STATE GRANGE OF ILLINOIS. 17 



are Kentucky, Indiana, Iowa, California and Virginia. In Ken- 

 tucky the commission plan has been adopted. A large house 

 was rtMited in Louisville, and manufacturers who desired to deal 

 with the Patrons were invited to put in their machiner}'. The 

 rent of this building was paid In' manufacturers renting space, 

 with the exception of >>200.00. Have done a business of between 

 $200,000 and §«300,0(t0. with an estimated saving of from twenty- 

 five to thirty per cent, to consumers. This must be acknowl- 

 edged to be a very fair showing for the first y^ar of business; 

 still they are not satisfied, but are attempting to change the 

 plan to one of a salar}". Propose to raise a fund of §i2."i,000 by 

 issuing bonds in the sum of ten dollars each, bearing six per 

 cent, interest, and payable in five years. With this fund they 

 expect, by l)uying for cash and in large quantities, to be able to 

 sell at the ordinary wholesale rates, and save enough to pay 

 running expenses, the interest on the bonds, also to establish a 

 sinking fund with which to paj^ the principal of the bonds at 

 maturity, and be able to continue the business of the Agency. 



In Indiana, the State Agent is paid a salary, and is allowed 

 to use $5,000.00 of the Grange fund. The General Agent sends 

 blank orders to the Subordinate Granges which are filled and 

 forwarded to the County Agents, and by the County Agents to 

 the State Agent, who aggregates the orders and fills them direct 

 from manufacturers. 



Their business during the past year has amounted to $300.- 

 000.00. During the Fall their sales of boots and shoes alone 

 amounted to §2.000.00 per week. 



In California the business is conducted by an association with 

 a capital of §1,000,000. 



The general manager is paid a salary and one per cent, com- 

 mission is charged upon purchases and one and a half per cent, 

 upon sales which constitutes a sinking fund. 



In Oregon, much the same plan is adopted. 



In Virginia, the State Grange created a business bureau with 

 a salaried officer at its head, who appoints sub or local agents 

 upon the recommendation of the Count}^ Granges. The local 

 agents receive a commission. This plan is represented to be 

 working very satisfactorily. While this plan may meet the 

 wants of the Patrons in Virginia, we are satisfied it would not 

 be successful in Illinois. 



In order to learn what has been done in our State, your Com- 

 mittee sent circulars to all the agents whose address we could 

 obtain, asking reports of their business. We desire in this con- 

 nection to return thanks for the prompt and full manner in 

 which these reports were made, the more especially as their busi- 

 ness was established and conducted independent of the State 



