500 HISTORY OF THE GRANGE MOVEMENT; OR, 



end, for the Grange has shown itself the farmer's best 

 friend. Its spread means protection to him, encourage- 

 ment to him, a greater degree of prosperity and happi- 

 ness to him, for its only object is to make him a better 

 and more prosperous farmer and man. None but far- 

 mers are admitted to its membership, for it does not 

 concern itself with outside issues ; its work is with and 

 for the farmers only. There is every reason why the 

 farmers of the country should work for its success, and 

 it will be a great mistake to hold aloof from it. 



When it shall have accomplished its work, the re- 

 sults will be such as will affect the condition of the 

 country for remote generations. It will have broken 

 the power of the railroad monopolies and secured to 

 the farmer a cheap means of reaching a market. It 

 will have rendered the financial demoralization from 

 which we are now suffering impossible, by securing the 

 passage of laws meting out equal justice to all men. 

 It will have given the whole country cheap coal, and 

 cheap bread. It will have secured the farmer a fair 

 return for his industry. It will have relieved him of 

 the necessity of incurring debts, and have enabled him 

 to make cash purchases at reasonable rates. The ac- 

 complishment of all this must exercise a powerful 

 influence upon the country, and change the entire 

 current of its progress and history. 



That this will be accomplished, we firmly believe. 

 We do not expect to see it done in a day, or a year. 

 It is the work of time, and the Grange must be patient ; 

 but it will be accomplished. We have shown the 

 power of the farmers to make their wishes respected, 

 and it is the work of the Grange to guide this power 

 in channels which shall benefit the entire country. 



