Year: 1876

er2 Has the Grange any business schemes
or plans of cooperation? What objects has
the Grange in view for the future. Have
YOU no business agent Or business assocla-
ton to operate the commercial features OF
your organization? Who are your leading
men Territorial officers. What kind OF men
have you on your Executive Committee?


These inquiries and others of similar ma
t,lre have met me at intervals OF late, but
for fear at commitment, invariably endeav-
cred to look wise and referred the querist
to the grasshopper plague. Every Patron
in the Territory may ask himself the above
questions and answer them if he can. Al
though we may safely attribute the absence
of any we'll directed trade or organization
through. and for the benefit of the order to
the ravages of the grasshoppers, yet it does
not follow that the hope, energy and vitality
of the farmers sapped to the core to the det
rfment of future work.


It is true that the order is in too reduced
circumstances to engage in gigantic under
takings with any hopes of success, but it
should not deter us from our purpose or di-
minsh our confidence, or embargo free
discussion of business schemes and plans in
grange sessions, or through the columns of
the HusBANDMAN, the Grange organ for the
Territory, and an excellent one. too, if Pa
irons would only avail themselves of its use.


A couple Of years since before the farm
ers became reduced to the ged-rock, buoyed
up in the hopes of excellent crops, which
were then growing luXuriantly and giving
great promise. 4 few ventures were made
in some localities that We're successful and
satisfactory financially, while others par
TALLY failed, from causes entirely beyond
their control but enough has been realized
| to give confidence and character to our Or
gAnization, when once we have thorough
ly learned the art of cooperation and have
the means and abilities to successfully in
augurate it.


That there is an immense advantage to be
derived from combination and cooperation,
is q settled fact beyond cavil or doubt, or
else why do capitalists unite and form mon
ster rings and monopolies to ward off COM
petition and buy up legislation to protect
their combination. The farmer has been
for all time the ass that has bore the bur-
dens of low prices and oppression Of sup
plieatingly inquiring how much will you
give me for my produce, and how much
will you take for your wares? But the time
has arrived when the farmers as class,
through education. sound judgment and
fraternal unity, can protect their own


interests, command their own prices, and
. otherwise share the fruits of we'll directed
cooperation.


The work before lis is of 40 little moment
4 The issue now, is between capital and labor,
between monopoly and competition, and
every guarantee to capital at the expense Of
the agriculturist and producer. Capital
combines and form great manufacturing
combinations. Capitalists create great
banking and transportation monopolies,
command all the great thoroughfares of
trade, using all the great arteries ofcommerce
their especial gain, and by their influence
and power, for wealth is power. they can
easily secure congressional protection, and
we the lords of the land, and to the manor
born have to foot the hills. Isolated as we
are from the seaborad and manufacturing
centers, and inaccessible to cheap transpor-
tation, we should not be dsmayed or even
anticipate as large profits and great savings
as those east of us who arc more fortunately y
or favorably situated. If our groceries an(
spices can be purchased at the seabaard anc
/ pass through the hands of three or four, OF
1 more middemen, each one selling at prof