ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GRANGE 299 



to know all the facts. In New York a State buying agency was 

 established and later abandoned ; then district agencies were tried, 

 making certain savings to the buyers, these, however, were also 

 given up after a few years, and purchases were made through 

 regular dealers. If the cold-blooded test of dividends be applied 

 to these experiments, they were all failures. If, on the other hand, 

 they be looked on as mere laboratories or experiment stations in 

 marketing, and in part also as a potential club over the head of the 

 over-mercenary middlemen, then these experiments were worth 

 while. They may be considered in the light of "potential compe- 

 tition" which put a brake on high prices. In 1876 the Patrons 

 were reported to own five steamboat or packet lines, twenty-two 

 warehouses, and thirty-two grain elevators in the Chicago territory 

 principally in Iowa. In some cases State Granges financed these 

 enterprises, having funds with which to experiment. 



Effect of Low Prices. The economic crisis through which the 

 country passed in 1893 and 1894, and the agricultural depression 

 extending well up into 1897 very naturally caused many farmers 

 to turn to the Grange, as they had done in the 70's as a possible 

 solution for their economic ills. Corn in Chicago, for instance, in 

 1895 touched the low point of 25 cents a bushel, and in 1896 the 

 final bottom of 22 J/2 cents ! This meant 10 cent corn on the farms 

 a price much below cost of production. Wheat in Chicago reached 

 52^< cents in 1894 and 53^ cents in 1895, which meant 40 

 cent wheat on the farms, a price below cost of production. 

 No wonder the State Granges of California, Oregon, Illinois, 

 Washington, Missouri, Virginia, and Pennsylvania sent a speaker 

 to Washington to present a memorial to Congress setting forth 

 the evils of the existing protective tariff system and asking for 

 protection to agriculture in the form of export bounties. 5 No 

 "help" was given. 



Achievements of the Grange. The Grange has always taken 

 part in working for agrarian legislation which it wanted and fighting 

 legislation which it did not want. It has unquestionably opposed 

 with success much pending legislation potentially harmful to 

 farmers. The creation of the present Department of Agriculture 

 is probably due more to the Grange than to any other influence. 

 The rural free delivery of mail is largely also a Grange achievement. 

 The Grange also has to its credit a long list of constructive and 

 important acts concerning education, parcel post, the correct label- 

 ing of foods and drugs, etc. 



6 54 Cong. 2 Sess. Senate Doc. 157. 



