THE GRANGE 157 



less than $350,000 worth of goods during 1905, 

 under such a plan. The estimate for Maine is 

 over half a million dollars. 



In several states the organization successfully 

 conducts mutual fire insurance companies; 

 active membership in the Grange being an essen- 

 tial requisite for membership in the insurance 

 company. Wherever these companies have 

 become well established, it is asserted that they 

 maintain a lower rate of assessment than even 

 the popular " farmers' mutuals." In New York 

 there are twenty-three Grange companies, with 

 policies aggregating $85,000,000, the average 

 cost for the year 1905 being $1.96 per thousand. 

 Single companies claim to have secured even 

 better rates. This insurance not only pays 

 individuals, but it attracts and holds members. 

 In New Hampshire a fairly successful Grange 

 life insurance company exists. 



In co-operative selling, the order has so far 

 accomplished very little, except locally and 

 among individuals or Granges. There is a 

 supreme difficulty in the way of successful trans- 

 fers among patrons themselves, as members 

 desiring to buy wish the very lowest prices; 

 those desiring to sell, the very highest prices. 

 Arbitration under such circumstances is not easy. 



