The many inquiries coming to this
office as to the history and purposes
of this Farmers' Educational and Co
operative Union, leads one to believe
that a few words in this respect might
not be amiss. It originated at Point,
Tex., in 1902, by one Newton Gres
ham, who, noticing the poverty
stricken, mortgage ridden, credit bond
agism of his neighbors, gathered a
few of them together one night in a
schoolhouse and resolved to make an
other effort for freedom of economic
conditions. As may be surmised. their
initial purposes were "To control the
marketing of their products; to abolish
the credit and mortgage system; to
teach diversification of crops; and for
better homes through "Equity, Justice
and the Golden Rule.'" The order
spread rapidly and reached southern
Illinois .in 1907, and we now have just
reached the 500 mark in lodges.
