many of its academic
schemes for business cooperation failed ignominiously, after arousing the
steadfast faith of thousands.

The order was not dead however. It never declined in New England, and from
that quarter has renewed its strength in the East and middle West, so that
it is now more prosperous than ever in its history. It has little hold yet
in the South or far West; but is easily the most influential farmers'
organization in the country.

The Grange has done a splendid service in thousands of communities by
uniting the people of all ages on a broad platform of mutual benefit and
community welfare. Often where rival churches tend to divide the
neighborhood unpleasantly, the Grange unifies with its broad fellowship
and constructive program. Its greatest service has been social, but it has
rendered also large educational and economic service and has taught the
people the simple fundamentals of cooperation. Out of the wreck of its
earlier experiments, its mutual fire insurance and cooperative purchasing
have survived and developed successfully.

Unique among fraternal orders, the Grange has emphasized in a most helpful
way the instruction of the people in all matters of popular interest,
particularly on subjects relating to farming and the farm home. It has
immeasurably broadened the horizons of countless farm women and has thus
raised the whole level of rural life in many places. In promoting social
fellowship in countless ways it has relieved the bareness of a life of
toil and its plans for wholesome recreation have greatly enriched the
community life. After years of meager opportunity, country folks are apt
to go to social extremes, and the Grange's greatest danger in some places
seems to be to yield to the pleasure-loving spirit rather than to serve
all the vital needs of rural people.

II. Business Cooperation.

_Modern Rural Cooperative Movements_

The rather reckless plunge of the Grange, in its earlier years, into the
untried schemes of business cooperation expressed the very general belief
of farmers that somehow their common interests demand cooperative
enterprise to gain real success. It is a mighty truth. They blundered only
in details of method. In an age of trust consolidation, in which
manufacturing and commercial interests have attained wonderful
development and success by merging their resources and their operations
under united management, the spirit of cooperation has slowly but
inevitab