646 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



Immortal Founders, as enthusiastic Grangers were calling them 

 a few years later, six are living. Nevertheless, it is difficult to 

 determine just how much of the plan and its execution was due 

 to each. The truth seems to be about as follows: In 1866 one 

 O. H. Kelley, a clerk in the Agricultural Department, was sent 

 by the Commissioner of Agriculture on a tour of inspection 

 through the Southern States. Impressed with the demoralization 

 of the farming population, he hit upon the idea of organization 

 for social and educational purposes, as a means for these people 

 to better their condition. An ardent Mason, he naturally thought 

 of an organization similar to the Masonic, in whose ritual, secrecy, 

 and fraternity he saw the secret of that permanence which all 

 agricultural societies had failed to attain. A niece in Boston, to 

 whom he first mentioned the idea, recommended that women 

 be given membership, thus originating an important feature. On 

 returning to Washington, Kelley took the other six immortals 

 into his confidence, and the seven set about developing the plan 

 and constructing a ritual. It would be a long story to tell how, 

 by two years' labor in -the intervals of their regular work, they 

 constructed a constitution providing for a national, state, county, 

 and district organization, and a ritual with seven degrees ; how 

 the names Patrons of Husbandry for the body in general and 

 Grangers for the subordinate chapters were finally hit upon, 

 the latter being taken, not on account of its etymological meaning 

 (Latin granum), but from the name of a recent novel. Suffice 

 it to say that on December 4, 1867, a day still celebrated as the 

 birthday of the order, the seven assembled, and, with an assurance 

 almost sublime, solemnly organized themselves as the "' National 

 Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry." There was none to dis- 

 pute the title, and they enjoyed it alone for the next five years. 

 It is hard to tell just what were the expectations of these men. 

 Kelley has been called everything from an unselfish philanthro- 

 pist to a scheming adventurer. One can not but admire the 

 pluck with which he persevered through great discouragements, 

 and the unselfish spirit in which he and his fellow-workers sur- 

 rendered control of the movement when it had become a power in 

 the land. Their first step was to organize a mock Grange among 



