Milford chronicle., 1927-07-29
HELPS ALL THE FARMERS
The Practical Work OF the Grange
BY No Means Confined to Members

Few of the farmers who have not
yet Joined the Grange realize how
much they owe to that organization
for the service it has rendered to
agriculture as whole during its 60
years of existence, in addition to the
benefits it has brought directly to
its own membership. This is signi-
ficantly emphasized in the following
concise summary of actual Grange
achievements for the benefit of the
rural welfare, about which many
farmers will be interested to learn:
1t was through Grange initiative
and persistent agitation that rural
delivery of mail brought to the
farm homes of the United States one
of its greatest blessings, and in
which all farmers have shared, non
Grange members as well as those
affiliated with the organization.
The earliest organized champion
of the good roads movement was the
Grange, and discussion of the sub
ject in thousands of Grange meet
ings created the sentiment which
first demanded better roads in the
various states, particularly those
from farm to market, whose benefits
are shared by all farmers to-day.
Grange mutual fire insurance
companies doing business in a score
of states carry nearly $500,000,000
of fire risks for farmer members of
the Grange, with very marked saw
ing over the rates in old line COM
panies. Even more important, how
ever, is the fact that the presence of
this extensive group of Grange
mutual companies has a highly
salutary effect in holding down
rates in general on farm property
everywhere. With the certainty
that if the competitive feature
which these Grange companies con-
tinually provide were removed, in
surance rates on all rural property
would take a big jump.
OF the millions of farm women
who are running a sewing machine
today, very few realize that the first
great fight successfully carried
through by the National Grange was
to prevent the renewal Of monopoly
patient rights on sewing machines
and that in consequence every sew
ing machine purchased by house
wife for the last 40 years has cost
many dollars less that ii the Grange
had not been on guard for the rural
welfare.
No class of people derives greater
direct benefit from the operation Of
the parcel post system that do the
farmers, and yet for years the
Grange unaided, conducted fight
for the enactment of parcel post
legislation, opposed by the powerful
financial interests represented by
the great express companies of the
United States.
Few legislative measures espous-
ed by the Grange have been more
vigorously fought than those in be-
half of pure food laws and requir-
ing the package marking of fertiliz-
ers, insecticides, ETC., showing their
actual content, while pure seed
laws, staining of seeds, etc, have
been other Grange measures of
similar practical character from
which every farmer continually
benefits.
Other measures which the Grange
has either initiated or fostered that
have been of assistance to farmers
universally have included the es-
tablishment of the Federal Farm
Loan system, legislation for the pre-
vention and eradication of contag-
ious diseases among domestic ami
mails, coupled always with demand
for reasonable compensation to
owners of animals thus slaughtered,
enactment of strict laws prohibiting
the manufacture of butter, liberal
Federal appropriation for the eradl-
cation of the gypsy cattle tricks, and
various other destructive insects
and plant animals diseases, sponsor
ing a law to prohibit the manufact-
ure of filled cheese and another to
prevent the sale of adulterated lard,
advocating rigorous government in
spection of the products of all pack
ing plants and to insure the whole
some handling of food products
everywhere, initiating strict legisla-
tion against the manufacture, sale
or transportation of adulterated and
misbranded insecticides, the prime
mover in securing the sO-called
Packer Control act, backing the
Smith-Lever act, out of which grew
the county agent system of the pres
ent time, favoring strongly Federal
and state income tax enactments,
the termination of free passes by
railroad. creating a national bureau
of animal industry, opening up
great national waterways and
vigorously advocating the protection
bird life.
While Grange members in this
organization, which number nearly
100000 Patrons at the present
time, have all benefited from the
above practical program of a half
century, so successfully achieved,
the fact is significant that all far
mers outside the Grange have simil-
arly benefited, as its service has
been conspicuously of overflowing
character to all the rural people.
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE