The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-10-24
TaE GRANGE AND raE DEPART,
N OF AGRICULTURE

correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
In the 70's the farmers Organization
kuo IN as the Grange was 10 operation
In North Carolina and comprised IT
its membership most of the best aud
most progressive farmers Of the S ate
They discussed in their meetings and
ac their frasides, such questions az
~per5aiEed to their individual and mu
tuaI interests.
One vide awake member OF the Or
der in those days discovered that he
/ had not derived the benefit from the
us9 OF a so called high grade" feriili-
z5r IN which he had invested "a he
thought he ought, and being a thor
ough going, Up to date Granger, he re
ported his experience to h,7 lodge. Dis
cussing the matter, it became evident
that he was not alone, but that the
whole neighborhood had suffered from
this same cause.
Resolutions endorsing q remedy sug-
gesaed by the brother, were unani
mousIy adopted. and this brother YVES
delegated TO lay the same before his
CouUty Grange This was faithfully
done. and revealed the fact that the
farmers Of his county has been similar
~ and very generally defrauded The
! resolutions we're unauim nusly adopted
Oy the County Grange. The same
brother Was sens as delegate ID tie
State Grange. which further revealed
the fac5 that the State was infested
with deaiers iG these frau iulent guanOs
Tie State Grange, after mature delib
Grafton. lssed the resolutions and ap
pointed the same brother chairman o.
a select committee TO lay the resolu-
lions aud the proposed remedy before
the General Assembly then IN session.
The committee fastened TO RIIeIg0
and performed the duty delegated TO
them. The chairman waa r. q tested
Oy the committee OF the General as
sembly to remain and aid them ia
framing a proper bill, which ne did
The bill was introduced and bitterly
opposed by lobby attorneys and guano
agents. But the demands of the uUt5ad.
thoroughly organ5zad farmers c)uld
not be refused aad tins Department. CT
Agriculture was a fixed fact. See
31apg7r pa, laws OF 1877, ratified
M8rcI II i, 1877. The same brother
ws9 made the frs Commissioners
Working in harmony with the United
farmers OF the State, it took him but a
81 orr while to rid the State Of several
scores OF dealers in these fraudulent
goods. We could figure the savings to
che State by the operations OF this de
partment up into millions of dollars,
and other millions doubtless might
have been saved by proper manage,
ment. Those WHO have taken the il
terest ia this department that ali farm
ers should are ware that it has been q
great blessing to the State.
This was secured by the CO operating
force Of a small per cent. OF our farm.
ers; could not have baen a Law bat for
such organization. Tous i5 ppears
evident that a thoroughly compact or
gan cation OF our whole rural or egri-
cultural population is nov needed in
the face Of the facs thai every other
calling, trade or class. is thoroughly
organized, and the OF 3ct OF each or
g~aDization is to make gaiCs for itself.
The un~organizsd, helpless farmer who
produces a large maj 9rity of the wealth
Of the country will be their special
prey. Every farmer should do ano
say everything in his po yer to allay
personal differences between neighbors
and bring the whole craft into one har
monious whole. Until this is done, farm
ers, not respecting themselves, need
not look for the proper respect from
others that their place in the economy
OF a free republic should demand.
J. W. DENMARK,