FARMERS' GRANGES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1243, 25 September 1875, Page 19

FARMERS' GRANGES.

The farmers' granges in America are a decided succes. In the few years since they were started they have been erected into 20,000 lodges, with some 3,000,000 members ; and meanwhile they have succeeded in getting the railway to take their grain to market far more cheaply Ihan they were accustomed to do. The lodges of the "Patrons of Husbandry" in America are managed on something like the Freemnsons' system, and the Grand Master has just been giving his message. Here i 3 a little bit of it, worth reading as an exercise in grandiloquence. Says he: — "From the snow-clad hills, the flowery vales, the golden shore, and prairie land, we meet together by the historic palmetto. Jsot aaN><mads, who gather at a shrine in obedience to a sentiment, do we come, but as chosen representatives of the fraternity whoso object is the moral and material advancement of the greatest industrial interest of tha great Republic. Standing, as we do today, upon the narrow line which divides the past from the future, about to stop forward into that time which is all unseen by human eye, ifc behoves us to well scrutinise the track behind us. that we gain thereby some clue to the path before. One year ago we mot beyond the Father of Waters, and congratulated ourselves on the growth and strength of our gigantic young order. To-day, by the eversounding sees we proudly proclaim that our members have increased one hundredfold." By the way, these granges differ from masons' lodges by having women as members ; and there is a story of two farmers, too timid to commit themselves by joining, who sent their wive instead. The wives joined and liked it, but when their husbands wanted to follow them there were always two black balls excluding them. So they Htay at h<nne and mind the babies, while their wives always attend the lodges and enjoy themselves. This is turning the tables effectually. — Pictorial World.