The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-19
PATRONS OF HusBANDRY.
Annual Session of the State GrRnge-HIas-
ter Robie's Address.

ter Robie's Address.
Special to the Press)
BANGOR, Dec. 1S.--The Maine State Grange CON-
menced its annual session in this city this morning
Worthy Master Robie called the meeting to order
at 10 o'clock There is a very large attendance.
ALI the officers are present and seventy subordinate
oranges represented. The meeting is not open to
the public. The session will continue four days.
AT the present time Maine has lit oranges with a
membership of 10000. The first subordinate
grange in this State established at Hampden In
1873. The first grange in the United States was
organized in 1867. The Maine State Grange was
established in 1874. At that time there were six
teen subordinate oranges in the State.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At o'clock this afternoon large audience as
sembled to hear the address of Worthy State Mas
ter Robie, who spoke as follows:
WORTHY MASTER ROBES ADDRESS.
Worthy Master Ropie began Ills address by an al
lusion to his recent attendance on the meeting Of
the National Grange in Washington. Thirty-two
States were represented at that meeting and the
cordial greetings of the brothers and sisters from
remote and far separated States, showed that sec
tiona feeling had abiding place in the organza-
tion The condition of the order was shown by the
reports at the meeting to compare favorably With
that of the order in any other state. Only two
States OhiC and NIichigan-reported more Patrons
than Maine, and no other State showed so large an
increase in membership in the last two years.
Maine has now IL, 800 Patrons, and during Master
Robies term of office the membership has Increased
DO per cent. The meetings OF the Natiot al Grange
have developed disposition TO enter the political
field so far as questions of political economy are
made subjec's of political action, and where the
interests OF the farmer are involved in the final
settlement. With this end in view the National
Grange has submitted an amendment to its consti
tuition which strikes out the words religious and
ffraf
under the ban. This amendment is simply for the
purpose of admitting to discussion questions Of po-
htlcai economy and not with the intention OF es-
pousing the cause of any political party.
The effort that consolidated wealth has been
making for the past several years to control the
legislation of the Nation and some of the States,
deserves the careful consideration of those who
spect equal rights just laws and free government.
Those who cultivate the soil have and proba-
bly, never can accumulate large possessions. hide
pendence is easily gained but colossal fortunes
never realized. Monopolies, speculation, and COM
binations by syndicates formed to make corners in
the necessities of life necessarily encroach upon
the rights of other pursuits, and inordnate gains
thereby must practically be taken from the pockets
OF that large class who cultivate the soil The Ma
tional tariff, patent laws State corporations and
railroads are necessary for the demands of civilized
lite but they should be so regulated by law, not
to tax the people in burdensome and unequal
manner. While not wishing TO sound words of un-
necessary alarm, Master Robie counselled the
1diHefS 10 De VlguaDt.
Speaking of the matter of taxation, Master Robie
said that every species of property that receives the
protection of law from the government should bear
its just proportion of the burden of taxation In
our State there engaged in agriculture 80, ,1so
of our population, and las, 900 in other pursuits.
This is great change from former times. The
manufacturing, now representing 72 ,6o2 persons,
will soon take the lead in numbers We should re-
joice at the introduction OF many industries,
and welcome the introduction Of consolidated capi-
tai Ior manufactuln purposes for it brings better
markets and demand for the productions of the
farm. But these new sources of wealth should be
made to bear a just proportion of the burden of
pubic needs. The farmer whose independence is
gained by frugality and by constant toll should be
relieved from unjust burden, by sufficient transfer
Of the public burden from the visible property of
the farm, to the vast accumulation of property and
wealth which is invisible and therefore largely
taxable. Three-hfths of the tax of the state of
Maine is paid by the farmers. The farm does not
represent three hfths of our property. Farmers
were urged to discuss these questions and send
their representative men to Congress and the Legis
ature until there is equitable revenue from all
sources of wealth and property.
Speaking of the value of agricultural experiment
stations, Master Robie expressed regret that the
almost unanimous wish of : he farmers of Maine SO
earnestly expressed by the resolutions of several
agricultural societies, and the S tate and local
oranges and by the petitions of hundreds of farm
err, tor law establishing the Maine FertiiziDg
Control and Agricultural Experimental Station,
was disregarded by the last LEGISLATURE Farm
ers were connselled not to give up the fight until
they had an experimental station established In
Maine.
The National Grange. the Speaker said has al
always taken deep interest in the State College of
Agriculture and at the last annual meeting reports
were made by the several delegates in regard to the
conoton Oh eacn INSTITUTION IN the several sta tes
represented. The information impaired was not
aitQQetl0r Ri of
the Southern States; but in MANY of the States
these Colleges are the source Of favorable con Inent
ana Jast prlae. Inc cltzens OF Michlgan and Maine
true intention of the college for aricutnral pursuits
have not been disregarded, that the doors of well
~ s @ anu are Woe op-
chanics The National Grange passed resolutions
in favor of the State College of Agriculture bv a
unanimous vote. The State College was Commended
by the Speaker to the continued support of fhe
Maine Patrons.
Al tho mea+ina of +ba N.+;orals C..o,,,o .,o..an
'-o .-eso.s -. .llo paelon"i ui"nso' -uaS'ei
go . ss''i5 ieo'u.e was uoisei-
" w. ooiiiot ol ',o sup9ec' u 'he ilahulac-
'uAo u eusai Aio'n soi necens eAperlinehes
"S anu 'AAo uni'eu 'essiinony VI 'nose
nv Aio sus@l ~ snun through
'io oe"i mi'ness W i1s Intrinsic vaiue' 9a
fp nb Seaidy' @ pounus OF sugar
200 n0o nonnds Sorhnn o"e oS ,s0 - ~ ~ ~
H.; e,o th s ~, s sSoas @ ~ ~ DS s.s p1ouc s "
Oh ~ 1;,,Sa VUI, anu os n, 70 ~
TanSe sh+ta " In otase rassel Slihns 1 70 9i
io;n, s,tstara+ ssT ~ ono u as9 sne ioi-
So Us ad S+rIi mao seeudeu az ~ n cnlll-
as faIIcws. 1Tfs larrnIs = WY 80 's'l 81 iluus.l
,oosas " sugal' i. anu ~ parleis "
80 go me- a,srSa @ IA ~ u, s g,Sm n va ue 81 81
IONS otba et sfrl f " Ma g Pc ote was s ~
svlyana Give orsfifv;n res,its W. ya Snp m
6ynn n1 stvo lesu.s; We eApenu Sloo
100, t t; .ue Itles ii, ~ Vns e1uuLy eacn
9ur o sra nd =; ~ - poSsofo POSI- f sn1ulu inahe
evnerant e ~ VIG +6t etis rususe, science anu
O,S Iarai i s stsai III ilohi
mey Prof CnIier poU u Jno naane ia.,
;s oanaIie ne sh d. snee 0'' oui eihaVe anu SUI
40 oapapio u s"on iesuits
Ine Importance OF sustaining the Grange and ag-
ricultural papers was dwelt upon and every Granoe
,-os ,-., - ,,,., . ,;,,a, - - :, o
was uiseu W n"se nDiaiy' ~ was suggested tnat
the Aecturer OF each subordinate Grange in the
State, at regular meetings read the excellent adj
dress of orthy Master Woodman of the Nafiomal
Grange ao the several able reports on the subiect
of Transportation - Education 'sAgricultufe !,
Dormant Oranges % and "The Good of the Order
which were submitted at the NEE ting of the Nation
al Grange.
conoarn;,,o +.a aod;+;o r ;s+u; -, J.. -
ooAoeAs Uno oonuisioA VI inu'''iies IA Vu1 own
state, Master Rob1e said: The great display last
fall at our several fairs of the products of on,
fr,,ars ord axbih,+ of 1o,,o ,,,.,,,,fao.,,na,
iariners' anu e&hloie Oh nome manufactures, was
great advertisement, and should be an inducement
for our people to stay at home We have Invaluable
,aal,l ;r o,,. ,xr;o,,l+,,r 5e,,oo.. ...,s..
sshar;as - ,nhaSy ia aJ ~ n
So rs "a ~ o.:a' ' W ~ J.: - - - ~ nS~ Piouucsvs
b t, ns d o;ts ~ u M 9. lact INA
dbt rs 1So ~ ;iaI a. -eso se.',ns out y
ts a 1 o9 oe eSp o ou ciSes AM
% ,ine m S ~ - reserved y
20 ~ th; so % oS.u tnuiSates "
.Ne o. Mo 90 90. ui4.s ~ Paee W