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jority of these, in a pecuniary point of view, have attained a 

 fair measure of success. To make them what they should 

 be, and to insure the greatest measure of success in providing 

 for the pecuniary wants of members, they should be conducJ- 

 ed upon a strictly co-operative plan I would therefore rec- 

 ommend the appointment of a committee on co-operation to 

 report a uniform plan of business to be adopted by our mem- 

 bers so far as practicable, under the laws of our State. The 

 question of pecuniary advantage is upon us ; we cannot afford 

 to stop now; good common sense and business experience 

 alone can carry us through; we have this in the Grange; we 

 are able to cope with this question and accomplish grand re- 

 sults if we but determine to do so. If tens of thousands of 

 dollars have already been saved through an imperfect 

 and incomplete business system, who can estimate the 

 savings through a perfected one, and which the 

 experience of the past demonstrates to be attainable. The 

 question of co-operation in business is no new one. It has 

 been prominently before the National Grange, more particu- 

 larly at its last three sessions, and such care and thought 

 has been given it in that body as its importance and intimate 

 connection with the success of the order demanded. Your 

 earnest and careful attention is invited to its action upon the 

 subject, and to the rules and regulations adopted for the es- 

 tablishment and government of co-operative stores. 



I am informed that measures have been taken towards 

 establishing a co-operative wholesale and commission house 

 in the city of Chicago. Such official recognition of the fact 

 should be taken by this body as its importance to the order 

 in the State demands. Since the law providing for the organ- 

 ization of district and county granges has been in force, dis- 

 pensations have been issued for eighty-three such Granges in 

 the State. While there is no doubt of the utility of county 

 Granges as a connecting link between the subordinate and 

 State Grange, they have been greatly crippled in their 

 usefulness for the want of proper legislation. No provisions 

 having been made for support, they have become, in most in- 

 stances, a burden and tax upon the members composing 



