STATE GRANGE OF ILLINOIS. 15 



order was refunded, and the Secretary of this Committee notified 

 the Patrons of the fact that this firm was unreliable, and cau- 

 tioned them against sending orders to them. With the excep- 

 tion of this firm, we have not learned of any loss occurring 

 through any of the parties recommended in the circulars from 

 the office of this Agency. 



The State Agency has cost the sum of ^828. 75 (salary, $514.15; 

 expenses, $314.50). While we are not prepared to say that 

 this sum has not been judiciously expended, that the Order has 

 not been, either directly or indirectly benefited by the Agency 

 to many times this amount, j'et we are unanimously of the opin- 

 ion that the continuance of the Agency upon the present sys- 

 tem will be neither profitable nor beneficial to the Order. The 

 experience of State Agencies in other States has demonstrated the 

 fact that agencies may be established upon plans which will 

 make them both beneficial to the Patrons, and self-sustaining. 

 Yet, in order to do this, they must be established in commercial 

 centres, and furnished with ample facilities for doing an exten- 

 sive business. We would submit for your consideration, whether 

 such agencies should not be established in the cities of St. Louis 

 and Chicago. It must be borne in mind, that not only as a 

 matter of policy, but as a matter of necessity, these agencies 

 must be self-sustaining, as the finances of this Grange will not 

 be sufficient to allow any funds to be taken from the treasury 

 for this purpose. The only sum that could possibly be used, 

 is the amount received from the National Grange as a donation. 



The Committee upon Life Insurance, appointed at the last 

 meeting of this Grange, and instructed to report to this Com- 

 mittee, reported about the middle of October — too late for this 

 committee to take an}' action upon the report; if, indeed, it was 

 the intention of the Grange that the committee take active steps 

 to form the association contemplated. We caused the report to 

 be printed in the " Prairie Farmer," and copies sent to repre- 

 sentative men of the Order in the different counties, with the 

 view of bringing the suljject before the Subordinate Granges for 

 discussion, that the}' might instruct their representatives in this 

 body. We would ask for this subject your careful considera- 

 tion: whether it may not be a cheap, practicable and safe plan 

 of life assurance, and at the same time be an additional bond of 

 union in our fraternity. 



The principle has been acted upon in the States of New York 

 and Wisconsin. 



The Committee, at its September meeting, requested the Sec- 

 retary and Master to enforce the law in relation to delinquent 

 Granges. 



The State Grange ha.s been obliged to pay over $1,000 dues to 

 the National Grange for Granges that have ceased to contrilj- 



