288 THE FARMER AS A COOPER ATOR. 



economic errors in attempting to do business without capital 

 and without experience. As a result of its failures in trade, 

 and tlie widely-distributed losses whicli followed, the Grange 

 nearly died. Its very errors, however, had been its salvation. 

 Without the impetus given by unfounded hopes, it could not, 

 at that time, have acquired the strength and influence which 

 numbers give. Among the million and a half members 

 whicli the order at one time possessed, there were enough who 

 could appreciate the value of the original conception, or who 

 had become attached to it by the ties of sentiment, to keep it 

 alive, and, although its membership fell off and the majority 

 of subordinate Granges went out of existence, it did not die. 

 In due time it began to grow again, this time on the original 

 conservative lines, until to-day it is far more useful and pow- 

 erful than ever, and seems certain to continually increase its 

 usefulness. 



The Grange, like all other organizations, has just so much 

 moral force as there is reason in the doctrines whicli it avows. 

 Its effective force varies with the character of its membership. 

 The National Grange has always been distinguished for the 

 dignity and wisdom of its published deliverances. Some 

 State Granges have consistently sustained this character, and 

 some have not. To a greater degree this is true of subordi- 

 nate Granges.* The discipline of this order, however, pre- 

 vents its name from being used in furtherance of any object 

 of national importance not indorsed by the National Grange. 

 A subordinate Grange is useful in local affairs. These are 

 usually well understood by the membershij), and Grange 

 influence is certain to be used wisely. Whether it is used 

 effectively depends upon the executive ability of the member- 

 ship. If there are, in any subordinate Grange, a number of 

 persons who know how to make things happen, it will be 

 exceedingly useful to the community in which it exists. The 

 same may be said of State Granges in tiie smaller states, 



* The masters of State Granges are of course elected by the Grange. These, 

 with their wives (or husbands), constitute the State Grange. The masters of 

 the State Granges, with their wives (or husbands), make up the National 

 Grange. The National Grange, therefore, is a very select body. 



