The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-05
The State GRANGE.

ers' Union of Dec, 23d. containing q
portion Of the proceedings Of the State
Grange, from which we condense the
following:
The address Of Worthy Master Adams
was deeply interesting. After brief
introduction he asked, and what re
ports do you bring, brother Masters,
from your respective Oranges? Have
you been punctual at your posts every
regular and special meeting of your
Grange Have you always welded
your gavel in brotherly kindness and
Cancellation? Have you ottentimes in.
spected your Secretary's books to see
if the minutes were faithfully recorded,
and the Treasurer's book to see if it is
properly kept? Have you held frequent
discussions on farm topics, and Impress
ed upon your members the Importance
OF exercising more care in the manage
ment of their stock and their farms, in
the kind Of seed sown and live stock
propagated? Have you endeavored to
make your members more intelligent as
to the character and quality of the soil,
its wants and adaptations?
Have you urged upon your members
to subscribe for good agricultural pa
pers, 80 that extracts of interest could
be read therefrom at each meeting, and
to establish libraries for the diffusion of
knowledge? Have you encouraged fire.
quent gatherings at pic.nics, private
residences, or the Grange halls as a
means of social culture? Have you
rendered your members more anxious
for the education of their children, so
that they may become useful, respecta-
BILE and upright citizens, and more
worthy Of the trusts hereafter to be
committed to their charge?
Have you called special attention to
those sick and in distress? Have you
fed the hungry, helped the fatherless
and widows, relieved the wants of the
poor, visited and comforted the sick?
Have you given thought to the burdens
of Government, both national and local,
and have you devised wise and just
remedies to be applied for relief from
such burdens, and extrioation from the
thralldom of monied aristocracies?
If you have done these things, you
have indeed done we'll. The Oranges
over which you preside are living, Wig
orous, prosperous, glorious monuments
of your wisdom and zeal. No trivial
thing will keep your members away
from your meetings They know you
will be present, and they retire from
your gates with thoughts in higher,
happier groove; feelings warmed by
the fires of charity and brotherly love,
and deep and ardent desire to attend
the next meeting.
As every one frames his own stature,
builds himself, so every Master, to a
great extent, makes his own grange
what it il.
The Worthy Master next referred to
the transportation question, and, in the
course Of his remarks, said it was vain
to hope for concessions from the :ail,
road companies, and he feared that the
farmers would always be at their mercy,
until competition is secured by opening
water channels from the great Father
of Waters" to the seaboard by way Of
our rivers and lakes, or until wise and
wholesome legislation shall be obtained
permanently restricting exorbitant ex
actions.
1t is true, he continued, that ou1
railway systems are of vast Importance
to the producers, and should not be
crushed out or crippled in their legiti
mate pursuits, yet their man
agements should always be open tt
public scrutiny, aud be subjected to leg
islative supervision, based upon no I'm
just determinations, but "upon tn
greatest good to the greatest number
In relation to the improvement Vt TIN
Fox and Wisconsin rivers, he said tina
the former will be open for navigation
to Portage city the coming summer, bu
that the latter does not appear suscept
ible Of improvement on any other pla'
than that Of the canal suggested b.
Gen. Warren, and he adds: since it ha
.cnst Minnesota as much to shin grain t,