THE OUTCOME OF THE GRANGER MOVEMENT 663 



annual meetings, contributes $2000 to keep Grange lecturers in 

 the field, and reports steady prosperity. 



Much of the later history of the Grange has been anticipated in 

 treating of railroad legislation and co-operation, but its decadence 

 merits a little closer attention. Only those interested in agricultural 

 pursuits were eligible for membership, but, in the unprecedented 

 growth of the order under the labors of twelve hundred deputies, 

 it was impossible to keep out men who were farmers only to the 

 extent of a garden or back yard. In those days lawyers, doctors, 

 merchants, discovered in themselves a marvelous interest in agri- 

 cultural pursuits, and joined the Grange. As a Granger remarked, 

 they were interested in agriculture as the hawk is interested in 

 the sparrow. Two Granges were organized in New York City ; 

 one, the " Manhattan," on Broadway, with a membership of 

 forty-five wholesale dealers, sewing-machine manufacturers, etc., 

 representing a capital of as many millions ; the other, the 

 " Knickerbocker," one of whose first official acts was to present 

 the National Grange with a handsome copy of the Scriptures a 

 gift causing some embarrassment. A similar one was orga 

 in Boston, which made great trouble before it could be expelled ; 

 and one was found in Jersey City, with a general of the army as 

 its master, a stone-mason as secretary, and the owner of a grain- 

 elevator as chaplain. But discordant elements were not all from 

 other professions. Thousands of farmers had been carried in by 

 the enthusiasm of the movement, with no idea of the nature 

 and aims of the Order. Some expected to make a political party; 

 others, to smash the railroads; almost all hoped to find in co- 

 operation a panacea for poverty. There was great lack of disci- 

 pline, but no discipline could have harmonized such a body. The 

 utbreak wafl in the direction of democracy. Lay members 

 were eligible to but four of the seven degrees, and this was de- 

 nounced as aristocratic, opposed to tin spirit of democratic institu- 

 tions. Alttlg with this came the cry that the National (i range WHS 

 growing too rich. In vain it made liberal donations of seeds and 

 -ions to sufferers by grasshoppers and floods, and spent large 

 sums in distributing crop-reports among the Order. 1 : < i l.unor 



