The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-12

daily: meet ut 10 A. NJ. and close at q
| o'clock Z. NJ; meet at i Z. NJ. and close al
II Y. NJ.
4. Reports of standing committees.
| ). Reports Of special committees.
| 6. Bills and accounts.
| !. Untinishcd business.
| S. Suggestions for the good Of the order.
9. All resolutions and propositions shal
he reported in writing, and referred to the
| appropriate committees without debate, un.
| less otherwise ordered by the grange.
| 10. No member shall speak more thar
| ouce on the same subject, nor more than hYt
| minutes, without the consent Of the grange
They also recommend the appointment o.
| the following committees for the sessions
| On the message OF the worthy master.
| On the reports OF the secretary, treasurer
and lecturer.
| On the business OF the order.
On the good of the order.
| Ou pro positions and grievances.
| On constitutional amendments.
| All past masters were invited TO seats in
the Grange, and permission given to partici
| pate in lis discussions.
| Worthy Master White then read the fol.
| lowing annual report:
| Address OF he Worthy Master.
| The Worthy Master in his address re-
viewed the history Of the order succinctly
and ably, and reported his transactions and
the work accomplished during the year past.
We give few extracts Of general interest
| In TWO years, the age Of this organization
| in Virginia its growth has been wonderful.
From eighteen it has grown to seven hun.
dred subordinate graDges-from three hun
dred it has reached 4 membership Of twenty
thousand.
This order was organized for three we'll
defined purpoScs-yiz to advance the social,
intcll.c.ul', and material interests of the
| farmer. Now, a failure to accomplish either
| Of the above purposes will fall short Of what
the originators purposed and what its mem
bers reasonably expected and hoped from it.
| Now, 10 accomplish these purposes we must
| have laws and regulations best adapted for
| securing them. In legislitng for the order
| We should ever keep the three distinct OBJ.
i,jccts before our minds. 1t is clear If it was
| exclusively social or an educational organ
| jz atom, then the laws that would meet its
| wants would be totally unsuitable for il.
hold that We should harmonic the three, and
| pursue that course that will best preserve
| and advance their interests intact.
When this organization incorporated
BUSINESS FEATURE,
| and said TO the farmer within our gates we
| will protect you from burdens that now op-
| press you, it simply declared its purpose to
form an organization among ourselves to
| resist those formed against us. Now, if thi:
was our purpose, then to make thai
| defence effective we must not only have
! laws that are rigid, but general in their
| application TO each grange and each
member. To do this the higher oranges
must egislate for the lower, and the
! power must rest with the higher 10 enforce
! universal obedience. We only have to fol.
| low the example Of other protective organiza'
| tons their laws are rigid and iDfleXible, and
| by rigid enforcement Of them have they
! attained their power and supremacy over us.
| One less effective on our part will only prove
| abortive, and the large membership we now
have and may receive only adds additional
weakness, and instead of becoming an organ.
lied body of farmers, with probable mem
bcrship of six millions, we should become q
; most gigantic mob.
recommend that committee be appoint
ed to draft rules and regulations for the
formation Of
POMONA ORANGES,
and report to this session for your adoption
| The business system adopted by you al
your last session merits your confidence and
| support. / feel >anguine it has the capability
of relieving us from the lhralQom he:C.
| iofere placed upon Us by the existing laws
| of trade !; and have no hope of substantial
relief TO the farmer except through this OF
perhaps some improved system OF c10pera'
| tom.
How many of us believed at the last ses,
| sion that the State Grange had inausurated
l hot IN oil
members patronizlng it from twenty to fifty
| per cent. upon all
| OUR PURCHASES,
and sell our products at far less commissions
| than those ever charged us before, with none
| of those extraordinary charges and taxes
! that were unjustly placed upon us by boarGs
OF tade: The adoption by the National
| Grange, at its last session, OF the Interstate
business system will lessen the duties ol
your agent and render our system much
| more effective and complete. Now, the
Patrons Of Virginia will receive the benefit
OF tefnsS made by agents OF other States,
thus realizing the iuli benefits from national
| cooperation, Us anticipated by the orignatols
| of our system.
| cannot too strongly urge upon you the
| importance, at this session. OF making ade-
| quate provision for keeping competent
| persou, either the Lecturer or some other
officer,
IN THE FIELD,
who shalt visit The several counties and the
subordnsse sranges, if necessary, instruct
inr and esQupse!Epg the members Us 10 the
needs of the ordea', and particularly ia refer
ence to our business system. For the present
year, just closed, our worthy lecturer hasGen-
.3ered efficient aid in this matter, and has
been assisted by other members. MY own
efforts in this direction will be given in my
report. We have made but q beginnang. In
no other way can our members be SO effect
ua&y encouraged, aur business system
strengthened, and rew life and Yigor in
fused into the order.
The National GRDge, at it's last sesseao,
adopted a system For ec6pel atlve stores,
known as the Rockdsle Coo oera ton ASSOC
alton, revised to suit the wants OF our or
der. CC6peratiye stores hare been organ.
ized, and are now belt 6 run unde.- tbe au-
spices OF our order with very great success.
The plan recommended is
IN IMPROVEMENT
upon those usually adopted heretofore by
these stores. 1t is submitted TO the Eayora-
bic consideration Of this body.
It is q problem not yet solved whether
the American farmer has the elements OF
character that suits him for this organiza'
tion, and can be educated to stand firmly