THE GRANGE. 235 



and still another for those patrons who had served twelve months 

 or longer in the National Grange. They also appointed deputies 

 to do work in the Grange field. 



In the fall of 1872 the secretary mailed to all the masters of 

 the State Granges, to the deputies, and to others who had 

 labored for the cause, a letter of invitation to convene in George- 

 town, District of Columbia, on the 8th day of January, 1873, in 

 the sixth annual session of the National Grange. Seventeen 

 delegates, in addition to six of the founders of the order (Brother 

 Ireland was absent), representing eleven States, assembled on 

 that day, at the place designated, six of whom were masters of 

 State Granges, and the remainder deputies in the order. In 

 addition to these, four ladies honored the body with their pres- 

 ence ; and now, for the first time in its history, the National 

 Grange began to assume the proportions of a national organiza- 

 tion. 



Thus the foundation was laid for active, energetic, progres- 

 sive work during the succeeding year. The enthusiasm of the 

 founders was imbibed by every delegate present, and each 

 avowed himself a propagandist on his return home. To date 

 (January 12, 1873), there had been organized nearly fourteen 

 hundred granges, more than one-half of which were in the two 

 States of Iowa and South Carohna. The years 1873 and 18/4 

 were marvellously prosperous years for the Grange. In the 

 former, 8668 subordinate granges were organized, and in the 

 latter, 11,941. "Then it was," says a member, "that in our 

 strength we exposed our weakness. Our debts had been paid, 

 and our coffers were full. But we had grown suddenly too rich 

 and powerful. We had leaped from poverty into affluence. 

 From a struggling brotherhood of seven we had developed, with 

 magic growth, into a fraternity of over twenty thousand sub- 

 ordinate granges, averaging a membership of forty, all adults, 

 or well-grown male and female youths, and our members were 

 increasing at the rate of thousands a month. But our ranks 

 lacked discipline. Our leaders were afraid of the multitude, 

 and chaos prevailed to a considerable extent throughout the 

 order." 



The Grange has been a great educator, and being the pioneer 

 agricultural association, it has been compelled to stand the criti- 



