No. 5. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 235 



When the last scene of that great drama of the Civil War was 

 being enacted, something happened which led to the organization of 

 the Grange. When the terms of jjeace were being carried out, Grant 

 stood at the head of the Army of the Potomac, and Lee at the head 

 of the Army of the South. According to the terms of peace, all the 

 munitions of war, were to go to Grant, the victor. Everything had 

 been carried out to the letter, except the distribution of the horses. 

 When these were reached. Grant hesitated a moment, then, turning 

 to Lee, said: "Tell the men they may keep their horses; they will 

 need them in their spring's work." Out of the sentiment expressed 

 in those words, grew the Grange. 



After the armies had disbanded, and the men had returned to the 

 places they once called home. President Johnson began his great 

 work of Eeconstruction of the States. During four years of strife, 

 feelings of the bitterest enmity had been engendered. Often brother 

 had been arrayed against brother, father against son, and now that 

 the war was over, the bitterness and enmity remained. President 

 Johnson soon saw that if he was to make this one country, one in 

 which but one flag, and that "Old Glory" should be recognized, he 

 must do something to bring those "Boys in Blue" and the "Boys in 

 Gray" into a closer brotherhood. With this thought in mind, he 

 called into his office a young man, employed by the Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, by the name of O. H. Kelley, and informed him that he 

 had been commissioned to go into the South and study agricultural 

 conditions. He was instructed to visit the farms, the homes, and 

 make careful note of what he saw, and report the same at Wash- 

 ington. 



In obedience to his instructions, he was traveling along a Southern 

 road one morning when he came to a beautiful farm house, one that 

 had escaped the ravages of war. In the yard in front of the house 

 was a typical specimen of Southern manhood. He was so impressed 

 by the imposing structure of the building and the manly appearance 

 of the man in the yard in front of the building, that he approached 

 the gate and said "Good morning, sir." The man looked up and 

 saw at once that his visitor was from the North and turned his head 

 and refused to return the salutation. The young man was deter- 

 mined to know the reason, so he pressed still farther forward and 

 said, "Sir, do you mind telling me why you refuse to speak to me?" 

 Again the man looked up and said, "Certainly not; my father was 

 killed by a Northerner and I made a solemn vow to God that no 

 Northerner should ever cross my threshold." He then glanced at a 

 charm that hung from the watch chain of the young man. On the 

 charm he saw an emblem which instantly brought to his mind a cer- 

 tain pledge that both had taken, though separated by many, many 

 miles. He hesitated a moment, then approaching the gate, swung it 

 wide open, and extending his hand said, "Come in and welcome, 

 brother," Then and there, at the little farm yard in the sunny South- 

 land, the Grange was born. 



Time and space will not permit me to give a complete history of 

 the Order under discussion. Suffice it to say that its cornerstone is 

 fraternity. Its object is to develop a higher type of manhood and 

 womanhood among ourselves. Its principles are heaven-born — as 

 broad as the universe, as high as the heavens, and as deep as the 

 ocean. It is non-sectarian, non-political, and seeks the greatest good 



