Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1875 — Business Prospects of the Order. [ARTICLE]

Business Prospects of the Order.

It is some satisfaction to know that the Patrons in all parts of the country are seeking a systematic method of conducting their business affairs that shall not only be in accord with the principles of equity and justice, but which will be uniform throughout the whole country. The best thinkers and workers in the Order have from the first perceived and acknowledged the necessity of such a plan, and have labored earnestly to bring about the adoption of one that would meet with the approval of all who desired to see the business affairs of the Order conducted on business principles. We have been led to make the foregoing remarks afte/ reading the address of Dr. Wm. Maxwell, the worthy Master of the State Grange of Tennessee, which we find published in full in the Orange Outlook. We can only make room for those portions of his address which refer to the action of the National Grange in regard to a uniform business system, which, it Was confidently expected, would be prepared for presentation to the subordinate Granges by the National Grange at its annual session which was recently held at Charleston, S. C. In alluding to the action of the National Grange in regard to the adoption of some uniform system he said: There was a combination of wisdom and intelligence * assembled and combined to work together for good. They worked faithfully and earnestly, and while it could not be expected they could all view subjects in the same light, yet there was an honest, earnest effort made by all to accomplish good. Yet there is so much found to be necessary, and so many and varied interests to be served, and so many and varied plans

presented to accomplish the same end, and so many plans proposed that lacked testing to gyve them precedence, that you may well imagine how difficult it is to come to definite conclusions and recommend anv plan with any degree of of confidence that will insure an entire or even majority indorsement. Favorable and encouraging reports were presented from all sections and States as to the prosperity of the Order, and as to its local successes, all of which proves encouraging, and strengthens us |n our endeavors to press onward and upward. The co-operative store system is being most generally adopted and put into practice as a local convenience, except in places where men who are already in business have arranged to supply Granges, in consideration of one or more Granges concentrating. This is becoming quite common, and is lacking but one feature of being an entire success, and that is, our members allow themselves to be decoyed from the one who thus shows he is the friend of the Order. Neighboring houses combine in some instances to drop the price of »n article, one or more, below cost even, in order that they may, by that kind of a combination, draw out Patrons from the Grange house, as it comes to be called, and have the house brought into disrepute because, as they show, it won’t sell goods as cheap as those who do not pretend to sell at Grange prices. Our success in such matters depends upon our own integrity. Combination against our friends augments the necessity of our concentration for them.— American Patron.