Oliver Kelley wrote in a letter to a friend, "Encourage them to read and think; to plant fruits and flowers,—beautify their homes; elevate them; make them progressive,"
"I long to see the great army of producers in our country, turn their eyes up from their work; stir up those brains, now mere machines ... set them to think,—let them feel that they are human beings, and the strength of the nation, their labor honorable, and farming the highest calling on earth." Oliver Kelley wanted to see the farmers in America succeed, and to see this happen, he created the Grange. He wanted the farmers to "...read and think; to plant fruits and flowers..." and by getting farmers to come together Oliver Kelley created the Grange in order to fulfill his wishes for farmers. Oliver Kelley believed that by all farmers uniting from both the South and the North, they could all become stronger together. Oliver stated, "I long to see the great army of producers in our country..." and this did happen, the Grange was created. My beliefs in industrialization are that the warehouses and railroads are charging high rates on handling our grains (the farmers). There shouldn't be such high rates on the industries handling the farmers products. I along with the Grangers tried to persuade state legislatures to regulate industries. We believe that the railroads are the chief villains. Railroads charged high prices on transporting our products to the markets. Because of lack in competing lines in the West and Mid-West, this allowed railroads to charge high rates on transporting farm products leaving farmers no choice, but to pay it.
From the years 1862-1863, there was a big drought in Minnesota. All of my Minnesota farm operations became unprofitable. I succeeded in the building of the Grange. This organization was able to unify farmers all over to improve the American life politically and agriculturally. As time went on I turned my attention towards land promotion in Florida, and moved there. I then resigned from the Grange three years later to devote myself to land promotion. I then was not financially successful, so I returned back to Washington D.C. and I accepted a pension from the National Grange of 1905.
I was commissioned by President Andrew Johnson to go South and collect data to fix the Southern agricultural conditions from the civil war. To improve the American life, I became one of the first founders of the Grange. The Grange was a way to improve the South agriculturally, and unify the Northern and Southern farmers. The Grange was a way for farmers to come up with new farming techniques, and discover new seeds for planting. Not to mention, this organization would allow women to participate equally with the men.
I along with other farmers of the Grange don't like the high rates charged by warehouses and railroads on handling our grain. I also think that women should be recognized more and have equal importance in society. Because of unfair shipping rates in the society, the Grange has played a key role in creating the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 to regulate railroads to control the unfair shipping rates. We, the farmers, believe that the industries such as the railroads, should not be putting such high rates on handling our products.
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