SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL FEATURES 283 



influential factors in assuaging the sectional bitterness left by 

 the war. 



CHARITABLE WORK OF THE ORDER 



As is the case with most fraternal orders, the Grange under- 

 took to assist its members in cases of special affliction. Oppor- 

 tunities for the application of this principle on a rather large 

 scale occurred in 1874 and 1875, at the time when the order was 

 at the height of prosperity. In April, 1874, the Mississippi 

 River overflowed its banks and brought disaster and suffering 

 to a considerable number of farmers living in Louisiana and 

 Alabama. Many of these farmers were Patrons and appeals 

 were at once made for assistance to the masters of the state 

 granges and through them to the order at large. The executive 

 committee of the National Grange sent one thousand dollars 

 of its funds to the master of the Louisiana State Grange to be 

 used as he might deem best. Later the committee expended 

 about three thousand dollars in purchasing flour and bacon in 

 the West, which were distributed to the suffering Patrons through 

 the masters of their state granges. 1 In addition large amounts 

 of money were collected from the different state and local granges, 

 and from individual Patrons in all parts of the country, to relieve 

 the suffering in this section. There is no way of arriving at the 

 total amount of these contributions but they were as high as 

 five thousand dollars from some states and are said to have been 

 received from every state but one in which the order existed. 2 



During the preceding year the grasshopper plague made its 

 appearance in the states west of the Mississippi River and its 

 return during the summer of 1874 caused a great deal of destitu- 

 tion. Again the appeal went up to the National Grange to make 

 appropriations from its overflowing treasury, and again the 

 response was generous. The executive committee sent about 

 eleven thousand dollars to the masters of state granges in Iowa, 

 Minnesota, Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska to be used in relieving 



1 National Grange, Proceedings, viii. 31, 136 (February, 1875). 



2 Prairie Farmer, xlv. 203 (June 27, 1874); Ellis, in Ohio Farmer, ci. 78 (January 

 23, 1902); State grange proceedings: Missouri, iii. 14 (1874); North Carolina, 

 ii. 10, 18 (1875); Ohio, ii. 6, 9, 21 (1875); Vermont, i-iii. 14 (1874). 



