Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/84

 the good work was carried on for months. Thousands of the settlers were by this aid enabled to remain on their homesteads, sustaining their families on the absolute necessaries of life, until another crop could be raised.

The attempt of the General Assembly in 1870 to fix by law maximum rates for the transportation of freight by railroads was earnestly pressed upon the members by the farmers of the State and was also urged but with less determination by grain and lumber dealers. Exorbitant rates had been exacted by the western roads on the plea that the country along their lines was sparsely settled and high rates must, in consequence, be charged enable the western roads to pay fair dividends on the capital invested in their construction and operation. It was urged on the other hand that the rates charged took so large a portion of the value of farm products, that the producers in many cases realized from their crops less than the cost of production. The rates on coal, lumber, farm machinery and all goods brought to the farms from distant regions were also exorbitant and, as the freight both ways was ultimately paid by the farmers, they felt the burdens imposed upon them to be oppressive, leaving them but a bare living and often a load of debt at the close of a year of toil. When the attempt before the Legislature in 1870 failed to give them relief, the farmers conferred together to devise some plan to coöperation whereby the burden could be lifted from their chosen vocation.

A secret organization had been instituted having its origin in the District of Columbia and known as “The Patrons of Husbandry.” The aim of this organization was to secure coöperation among farmers in all ways wherein they could be mutually helpful. Each local organization was known as a “Grange.” Meetings were held at stated times at which plans were made for coöperation in buying groceries, lumber, wire, coal and such other articles as were largely purchased by farmers. Agencies were established for the purchase of farm