The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-14
Patrons of HuSbandry.
ANNUAL MEETING OF STATE GRANGE.

Grange. Patrons OF HuSbandry, met yester-
day in the large hall over the store oil Levy
Brothers. About $50 delegates were in at
tendance. 1t is expected that many more
having been detained by stress OF weather.
will report to-day.
The Grange was called to order at IL
O'Clock by Master J. w. White.
The following officers answered TO tDelr
names: Master, j. w. White; Oyerseer pro
tem., j. w. Southall; Lecturer, d. w. MOT.
| ton Steward, William McComb; Assistant
Steward pro tem., C. Z. Sutherlin; Chap-
| lain pro tenn, DR.. William 7. Walker; Irea-
surer, W. 3. Westbrook; Gatekeeper, d. >.
Wilkinson.
William Taylor, Of Clarke county, Over.
seer of the State Grange rendered bis reslg'
nation, which was accepted.
The examination Of credentials occupied
| much Of the time of the Grange during the
morning session.
The Master made his annual report, an
abstract of which We publish below:
Masters Annual Report,
Brothers Of The State Grange:
Through the bene6cence of an all.wise
Providence. we, tillers of the soil, are per-
mitted to assemble for the first time in annual
session in the history of our Order to con-
slider, deliberate. and discuss questions rela-
ting to our peculiar interests and daily yoca-
tions. Coming as We do from every quarter
of this great Commonwealth, representing
every portion Of the State from the seaboard
| to the mountains, united in one common in
terest. it is most mete and proper that we in
woke harmony and concord, practice iorbear-
! apcc and charity, cultivate hope and fidelity.
| I congratulate you to-day on the rapid pro.
| press uf our Order in the State. One year
ago the State Grange was organized with ten
| Oranges. Since then the number of surbor-
dinate Oranges within our Jurisdiction has
| increased 10 -.
| In consequence of this large increase in
our numbers it was thought it would be ne
| cessary to adopt the cXpedient offered by
| the Executive Committee Of the National
| Grange, which allows the Executive CON-
mittees OF the respective Oranges TO reducc
! the number Of representatives, III the State
!, Grange upon such basis as the circumstances
! Of each case might require. Your LSecu-
| tive Committee concluded, though the narn.
Der would be large and unwieldy, that the
| interest and good Of the Order nnG Ght be
promoted and advanced by not interfering
| with its representation, and allow each sub
| ordinate Grange to be represented CT our
| first annual meeting.
| Some legislition reducing your represents
! ton in the State Grange for your future scs-
sionS will be necessary.
| Itmust be apparent to all, with the rapidi-
| ty the Order is growing in the State, it
would be utterly impossible in an assem-
blage composed of one representative from
each subordinate Grange to transact buSi-
ness with either wisdom or dispatch. Be-
sides, the expenses of such a convention
would be too heavy tax upon the members
of the Order.
| The constitutional amendments submitted
to you and voted upon at an extra session
held in this city on the 31st of March, 1874
| have not yet been ratified by the required
| number of Cranes. This unavoidable delay
| has very much impeded our progress in
| ctfecing our business relations. The estab-
| Iishment of County and District Oranges
authorized by those amendments has not
| been pes tected.
| The necessity for some organization inter-
mediate between the State and subordinate
| Oranges has been so generally felt through
| out the Order that have recommended the
establishment OF such Oranges, which have
been found Of great value in accomplishing
the auxiliary designs of the Order.
Where they have been formed the Order
!
benefits received by the members. There is
but one opinionas to the necessity of these or
ganiz atoms, and soon they can be established
with full constitutional authority. Iwould
suggest, to facilitate these organizations, that
YOU adopt this or some similar resolution
CAS- soon az the secretary of the State
Grange is notified Of tne ratification of the
amendments to the constitution Of the Ma
tional Grange by the proper authority, your
Executive Committee be authorized to estab-
lish regulations for the organization OF
County and District Oranges"
The report of your Executive Committee
will inform you as to what has been done IN
the matter Of agencies and cooperation. ThlS
has been the most difficult part Of our work,
and has occasioned more disappointment
than any other feature Of our Order. There
ale two prominent reasons that have led TO
this disappointment. 1st. There is a msun-
derstandlng which seems to prevail in regard
TO duties OF Patrons to each other and TO the
Order. They seem to forget that our organic
law provides for an association intended for
cooperative purposes, each part of which is
dependent upon some other to make it eff
; tective. These parts, taken singly, are weak :
but when all are combined make machine
of wondrous power and utility. They lose
: sight OF our business purpose. 1t is prom
inenlly set torth-that of" meetiug together,
talking together, working together, buying
, together, selling together, and in general act
ing together for our mutual protection and
advancement" %. The system adopted by
your Executive Committee is totally defec-
tive. 1t fails to furnish the members with
the necessary business information, and can.
not make the necessary business negotia-
tions that the interest OF the Order demand,
and totally fails in cooperative action with
the agents of other States.
These defects are to none more glaring
than to your Executive Committee, and
while it was unsatisfactory to them, they
knew they bad no constitutional authority
to adopt u better, but have waited with i'm.
patience your meeting, hoping you would
take hold of this subject and adjust 1t to
meet the wants of the Order.
1t Will be necessary to make some change
in YOUR system OF deputies. and proflue
. some additional mode of paying them
, During the past year we have employ eo
deputies in the dissemination Of the Order
and the rapid multiplication OF Oranges
in the State is largely due to Their tln
eiency. Up to this time these posltlons nave
often been sources of revenue to the oCtt
Grange, and have always been selt.sustaln
! inc bY the dues the deputies received lroul
the new Oranges; but such will not De the
,, case in many of the counties that hafe tne
full number Of Oranges. In such couhlles
in the future the prosperity OF the Oruer Il
to be expected in conserving and stlengtheh
ing the Oranges already IN existence. 80,
/ have for some time been impressed witt
the importance to the machinery OF our Or
mic fhr0fUl
which matters of general interest might o'
,,,o,;,tod IA our memherS without the te