Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-06-14
VARIOUS REASONS
Why Some Farmers Don't Join
the Grange.


With our vast farming population
and u comparatively small grange
membership, in some states none at
all, the question may well be asked,
Why do not more farmers join the
grange? In order to get an expression
Of opinion on this interesting subject
the writer Intercepted some of the
leading members Of the Order, with
the following results:
From National Overseer T. G. Alike
son.-O Lack of knowledge Of It's pur,
poses, principles, achievements and
h%elpfulness. () Belief that farmers
will not stick together and lack OF
faith in humanity. 81 Indifference and
hopelessness as to the future of agri-
culture. a. Self1shness and indisposi-
ton to cooperate with other farmers.
20 Constant desire to get away from
the farm, especially on the part of
the young people. e. Personal jeal
ousies and church or neighborhood
feuds. 90 Suspicion Of their neighbors
and fear Of being drawn into political
complications. ~ Suspicion of grange
leadership. () Lack of education and
narrow view and utter lack of appre-
citation Of the nobleness of the occupa.
ton Of agriculture. The chief reason
for joining the grange is to correct all
the above.
From G. o. Raine, Master of Missouri
State Grange.-Q Because the print.
tive farmers were taught self indie
pendence when they first established
themselves on the shores of old Plym-
outh, and the very nature Of their
work since then has not been such as
to induce them to see the necessity of
getting together. (2) Because Of the
farmers happy-go-lucky disposition, If
matters do not go smoothly today, be
works and waits for the better things
tomorrow. 90 Because in the central
west in the early grange work the
farmer placed explicit confidence in
financial cooperation without studying
the means to an end, and when results
lie not materialiZe he vas humiliat-
ed, his friends disguised and the whole
structure wrecked. a. Because of the
opposition by commercial interests in
OPlO'ltlOA W LII iOl ltdi
that they will form one gigantic trust.
90 Because grange principles and the
results of grange work are not better
understood by the average farmer.
The farmer should join the grange:
o. Because all other industries are or
ganized. (2) Because "in union there
is strength" 81 Because as he meets
and exchanges ideas with his fellow
man he becomes broader minded, a
himself and family. az Future gen
erations demand that the farmer study
we'll the problems of today.
From S. II. Messick, Master Della.
ware State Grange.-U Some farmers
do not join the grange because some
are not informed Of the mission and
work of the order. () In sparsely set
tied districts it Is difficult to secure a
membership to organize %proftably. 81
Some are after money and cannot see
from their standpoint that the grange
will pay a. Some do not appreciate
the necessity for organization for the
welfare of their vocation or are not
willing to make the necessary sacrifice.
(5) Some do not join anything, but all
farmers should join the grange that
they may develop a better and high
err manhood and ~womanhood," thus Sc
curing for themselves the highest eff
ficiency possible in all the relations of
life-moral, social and material. (6)
All farmers should join the grange be-
cause of the opportunities it affords
them to exert their influence for the
promotion of the general welfare and
the greatest good to all.
From Il. c. Laylin, Master Ohio
State Grange.-I will state some of the
trouble we have in organizing in Ohio:
"a The general apathy of the farmer
himself. (9 Toe many other fraternal
and benevolent societies. 80 OPPOSE
ton to secret societies by certain de-
nominations. a. Too much tenant
farming. % Cooperative business
failures of oranges in the early days
of the Order. 90 Fear of being reject
ed on account of personal %prejudices
of some particular member of the Or
der. Notwithstanding all these difficult
ties and many others. such as neigh
borhood quarrels, fractional fights and
local prejudices, Ohio has done very
well, having organized since Nov. l,
1911, twenty oranges and reorganiZed
two, with IL good prospect for more in
the future. Farmers must organize for
their own protection, education and i'm
provement, and the grange offers the
best way to secure these advantages.
We are living in al age of organiza-
ton. Almost every other business is
organized. Individual effort accom-
plishes little, and 1t is only by united
effort that results are obtained. The
grange offers the most practical means
for promoting the interests of the
farmer. 1t promotes that which is the
least available social opportunity,
financial and governmental benefits
md educational ohuonfanaC II .ool-a