The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-27
Tie National Grange.

sented, principally by Master Sith their
wives. On account of the death of the
Mas$sr Of the State Grange of Tennessee,
that State was not represented. Sickness
Of the Master prevented South Caroina's
being represented; and. from causes that
we cannot explain, Flnrida, Georgia,
Louisiana and Arkansas had vacant seats
on the floor, and the Master Of Iowa was
absent. Oregon, California, Dakotah,
Kansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York
and Vermont sent new Masters to Gin
cinnati. The personnel Of tho body was
not improved, though not materially
changed. The feeling was, perhaps,
more fraternal than has ever existed
throughout any former session. There
was no sectional feeling manifested at
any time. The purpose Of every member
seemed to be to legisiate, so far as he was
able, for the good of all the people.
Even in lie election of officers there
seemed to be no claunishncss.
There Was n strong disposition to re-
elect the retiring Master, Jones, of Ar
kansas, and it waa only after eight bal
lots that Adams, Of Minnesota, was elec.
ted Muster. Woodman, of Michigan,
was reelected Overscer; Whitehead, of
New Jersey, was elected Lecturer;
Vaughan, OF mississippi, reelected for
the second time Steward; Sims, Of Kan
sas, "a new member, Assistant Steward;
Forsyth, Of Illinois, Chaplain, u Mctllo.
dist minister of twenty years standing;
Mcdowell, of New York, was re-clcc.cd
Treasurer, and has held that office since
the organization Of the order; and the
same may be eaid Of Kelley, Of IIouis.
Vile, KY, who was reelected Secretary
and also Of Dinwid,lle, Of Indiana, who
has been Gntekeeper since 1878. Ellis,
Of Ohio, was elected u member Of the
Executive Committee; he has for five
years been Master of the State Grange of
has the reputation of having been o reg
u!ar Freedom Shrieker" in tho davs
when "John Browns soul went march
ing on" but Is now as tender and cooling
as q turtle dove, and seems to have a soul
full of fraternal kindness for all his
brethren and "the rest of mankind"
The writer of this Article was again for
the third time elected upon the Execu-
tive Committee, and the third member of
said COMMITTEES b Minister Of the Cos.
pei, of what persuasion ne do not know.
1fthe strength, purity, co.efficiency of an
Agricultural organization 10 dependent
upo:. the number Of clerical brothers
there are among its officers, there need
be no fears about the National Grange.
Tho legislation of the late session Of
the National Grange was perhaps better
calculated to popularize the Order than
the leg:slation of former sessions. Much
2omplaint mas heen urged by large ngri-
cultural States tbat they had no more
representation than the smaller States.
A guietus has been put to this complaint
by the National Grange submitting %
the State Oranges for their ratification or
rejection an amendment to the constitu-
ti0n, which reads thus: "Each State shall
be entitled to two vctes in the National
Grauge. and an additional vote far e.sry
10000 raying members in excess of 20
This will, if ratified by constitutional
majority of States, give an increased in
fluence, but not an Increased representa-
ton, on the floor of tho National Grange.
AT present Ohio has paying member
ship Of over 10000; IL this amendment
passes Ohio will have, with that mem
bership, eight votes on Rll questions, but
.she viii have only .~o REPRESENTATIVE
the Master and his wife. South Carolina,
with less than 10000 paying members,
will have but two votes. As the consti-
tuition stands at present, Ohio has two
votes, South Carolina has two votes, and
Connecticut, with but twenty-one'
Master and his wife are both present.
Ifeither is absent, each State has but one
vote.
We hope the State Grange of South
Carolina will, nc It's next session, ratify
this amendment; for as ut present con-
stituted the National Grauge is body
whose representation Is based upon moth
ing but the arbitrary provision of the
Constitution, which for no reason says
that any State having fifteen subordinate
Oranges may s5ad q Master and his wife
to hen: sh National Grange.
There Ia no representation based either
upon property OF siiiHit5eesss. The 10000
members Of Oaio pay annually $4,000
into the treasury, which supports the Ma
tionai Grange. The 500 Patrons of Con.
nec,icat pay but 925 annually into the
same treasury. Reason, justice, equity,
everything demands that those 10000
should have more power than that 500
in the National head which they rela-
aivAly enstain. Aud as Increased repre-.
sentation would mako the body unwieldy.
and too o'exp4nsiye, t. .:.s Thought most
advisable TO simply increase the Influence
without adding TO the expense.
Another amendment was submitted,
which, we doubt not, win be ratified by
large majority Of 6tsteu, tp-wit: THE
minimum fee fa$ $1ieInbership In aubor-
dinate Grange shall bs: For men three
dOiIare, and Tor womel one 09Iiaf, Tor the
four Segraes.n
At present, the ehassea nembers, or
those who organize q Grange, pay: Hen
three dollars, and women Atty cents but,
when d Grange is once organized, TN in
iliata pays Ave dollars ii q mate, and
tht1e dollars ifa female. The proposed
makes it uniform, and makes
the charter.fn pay the eame that
is exacted of the applicant for initiation.
We have often been told by farmers in
SniIth fJarnIinn ffint they desired to ici::s
the Granga, but st costs too much. is
this nmeRdmen is ratihed, tfiere can cer-
tairily be no euch excuse offered by any
f1an who wiahss TO be forced from his
into che BociaJ, Intellectual,
moral and material association Of his ]
if1end5 quu TIsIg1UUfuss ~ slStaSSsivl sSssts
his wife cannot zee peeupiRfta benefit Of
f0ng dolIgra In atich q atep, he must be
an Isphraitn indeed, mud should be let
sayaresy asone.
The Colstitution oe the National
says that every ak ieation for q /!
,fiartes for StlheFdi dinnke Grange nfuba