THE FARMER'S WAR AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 477 



" In the purchase of sewing machines the saving has 

 been still greater and the sales very large. The retail 

 price of sewing machines in this State has been from 

 $50 to $95, according to variety; they are now sold to 

 the Grangers at 40 per cent, discount from these prices, 

 or for from $30 to $57. The demand has been so great 

 that 1500 machines have been ordered to be delivered 

 during the coming year. Supposing all of these to be 

 of the cheapest variety, the saving will be $30,000. 

 The number purchased will probably far exceed 1500. 

 On parlor organs the discount to the Granges is from 

 20 to 25 per cent.; on scales, from 25 to 33 J per cent.; 

 on shellers, 15 per cent.; on wagons, 20 per cent; on 

 hay-forks, 33i per cent.; on miscellaneous implements, 

 like feed-grinders, stalk-cutters, harrows, field-rollers, 

 hay-rakes, grain separators, etc., 25 per cent. On 

 mowers the discount is 25 per cent. ; that is, a machine 

 which retails at $120 is sold to the Grangers for $90. 

 A lot of reapers which a manufacturer who was going 

 out of the business had on hand were offered to the 

 Grangers for $75 each, provided they would take the 

 whole of them. They were carefully examined and 

 tested by the State agent and others, who reported 

 that they would be cheap at $150. A circular con- 

 veying this information was sent to the Granges of the 

 State, and the whole lot was disposed of at once. They 

 have given universal satisfaction. I might go on at 

 great length quoting prices, but those I have given are 

 sufficient to show that by intelligent cooperation the 

 farmers of the West can save a great amount of money. 

 General Wilson, Secretary of the State Grange, thinks 

 that $2,000,000 has already been saved in this wny. 

 Mr. Whitman, the State agent, to whose well-directed 



