ORGANIZATION 65 



Such, in brief, together with considerable vague generaliza- 

 tion and many repetitions, was the platform of the Patrons of 

 Husbandry as promulgated by its leaders in the National Grange. 

 Had the order held strictly, during the years of its greatest 

 popularity, to the principles here enunciated, it probably would 

 have been spared a part, at least, of the notable loss in member- 

 ship and prestige during the latter years of the decade. 



At this session it was again necessary to revise the constitu- 

 tion, to make it better applicable to the new conditions resulting 

 from the great extension of the order, and more consonant with 

 the ideas of the rank and file of the membership. 1 Provision 

 was made for the reduction of representation in the state granges, 

 some of which had become of unwieldy proportions, and for the 

 establishment of district or county (Pomona) granges in the 

 fifth degree, to have charge of the educational and business 

 interests of the order. Other amendments made the state and 

 national granges more strictly delegate bodies, changed the time 

 of meeting of the National Grange from February to November, 2 

 reduced the dues paid by the state granges to the National 

 Grange from ten to five cents per member, and changed the 

 article on membership to read: " Any person engaged in agri- * 

 cultural pursuits and having no interest in conflict with our 

 purposes, of the age of sixteen years ... is entitled to 

 membership." These amendments did not become part of 

 the constitution until they were accepted by three-fourths 

 of the state granges, while four other amendments passed at 

 this session never received the consent of a sufficient number 

 of these bodies and hence were of no effect. 3 



The month of February, 1874, in which occurred the session 

 of the National Grange which has just been considered, saw 



1 The revised constitution is given in Carr, Patrons of Husbandry, 110-113; the 

 amendments can be found in National Grange, Proceedings, vii. 67-72 (1874). 



2 This did not go into effect until after the next annual meeting and resulted in 

 two sessions in 1875. 



3 These provided life membership in the National Grange for the seven " foun- 

 ders " and for past-masters of the National Grange; additional proportionate 

 representation in the National Grange for states having over thirty thousand 

 members; and an increase in the membership fee for charter members. 



