CHAPTER III. 



HISTORY OF THE WHEEL. 



IT WOULD be strange indeed if the long suffering of 

 the farmers under the many and growing evils to which 

 they are subject did not culminate in an organized effort 

 to mitigate their hardships. Such an effort was the organ- 

 ization of the Grange, the Farmers' Clubs, the Farmers' 

 Alliance, Knights of Labor and other kindred organiza- 

 tions. The organization of the Agricultural Wheel was 

 also an effort in this direction. The objects, origin and 

 early history of the Wheel are not unlike that of other 

 organizations of a kindred nature. 



It was the outgrowth of necessity the result of oppres- 

 sion. Like other great organizations that have for their 

 object the amelioration of the condition of the human 

 race, man}" false impressions and exaggerated statements 

 relative to its origin, growth and objects have gone out to 

 the world, which it is the object of this work to correct. 



It is useless to state why the Wheel was organized. 

 The depressed condition of the laboring masses is so con- 

 clusively shown in the preceding chapter that it would be 

 a tedious repetition of the subject to add more to it. 



W. W. Tedford, one of the founders of the Wheel, 

 says : ' ' The question has often been asked, what gave rise 

 to the Wheel? This question is as easily answered as asked, 

 Monopoly! This is the answer in a nutshell. A monopoly 

 that wants to buy the earth, and with it the souls and 

 bodies of the people who inhabit it. A spirit instigated by 



