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THE GROUNDS WELL.

A HISTORY

OF THE

ORIGIN, AIMS, AND PROGRESS

OF THE

FARMERS' MOVEMENT:

EMBRACING

AN AUTHORITATIVE ACCOUNT OF FARMERS' CLUBS,
GRANGES, ETC.; A FULL DISCUSSION OF THE
TRANSPORTATION QUESTION AND OTHER
GRIEVANCES; AND A HISTORY OF
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IN
THE UNITED STATES;

TOGETHER WITH

SKETCHES OF THE LIVES OF PROMINENT LEADERS,

Etc., Etc., Etc.

BY

HoN. JONATHAN PERIAM,

Editor Western Rural; First Recording Secretary of Board of Trustees and Superintend-
ent of Agriculture, Illinois Industrial University; Vice President Illinois State Board
of Agriculture; Secretary Northern Illinois Horticultural Society for 1872; First
President Chicago Agricultural and Horticultural Society, organized 1857; etc.

Over One Hundred Ellustrations.

CINCINNATI:

CHICAGO:

E. HANNAFORD & COMPANY. HANNAFORD & THOMPSON.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by

JOSEPH U. THOMPSON,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

ELECTROTYPED AT FRANK-
LIN TYPE FOUNDRY, CIN.

то

The Producing Classes of America,

THIS VOLUME,

(BACK OF WHICH LIES THIRTY YEARS' PRACTICE WITH PLOW AND PEN)

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY

THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

Notwithstanding the somewhat unusual facilities which my editorial and other relations had furnished me for the collection of data, etc., it is quite probable that I should have regretted yielding to the solicitations of my present publishers to prepare a history of the origin, aims, and progress of the FARMERS' MOVEMENT, had I not been so fortunate as to secure the co-operation of a number of gentlemen, whose assistance has been valuable to both the reader and myself in the highest degree. I desire here to return my thanks to my fellowlaborer on the "Western Rural," Mr. Avern Pardoe, without whose aid it would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, for me to have responded to this extra demand upon my time. Grateful acknowledgments are also due to my friends Hon. W. C. Flagg and Mr. J. W. Midgley for the papers on Transportation and Railroads which are given in Chapters XXXIV to XXXVII of this work. No apology can be needed for the admission of the "Railroad side,” so strongly presented by Mr. Midgley. Intelligent and practically useful discussion of the farmers' undoubted grievances in respect to railroads will be greatly facilitated by a true understanding and careful sifting of the arguments presented by the opposing interest. I also desire to return thanks to many other friends, East, West, and South, who have favored me with valuable information and advice; and to bear testimony to the kind and often painstaking courtesy extended to me by the secretaries and other officers of the Granges, Clubs, and other societies organized in the interest of agriculture.

Want of space has compelled the omission of considerable matter which it was my original intention to embody in this volume-among which are, a list of the Clubs, Granges, etc., in the United States and Canadas; extracts from such of the leading agricultural and other journals of the country as have taken a prominent part in the discussion of the Farmers' Movement; and an admirable paper by my friend Rufus K. Slosson, of Morris, Ill.

In the following pages the endeavor has been made to present history with accuracy and impartiality. When my own opinions have been expressed upon the great and still growing power of monopolizing capital, it has been sought to do so without prejudice or bitter

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