Hwo would
carry this system still further aud
have -sta.eACo-o operative Store,
the agent of that store can 90. BY
carrying out this system as they d"
in England, onr goods can be pur
chased at one-third less than we
now pay for them. But there can
be no growth without action. Let
us then go about the work earnestly,
prepared for the difficulties, but de-
termined to overcome thcm.
THE NATIONAL GRANGE.
The National Grange is the great
head and medium through which
the emancipation Of the farmers can
be obtained, and to which every
Subordinate Grange can look for
reliable and CORRECT Information and
advice, therefore it is Of the utmost
importar &C that then ationai Gran ge
should be posted in all matters per-
tanning to our Order, and to du this
the combined action OF all is neces
sary. | recommend to your cares
ful consideration the able reports of
the various com ittees which were
presented and adopted at the last
meeting of the National Grange.
These reports shonld be cad at the
meetings of your Subordinate
Oranges, and there fully discussed
until all shall become fully conver-
SAINT therewith There is too little
interest manifested in our Grange
meetings, and many members who
attend regularly think that when
they return to the outer world no
further duties are incumbent upon
them There can be no greater
fallacy than this. The Grange is
the school in which the great les
sons OF the Order are taught, and
where the members are instructed
in all matters pertaining to our
Order. It is in the outer world
that the precepts and teachings OF
the Order are to be practiced.
BUSINESS RELATIONS.
In suggesting work for the pres
ent year, / would beg leave to re,
call your attention much to the
work that has engaged your thougls
in the past. Although these vari-
Gus matters have been called tC
your attention in my previous an
nuaI address and have been consid'
cred and extensively discussed, yer
those relating to Cooperation, Mu
tuaI Insurance. Transportation, Ed
ucation and the Grange Press, are
of too vital Importance TO our peo-
ple to be overlooked until some
thing more definite can be accom-
plished.
CONCLUSION.
| have for the' past nine years
been "A no em Der of the State Grange
and IA regular attendant at all III
meetings. and flu ly appreciate the
high and noble purposes for which
we are organized, and their cffec1
upon the present a al fnture agri'
cultural interests Of this country
[ have given much OF my time ane
means to advance the Order, ane
to-day my locks ara gray with tot
and age They ad monish me tha
the storm is com Bg and that thl
earthly tabernacle, gust soon return