252 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



tears himself away from the home-nest to seek his fortune 

 in the city. The history of the wrecks of many lives of 

 noble young men who might otherwise have been success- 

 ful, attests the many obstacles in the way of those who 

 have thus sought to better their condition. But the Union 

 and other labor organizations have it in their power to 

 eradicate these evils. The greatest obstacle to the accom- 

 plishment of this is the farmers themselves. The regular 

 meetings of the Order are doing much towards accom- 

 plishing this object. In the first place it brings together 

 the farmers of a neighborhood, old and young, men and 

 women, and, if it did nothing more, it would not have been 

 established in vain. A portion of the time, however, is 

 spent in the discussion of topics that are of special interest 

 to the farmers. The best crops for particular lands, the 

 best methods of cultivation, the experience of different 

 members, the cost of different kinds of crops, those which 

 pay the best any questions, the solution or discussion of 

 which tend to make better farmers, are discussed. The 

 women may read essays or choice selections on the various 

 duties of their departments, and thus learn to be better 

 housewives. The exercises from month to month can be 

 varied sometimes social and moral questions may be 

 considered, and at others, questions of a literary character. 

 Some who are inclined to see a humbug in every new 

 movement, no matter what its character, are opposed to 

 the admission of women into the Order. Upon what 

 grounds this opposition is based depends, to some extent, 

 on the character of the individual who makes it, and the 

 extent of his observations as to the influence which woman 

 has, in all ages, exerted on the cause of reform. In 

 all meetings of the Order, in all its gatherings for pleas- 

 ure, the two sexes are brought together, and placed upon 

 an equality, and the farmer is thus quietly and forcibly 

 reminded that ids wife and daughters are ladies, entitled 



