14 _ PROCEEDII^GS OF THE 



The Company proposed to print such matter as we would fur- 

 nish gratuitously, and mail one copy of the paper to the Master 

 of each Grange, from the 20th of May until the 1st of January, 

 for fifty cents per copy, this being the estimated cost of the 

 blank paper and postage. This proposition was submitted to 

 each member of this committee; not receiving the approval of a 

 majority, it was rejected. We would submit for your considera- 

 tion, whether an arrangement of this kind with some paper 

 might not be beneficial as well as profitable to this Grange. 



The National Grange, at its eighth session, proposed to loan, 

 without interest, from its funds, to such States as should make 

 application for the same, a sum equal to $2.50 for every Subor- 

 dinate Grange that had been organized up to January 1st, 1875. 

 We have pledged the fraternal good faith of the State Grange 

 to return this fund when called for by the National Grange: 

 made application for and received the amount apportioned this 

 State. Your Committee expecting to receive this money in the 

 early part of the season, made arrangements to have it used in 

 the interest of the business arm of the Order, but as it was not 

 received by the Committee until some time in the month of 

 October, — too late to be used as originally intended — it was 

 loaned temporarily, and is now subject to the disposal of this 

 Grange. We are happy to be able to say that since receiving it, the 

 National Grange has made it a donation. It is no longer a 

 loan, but a part of the available funds of the State Grange. 



Brother Schoenleber, of LaSalle county made application to 

 this committee for a loan of a sufficient amount to cover an unset- 

 tled account which he held against the firm of Reynolds, Corbett 

 & Thomas. Believing that our fraternal obligations required 

 the State Grange to render all the aid possible, consistent with 

 its own safety, to brothers who felt aggrieved by the action of 

 our agents we appointed Bro. Fanning a committee to investi- 

 gate the matter, Avith power to act for the Committee — who 

 reported that he had made several attempts to see Bro. Schoen- 

 leber in the discharge of his duty, but had failed. 



The Committee was discharged, and Bro. Golder appointed in 

 Bro. Fanning's place; but, before anything further was done in 

 the matter, we were informed that the claim had been satisfac- 

 torily settled. This has been the case, so far as we have been 

 able to learn, with every claim thnt Patrons held against said 

 firm. Unfortunately, the firm of Harris Bros, was placed upon 

 one of Bro. Frew's confidential circulars. This firm proved to 

 be, if not a swindle, at least, irresponsible. Bro. Tupper, of 

 Carroll county, who had sent $33 to them for a sewing-machine, 

 and lost it, applied to this Compiittee for relief; it appeared in 

 the evidence that this order was sent exclusively upon the rec- 

 ommendation of the State Agent, therefore, the amount of the 



