Daily Kennebec journal., 1882-12-23

DaiIp kennfhrr 3ournal.
The Grange.

| nurSuay onulnE Tue -lSt luSt utc sttiuu'tl
session of the Maine State Grange was
held in Lewiston, and it was by all odds
the most successful gathering of its kind
that ever convened in this State. Eight
hundred farmers, representatives of a
great industry, of noble order, went up
TO the Queen city of the Androscoggin and
there reviewed the labors of the past.
marked out additional work for
the future and transacted the business
such As ordinarily comes up before
the State Grange at its annual session.
Never in the history of the State did a
more likely set OF men come
together in convention. They were
men Of intelligence and reliability. men
OF means, and at their head welding the
gavel with ease and self posses
sion stood Worthy Master Robie,
Gov-elect of Maine. Had they who sneer
at the Grange and deride the occupation
of the husbandman been present their
scorniul words would have remained IN.
spoken and their ridicule changed to ad-
miratioD. Eighty subordinate oranges
were represented by l01 delegates and
| immense enthusiasm prevailed. They
showed themselves to be merry social
people. But at the same time these men
and women who feed the people were
earnest, determined and alive to the duties
of the hour and before the session ended
one could not but be convinced that the
grange had come to stay.
The State Grange was organized in
Lewiston some nine years ago and since
then its growth has been simply marvel
lous. In its beginning the order was
weak and puny; it was scofied at by the
multitude; the press at-large would not
| deign to notice it. To-day the organiza-
ton is respected by all and the news
papers of the land delight to honor'the
Order by inserting grange matter in their
| columns. There are at the present
time 1000 patrons in the State
which is an increase of 1920 over
last year or % per cent. The in
crease alone is more than the entire
membership Of Massachusetts oranges.
Eighteen new oranges have been orga-
nized in the State within the year making
in all something like 16O oranges in good
standing. But outside of our State as well
as at home the Order is thriving and in
creaslng in strength. In Massachusetts
the membership of the grange has in
creased so per cent during the year, and
in New Hampshire the increase has been
nearly as large. Throughout the entire
country The order has been gaining ground
and the year has been signalized by the
organization of Il new oranges in the
United States.
Some Of our readers may inquire, What
has the grange doce and what is it doing
to recommend it to the notice and support
of the agriculturalist? In reply to this
we will say that it has accomplished more
for the farmers of the Union than any
similar organization ever has for any
class of people in the same time, and to-
day it is doing as much or more than ever
before. To begin with, the condition of
was an isolated one. They associated
but very little. Now, through the medium
Of the grange meetings held weekly and
fortnightly, the members are brought to-
gether. and social relations of high order
are established, Every grange, if rightly
conducted. is an agricultural society
equivalent to farmers club. In their
meetings the grangers discuss intelligent
ly subjects connected with the farm and
the carrying on of farm work. The profit
ableness of these discussions to those
present or engaged in them can hardly be
overestimated. Furthermore these socie-
ties are those that do not succumb
before every i'll wind that blows.
The Order has aided its members in an
other direction. 1t has given the farmer
confidence in himself so that he can stand
before an audience and express his ideas
and views vocally, without wavering and
in lucid manner. The grange also aids
its members financially through its CO.
operative stores, saving through them
thousands of dollars to patrons yet it does
wage war against any class, but simply
SAYS Live and let live In educational
matters it stands in the front rank and ad-
vocates the most advanced methods and
ideas of the day. The State grange sus-
tains the Agricultural College at Orono !;
also asks for the establishment of an ex-
perimental station in the state and has
delegated Hon. Rufus Prince OF Turner
10 bring the matter before the next legis-
lature in the name Of the grange. Sec.
Gilbert Of the Board of Agriculture re-
ports that in holding Institutes through
out the State no organization has aided
him more than the grange. We have
touched upon but small portion
of the grange work. The mission of the
Order is an exhalted one and has but Just
begun. Something over half of our pop.