Grangers

Grangers, an American association of agriculturists, founded by a government clerk named Kelly in 1867, under the title of 'patrons of husbandry.' The society had a ritual and four orders for men and women, and aimed at the social improvement and industrial benefit of the farming class. By 1875 there were as many as 30,000 granges organised, but the number was afterwards reduced by dissensions. In 1888 the association was united with the National Farmers' Alliance, founded in the Western States about 1871; and in 1892 the united body, which had attracted a following amongst working men generally, acquired political importance as the People's Party or Populists, and had to be reckoned with at elections. This party advocates the public ownership of the railways and tramways, direct issue of money by government without the intervention of banks, free coinage of silver, and bi-metallism.