PREFACE. 



Notwithstanding the somewhat unusual facilities which my editor 

 rial and other relations had furnished me for the collection of data, 

 etc., it is quite probable that I should have regretted yielding to the 

 solicitations of my present publishers to prepare a history of the ori 

 gin, aims, arid progress of the FARMERS MOVEMENT, had I not been 

 so fortunate as to secure the co-operation of a number of gentlemen, 

 whose assistance has been valuable to both the reader and myself in 

 the highest degree. I desire here to return my thanks to my fellow- 

 laborer on the &quot; Western Rural,&quot; Mr. Avern Pardoe, without whose 

 aid it would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, for me 

 to have responded to this extra demand upon my time. Grateful 

 acknowledgments are also due to my friends Hon. W. C. Flagg and 

 Mr. J. W. Midgley for the papers on Transportation and Railroads 

 which are given in Chapters XXXIV to XXXVII of this work. 

 No apology can be needed for the admission of the &quot; Railroad side,&quot; 

 so strongly presented by. Mr. Midgley. Intelligent and practically 

 useful discussion of the farmers undoubted grievances in respect to 

 railroads will be greatly facilitated by a true understanding and care 

 ful sifting of the arguments presented by the opposing interest. 

 I also desire to return thanks to many other friends, East, West, and 

 South, who have favored me with valuable information and advice ; 

 and to bear testimony to the kind and often painstaking courtesy 

 extended to me by the secretaries and other officers of the Granges, 

 Clubs, and other societies organized in the interest of agriculture. 



Want of space has compelled the omission of considerable matter 

 which it was my original intention to embody in this volume among 

 which are, a list of the Clubs, Granges, etc., in the United States and 

 Canadas ; extracts from such of the leading agricultural and other 

 journals of the country as have taken a prominent part in the dis 

 cussion of the Farmers Movement ; and an admirable paper by my 

 friend Rufus K. Slosson, of Morris, 111. 



In the following pages the endeavor has been made to present his 

 tory with accuracy and impartiality. When my own opinions have 

 been expressed upon the great and still growing power of monopoliz 

 ing capital, it has been sought to clo so without prejudice or bitter 



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