The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-07-25
4 GRANGE AT WORK
Progressive Pomona Grange In
Pennsylvania.
Owns and Operates an Extensive Rural
Telephone Service, Runs a Big Fair
and Encampment and Co-operates
In Buying Supplies.
Especial Correspondence

The grange activities of Center coun-
~, Pa, are noteworthy. There are
.wenty-four subordinate oranges in the
county and a Pomona grange, which is
he center of the grange movement in
hat central county of the state. The
grange hall, located at Center Hall,
Pa, is the headquarters of several
ines of cooperative work, all of which
are eminently successful. 1t has be-
come the evident sign of a new era of
educational and social life in the little
village of about 800 souls because the
benefits that radiate from it have
spread beyond the narrow limits of the
town and have affected the community
FOR miles around.
Among the noteworthy activities of
Center county grange are the fair and
encampment grounds, owned by the
grange and incorporated. Grange park
embraces twenty eight acres and cost
The grange $1,000. Every year it holds
fair and an encampment Last year
there were 5000 entries in the exhibit
ion hall on the grounds, and a small
cash premium is paid on every article
placed on exhibition, and paid when
the fair opens. No blanks, no disap-
pointment, no contest, no prizes, no
horse racing, no gambling Public
meetings are held daily in the large
auditorium, addressed by eminent
speakers, and every evening entertain
ments are given there by reputable
companies. In the encampment are a
thousand farmers and their families
living in tents furnished by the grange
fair association, thus combining en-
joyment and instruction.
This grange also operates an extern
sive rural telephone service, the COM
pany being incorporated with $4,000
capital, and the plan of cooperation
and representation runs through the
whole scheme. The central company
pays all taxes and makes reports to
the state and national governments.
1t also pays the rental of exchanges
and charges stockholders yearly
rental Of $40 per phone and nonstock-
holders $12. There are now about 400
phones on the grange lines in the
county. A branch company may be
organized with not less than six
phones. the branch company erecting
it's own pole line. Each such branch
elects one director to the central COM
pany, and the county grange elects six
directors and makes all the rules to
govern the company. The county
grange is a subscriber to every branch
company, the price of the shares be-
ing $40 each. 1t may be interesting
to know that the cost is about $50 per
mile for wire, poles, brackets and set
ting. the price varying with the cost OF
labor The success of the system is
remarkable, but it could not have been
so without the personal service feature
which enters into the plan. Each farm
er keeps the line in repair that runs
through his property, and there are no
salaries. This is the secret of its sue
.ess. 1t is practical, not theoretical.
cooperation.
Another one of the activities of Cen
ter county grange is its fire insurance
company. This was organized nearly
thirty-nine years ago, and for that
time the average cost of insurance per
500. including survey, premium and
policy, has been 1923 cents. Here
again the organization is representa-
tive and cooperative. Only grange
members can be insured. If a man
loses his grange membership he must
withdraw from the company. No one
is eligible to office in the company I'M
less he has property insured. Each
subordinate grange elects one director
and the directors elect the officers. The
county grange elects three auditors,
who audit the accounts of the d1rec-
tors. The plan works out admirably
Besides this cooperative insurance. the
grange is developing a scheme of CO.
operative buying which is already saw
ing dollars TO the grange farmers Of
Center county. BY buying in large
quantities and by the use of trade
cards on approved houses a large saw
ing is made on the necessaries of life.
and in this manner the cost of living
has been materially reduced.
This cooperative work i'll Pennsyl-
vania county can be duplicated in al
most any county in any state where
the grange is strong and where such
operations are wisely and economical
ly manager. But businesslike man
agement there must be There must
also be willingness on the part of
farmers to get together in this way
and stay together And yet it is the
one thing that kills attempted coop
eraion in many places-inability to
hang together through thick and thin
and distrust of one another But this
IS not characteristic Of the grange
farmers Of this Pennsylvania town
why should II be of any?
w BARROW