29 S Wisconsin state agricultural society . 
better opportunities for acquiring something of a business educa¬ 
tion, as far as it relates to the business of the farm, than from any 
other opportunity offered them. The great necessity of the com¬ 
mon farmer is a better knowledge of business transactions in con¬ 
nection with the same. Nearly every grange in the country has 
some members that are tolerably well posted in this direction and 
capable of imparting much valuable information to their brothers 
and sisters. In the grange is just the place to do it. There is no 
danger of people being too well posted in their own business. 
We often hear the inquiry about an individual, “ Is he a farmer 
or a business man?” Just as though it was not necessary for a 
farmer to be a business man. The facts of the case are that every 
farmer, in order to succeed, ought to be a thorough business man, 
so far as the business of purchasing his supplies, selling all kinds 
of farm produce, keeping himself posted in regard to supply and 
demand of everything connected with the business of the farm. 
Our system of buying supplies, selling produce, shipping to 
markets and associating with the grange meetings, will give many 
of our western farmers the key that will unlock and open out to 
their view many of the secrets and mysteries of business transac¬ 
tions, that will in my opinion be of great value to them. 
Patrons, we are in a great measure responsible for the unjust 
burdens we have to bear. Business men, corporations, and asso¬ 
ciations of nearly every occupation and profession, have taken ad¬ 
vantage of our ignorance and previously disorganized condition, 
and we have no good reason to think they will not in the future. 
They will make the most they can out of their business and pro¬ 
fessions, and it is our business and duty to protect ourselves. 
We have a powerful organization, in good working order, and 
it seems to me that if whatever we attempt to do, we strive to do 
well, there is but little doubt but we shall succeed. 
We are not alone in this work. The press, the mighty lever 
that moves the world and the great educator of men and nations? 
has already taken great interest in our cause. Many of the edi¬ 
tors of our agricultural and best general newspapers in the coun¬ 
try, are shoulder to shoulder with us in our work. We need 
their assistance. Every farmer in the land ought to take at least 
one good agricultural and one good general newspaper, in order 
