114 AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. 



or of incurring much expense on the part of the national for business 

 purposes. It seems that the co-operation for business purposes, in 

 order to be effective and reach its highest development, should be more 

 extensive than can be obtained in the subordinate bodies alone, and 

 that it absolutely requires co-operation between the subordinates in 

 the counties, and co-operation between the counties in the State ; but 

 beyond the State organization there does not seem to be any prominent 

 and conclusive reason for extending so strong and close an organization, 

 in which it would be necessary to lodge so much power and responsibil- 

 ity. Each State is a complete jurisdiction within itself, and usually has 

 different and distinct conditions, customs, usages, and issues. It always 

 comprises territory and business enough to develop all the branches of 

 business, as manufacturers, jobbers, wholesalers, retailers, brokers, com- 

 mission men, etc. From all these reasons, I conclude that while co- 

 operation between the different State business efforts will probably be 

 necessary and beneficial, stronger reasons than I have yet been able to 

 discover should exist before a national exchange organization will be 

 able to do much good. 



From these considerations, it must now be plain to you that the order 

 has, by means of the consolidation here to be consummated, reached a 

 period of full development that places a responsibility upon it for effi- 

 cient and aggressive action. The three effective lines of effort above 

 specified, that have induced this vast army of brethren to espouse the 

 cause and place their shoulders to the wheel, have each a proper field 

 in which to operate. The national organization, by securing a better 

 adjustment of the economic policy of the government, will insure that 

 the regulations governing the relations between the different classes of 

 citizens shall be just, fair, and equitable, and thereby lay a foundation 

 on which the States, in their business efforts, will find it possible to 

 reach complete success, but without which they would, as now, be con- 

 tending with inevitable defeat, and the success of the business effort 

 rendered certain by the exercise of the great powers possessed by the 

 State Alliances, when they can be exercised under the just conditions 

 which it is the province of the national to secure, will augment the social 

 benefits and enjoyments that should result from the subordinate organ- 

 izations. Each has its special field, and the success of the national ren- 

 ders success in the State effort possible, and the success of these two 

 contributes to the true benefits which must finally flow to the subordi- 

 nate body. 



As we have seen, the order has made a most prodigious growth, and 

 its business efforts have reached a high stage of development and useful- 



