The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-12-15
THE STATE GRANGE,
Annual Meeting OF the Farmers of tho
State.

Annual Meeting of the Farmers of tho
| State.
Special Dipatch TO the Ners and Courier.
COLUMBIA, December G.
Inc State Grange met in this city at
1o o'clock this morning, Worthy Master
James n. Lipscomb presiding, and was
regularly organized for business. About
hity delegates, representing the subordi-
nate and Pomona Oranges in twenty
counties of the State, were present. Ad
ditional delegates have been arriving
during the day, and very full attend.
ance Is expected tomorrow.
AT the afternoon session the reports of
the officers of tho Grange and of special
committees appointed at the last annual
meeting were read and referred for ex-
animation and further action.
at half-past 8 o'clock to. morrow morn.
ing. the Grange will sit with open doors
aud tho annual address of Worthy Mas.
ter Lipscomb will be delivered. The
public are expected to attend.
Address OF tho Master. Col. Lpscpmb.
COLUMBIA, December THE Stase
Grange met this morning. The chief
feature of the day'o work was the annual
address OF Worthy Master J. N. Lips
comb, who charged the delegates present
that the promotion and welfare of the
Order depended greatly Upon the manner
In which they discharged their duties
The Grange, as he expressed it, is the
only completely organized society that
fully represents all the varied interests
educational, social, civil and financial
of the rural or agricultural classes Of the
country.
He referred TO tho recent annual meet.
ing of the National Grange, and stated
that most of the reports to that BODY
were read and discussed with open doors,
a new feature in the history of the Ma.
tional Grange. 1--WE have been for some
eighteen years improving aud strength.
ening our organization and machinery,
training and educating our members, and
IT. seems THAI now, if ever, we should be
able and willing to publish to the world
our views and opinions upon any and all
questions and subjects that interest us in
common with the community nd neonle,
and to give our reasons for the faith that
IL in us; to expound and define that
faith by free discussion in open meeting
and by our ballots, when needed"
Referring to the stirring appeals made
Mt the meeting of the National Grange
for help for the Michigan sufferers, the
Worthy Master hoped that the members
OF lie State Grange would show by their
contributions and expression of sympa-
thy that they were alive to that best at
tribute of the charity" to all
mankind, and that neither State lines
nor distance would limit their Fidelity
to our brothers aud sisters" In this
connection he urged the gradual creation
OF charitable fund in ell the grades of
the Order and rules for its use.
while there have been many and ex.
tremc fluctuations in the internal condi-
tion of tho Order in this as in all the
other States, said the speaker, "and the
seeds sown by this Order have borne
r'ch harvest, another harvest has been,
and IL still being reaped by and for the
benefit of the whole community. The
influence OF the Order upon the legisla.
ton aud public policy of our State gov
ernment has been strikingly exemplified
in its record upon usury, railroad trans.
portation and many other subjects, but
the greatest of all in the inauguration
and establishments of State Bureau of
Agriculture which even now in its in
fancy is conceded 10 be of immense value
and benefit to the State and people.
What this bureau will be in the near
future it is now impossible to foresee or
predict.
During the past year every day blank
petitions upon transportation, agricultu-
raj department, &C., we're sent me to have
signed and sent on to the United States
Congress. These have thrown into the
waste basket, determined to no moro sub.
iect you to toinsultiug neglect by that body,
or to reflect upon our own true -epresen.
tatives by even i1timating that they were
not faithful and fully alive to our inter-
ests. Besides, hold the right rule TO be
to alect true men, and not petition false
ones. BY their votes our delegates in the
Federal Congress have truly represented
us upon these questions, with one single
exception. Impelled by sense of duty
alone, cali your attention 10 that ex.
ception, although it gives me intense pain
to do SO. Upon the vote on the passage
of the bill TO make the Agricultural De.
partment a Cabinet department, the
Hon. John II. Evins cast the vote of the
people of the Fourth District of South
Carolina against 1t. Tho reasons for 90
doing have not been nads public, and
when so, may be satisfactory, but, If not,
it behooves the good people Of the Fourth
District to show marked disapprobation
by their refusal to again nominate oil
elect Que who has 40 misrepresented them
and their interests.
| GAS evidence of the educational work
of this Order" The Worthy Master
pointed to the rolls in the General AS
sembly, State officials and Federal repre-.
sentatives," many who filled these posi-
tions having received "within the gates
the "training and preparation that ena
bles them now to so efficiently and cred
itably discharge the varied functions o
their high positions"
After charging the members of th
Grange not to relinquish their efforts !,
push forward the work of the Order. th
Worthy Master referred to ono or tw
, questions which demand ac i've consid
erat'oc. Of the Lien law he said "Thi
J is question interesting to those of va
rious classes and avocations, each view
ing it from the standpoint of interest
r Legsla alton in regard TO It is now PEND
7 ing, and will in few days be n Statut
law. Each class interested is using al
its influences TO have that legislatio
: favorable to its class interest. What ar