The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1903-10-07
The Grange.

come to have sort OF "hayseed
significance It is most earnestly
to be hoped that the advice will
not be followed Grange is good
old word of ancient origin, signi-
flying grain, corn, a granary, a
farming establishment, with it's
dwelling house, stables. barns
In 1867 the first lodge of the
"Patrons of Husbandry" was es-
tablished in the United States for
the purpose of removing the re-
straints and burdens imposed on
agriculture by the commercial clas.
ses. the railroad and canal compa-
nies. etc., and the avoidance of the
expense caused by the middlemen
or agents who intervene between
the producer and consumer "to
FIX the price at which ones own la
Dor shall be sold.p
This was originally known as the
Grange. and through the influence
of the Grange laws were passed in
certain Western States, the oon-
stitutionality of which was 6ercely
assailed by railroad companies,
with the result that their constitu-
tionality was upheld in the courts,
and the principle was firmly estab-
lished that when private property
is devoted to a public use it is SUBJ
ieot to public regulation" and that
States have the constitutional
right to pass laws regulating grain
elevator tolls, the charges of ware
housemen and railroads and other
carriers.
These are some of the more gen.
eral and public benefits which have
grown out of the Grangs. But
these are only part, though very
important part, and the social and
individual benefits can hardly be
enumerated. Hitherto many of the
worst things about farm life result
ed from the seclusion to which those
who engaged in it were subjected
Where farmer lived near a village
and was well-to- do it was an easy
thing to hitch up good team and
drive to town, or on visit to
neighbors. But where one case of
that kind existed there were many
others where the man or the woman
or the children were practically out
off from social intercourse with the
outside world. This came especi-
ally hard upon women, who in
many cases. with naturally bright
active minds have been driven to.
insanity and in some cases to sui.
oide-the results of mental and SO.
cial starvation. Was it any wond-
er that bright girls hesitated about
marrying farmer boys. preferring a
white slaves life in the dingy fac
tories of some commercial town, to
being an absolute queen in her own
sweet, pure household and healthy
children growing up around her?
Was it any wonder that boys,
raised on farm, seeing their faith
or and mother grown old at forty,
cut off from the many pleasures of
life, preferred to go away from the
old farm to try life among stran-
gers, subjeoting themselves to
temptations of the town and in
too many cases yielding to them.
The Grange seeks to correct
these evils which in past times
constituted the black beast of
farming. The old farm house
lacked good books and good litera-
ture. The Grange makes it possi-
BILE, by association, for a good and
inexpensive library in every neigh
borhood. The old farm life
lacked variety. The Grange af.
fords abundant means of neighbor-
borly intercourse in its meetings,
bringing many new acquaintances
which would have never been made.
The Grange insures the property
of farmers from loss by fire, and it
also does what the big insurance
companies fail to dot marks and
keeps out the "black sheep" which
every neighborhood has, whose
game is to get their property in
sured at more than it's value and
then burn it up, which is vastly
easier to do with big companies
than with companies in which all
the neighbors are interested, and
who have a common interest in
keeping the "black sheep" out"
There are many other advantages
growing out ofgrange association.
The farmer has lot of potatoes or
other produce to sell and IL used in