Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-01-06
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
rho work of the Grange.
ly,ot IL Has Done and what II Tries
TO DO,

v,o, Il Has Done and what IL Tries
TO DO,
Editor Of The PheHir;
While attending the meeting of the
tate grange at Brattleboro l was asked by
friend the object of the grange. There
.r, many outside the order who have little
,r no idea of the purposes of the grange
,r what it is doing. For the benefit of
urh I wish to trespass upon your columns
Nv briefly stating the objects of the grange
nd some of the work which it has accom-
lDlished. The primary object is the better
nd larger education of the farmer, to slim
,late thought. This object attained, we
HAIL have better cultivated farms, better
bubble schools, better highS avs, and fever
mortgages on our farms. The cooperative
features of the grange will be worked more
successfully. Much has already been done
n this line, particularly in the West.
A few years since, in Michigan, where
Splaster is used largely as fertilizer, the
manufacturers combined and put up prices
dollar or more per ton. The grange es-
lablished a mill at Grand Rapids and re-
duced the price 50 per ton, saving the
FARMERS of the state thousands of dollars
annually. They fought the patent slide
gate swindlers through the courts to a sue
Scessful issue and saved the farmers of the
state of Michigan a half million dollars,
and the farmers generally all over the
country were benefited by the defeat of
1ths swindle. The same is true of the
Idrve well, which was fought through the
courts until final decision was rendered
Iby United States judge in Iowa adverse
L 10 the patent, saving the farmers more
han million dollars besides largely ben
Ieftins those of other occupations who
used the drive well. All are familiar with
the fight of the grange with the railroads Of
the West, in which the grange was ridicul-
J. led by the press, with few exceptions,
throughout the country. When the grange
Nhad carried the fight to successful issue
and had been sustained by the United
States supreme court, public opinion began
to change and the press throughout the
country saw with a clearer vision and
lchanged its tone materially. The Inter-
State Commerce commission was the di-
rect result of this grange legislation.
The study of political economy occupies
largely the attention of the grange; not
partisan politics. however,-we leave that
for the Farmers alliance. 1t does, howev-
er, tend to make men more independent in
their political thinking and acting. The
writer does not claim that the grange
| makes no mistakes, or that all the schemes
which it advocates are for the general pub
{ lie good. In the scramble of all classes of
people for government aid, it would not be
strange if the grange, in trying to secure
It's S5are, should sometimes be eXtrava-
giant in its demands.
The grange has done much in Vermont
to create healthy public sentiment in ia
vor of better public schools, better high
ways, for lower freight and passenger rates
on our railroads, and still advocates the
abolition of all free passes. We have tried
our hand at fire insurance and were sue
cessful until the incendiary and lightning
killed us. The fates were against us. We
We're, however, on the right track, and had
the farmers generally sustained us we
would today be the strongest and cheapest
Instance company In the state for farm
property. We have done much in the way
of cooperation by advocating the creamery,
and the improved methods of making ma
pie sugar and marketing it. The state
university was for many years stirred up
by the grange, until at present, through
the experiment station, we are beginning
to reap some benefit from the large amount
of money which the college annually re-
ceives for agricultural purposes.
There are many other matters which
might allude to, but l will not trespas:
further on your columns.
GRANGER.
Westminster West, Dec. 81, 1892