THE FARMER'S WAE AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 481 



often been swindled so badly that they have lost all 

 confidence in commission merchants. One of the first 

 steps that the Grange took was to select a commission 

 house of the highest character in Chicago, and another 

 in New York, and make them its agents. Each of 

 these houses has given bonds to the amount of $100,000, 

 and agrees to receive everything that is consigned to it 

 by the Grange or any of its members, and dispose of 

 it to the best possible advantage, taking only one per 

 cent, for commission. Since this arrangement has 

 been made, many of the farmers have shipped their 

 own grain, and the Chicago agent has been able to sell 

 it for them on the cars upon which it was originally 

 loaded, thus avoiding altogether elevator charges and 

 the cost of trans-shipment. The prices thus realized 

 by the farmers have generally been several cents a 

 bushel better for grain than those offered at home, 

 although the railroad companies have given them no 

 special rates. 



" In order to take advantage of favorable markets, 

 the Granges have established at several points in the 

 State elevators and warehouses of their own. In some 

 places these warehouses have been built by two or 

 three prominent members of the Order; in others the 

 stock has been divided into small shares and is owned 

 by great numbers of the farmers. The plan of con- 

 ducting the business is the same in both cases. If the 

 farmer prefers to sell his grain outright and get the 

 money for it when it is delivered, the managers will 

 pay him the highest price the state of the market 

 warrants ; if he is willing to take the risk of the mar- 

 ket, they handle his grain for him, sell it, and return 

 him the proceeds for a commission of a cent and a half 

 31 



