EARLY FARMER ORGANIZATIONS 21 



quired to eradicate it. Its overthrow, therefore, 

 by the cash system was no mean achievement. 



Many other measures showing progressive 

 insight stand to the credit of the Grange. One 

 of the first public bodies in the Province to urge 

 that the Hydro Electric possibilities of Ontario 

 be made a means of public benefit rather than of 

 private profit was this association of farmers, 

 and their ideas in this regard were embodied in a 

 resolution at the annual meeting in 1906, and 

 forwarded to Premier Whitney. In the minutes 

 of the Grange we read that "the Premier con- 

 curred in the views expressed and promised due 

 consideration." In this instance at least the 

 matter did not end with consideration, but 

 materialized in our vast Hydro-Electric develop- 

 ment. 



Again, the Grange joined with other farmers* 

 associations in urging upon the Laurier Govern- 

 ment the advisability of appointing a Railway 

 Commission to regulate matters of transporta- 

 tion. In the same year a Railway Commission 

 was appointed. Of even greater importance 

 was their persistent advocacy of a system of 

 rural mail delivery, another accomplished fact. 

 So we might go on detailing endless activities, 

 but we must desist with this one further com- 

 ment from a recent writer, "About the only im- 

 portant matter of legislation urged by the 



