f 



STATE GKANGE OF ILLINOIS. Vi 



There were no funds at our disposal with which to furnish 

 him a suitable place, or the means of doing a business of any- 

 thing near the extent that the demands of the State required. 

 The agent was telegraphed to meet us, the situation fully 

 explained, and a proposition made that he prepare a new cir- 

 cular containing price list, and such information as was of gen- 

 eral interest in connection with the business arm of the Order, 

 and that he should receive his expenses and two dollars and one- 

 half per da}' for all time actually emplo^'ed. 



This proposition was generously accepted, and he entered 

 immediately upon the discharge of this duty. We are aware 

 that to justify this course requires a liberal construction of the 

 law defining the powers and duties of the Executive Committee, 

 but iis guardians of the general interests of the Order we felt 

 compelled to pursue this course. 



Again, it might be urged that if the Committee were required 

 to assign the work of this Agenc}'. it should at least have the 

 power either to select the agent to execute it or be allowed to 

 saj' what it was worth. 



In considering the subject of printing the proceedings of the 

 last annual meeting of this Grange, the Committee instructed 

 the Secretary to have printed only such resolutions, motions 

 and reports as were adopted. This was done to avoid expense 

 and prevent confusion, as well as to keep the volume in a con- 

 venient size for reference: hence the printed proceedings make 

 but a meagre showing of the actual work done. 



The State officei^s still feeling the necessity of a more conven- 

 ient, cheap and expeditious means uf communicating with the 

 Subordinate Granges than the ordinary mode of epistolarj* cor- 

 respondence, and wishing to ascertain the views of the members 

 of the Order in relation to the establishment of a newspaper 

 conducted in the interests of the Order, we caused a circular to be 

 prepared proposing the establishment of such a paper, also 

 stating what its character should be, the price of subscription, 

 and how conducted. A copy was sent to the Master of each 

 Grange in the State, with a request that he bring the subject 

 before his Grange, ascertain and report the views of the Grange, 

 also the names of those who were willing to pledge one yeiu's 

 subscription. Only one hundred and twenty-seven Granges 

 reported and pledged between six and seven hundred subscrip- 

 tions. In connection with this subject, we would say that the 

 Committee, at its May meeting, appointed a sul)-committee of its 

 members, to a.*;certain if a contract could be made with the 

 "Prairie Farmer Co." to print sueh official matter as the officers 

 of the Grange might desire to have published, and to have one 

 copv of the paper sent to the Master of each Grange in the 

 State. 



