SERVICES IN THE ORDER OF PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY. 499 



clined, not because the nominee was not as willing as here 

 tofore to serve his fellow-citizens, but because he was at 

 that time too deeply absorbed in the great work of his life 

 spreading the organization of the Order of Patrons of Hus 

 bandry. The tenets of the Order proclaim it to be non- 

 political. Had he acceded to the wishes of his friends, the 

 Order would have been immediately stigmatized as seeking 

 political ends. Mr. Adams was willing to forego the pros 

 pect of gubernatorial honors, in order that he might still 

 labor in the field of his choice, to promote the business and 

 social welfare of the agricultural masses. These he repre 

 sents as the chief executive officer of the National Grange ; 

 and truly it is a higher honor than to be a State governor. 



SERVICES IN THE ORDER OF &quot;PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.&quot; 



Early in the year 1870, Mr. Adams and two of his neigh 

 bors, having heard of the Patrons of Husbandry, called to 

 gether other neighbors, and organized Waukon Grange, No. 

 3, of the State. Seven months later, they organized Frank- 

 ville Grange, No. 4. Six months subsequently, or June 12, 

 1871, the State Grange was organized temporarily, and Mr. 

 Adams was chosen Master. In December of the same year, 

 a permanent organization was effected, and he was elected 

 the Master for two years. This office he held until his elec 

 tion as Master of the National Grange, early in 1873. 



In 1871, when elected to the State Grange, there were less 

 than a dozen Granges in the State. He left it with over 

 eight hundred working .organizations. Since this time the 

 State has fully kept pace with its previous record, its pres 

 ent membership showing over one hundred thousand tillers 

 of the soil, working as a unit for their social, moral, and in 

 dustrial elevation among the great brotherhood of man 

 kind. 



