The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-27
The Grange In Maine.

The Home Farm of Maine says: "Of
this much we may be sure-the influence
of the order of Patrons of Husbandry in
Maine agriculture, and, shall we say, in
Maine politics, is to-day mach greater
than it has ever been at any period of its
past history, and so far as we can remem.
Der greater than that of any other purely
agricultural organization that has ever
existed in Maine-not to 60 to other states
or the nation at large. Marked by some
ups and downs, as all associations are, in
the course of its brief history in our state,
the grange has good reason to be proud of
its present influence, of its honorable
standing, of its distinguished head, and of
the prosperous future before it, The state
master ID the present able and popular
governor; the leading members of the
state grange, and of the county and SUBJ
ordinate oranges, are among the best
farmers in the state, and many of them
occupy responsible offices, and places of
high trust in town, county and state
affairs. 1t was member of the order,
an ex-state master, and the present state
lecturer, Hon. d. II. Thing, who intro.
duced into the state democratic convention
that resolution recommending the estab-
lishment of State Experiment Station
and liberal appropriations for agriculture
it was the present able young master of
Oak Grove Grange, Vassalboro, MIR. c.
l.. Jones, who introduced into the Kenne.
bee county republican convention reso-
luton pledging the senators to a support
of the State Experimental Station and
agricultural college-measures which no
farmers organization other than the
grange has ever yet brought to the recog-
milton and support of the two great
parties of the state. Other organizations
have existed longer, and have felt the
need of something being done to claim
for our farmers and their interests the
support of parties, but they have been
impotent to secure voice in advance of
election, and after election, of what avail
to try to secure hearing ? By its bold.
ness, as represented by some of its best
men, the grange has stepped to the front
as an organization for the farmers true
interest, and accomplished at stroke
what fifty years of all our other agricul.
tural societies have not been able to
bring sbout-an acknowledgment in party
platforms of the demands of farmers, and
that their interests should receive gener-
GUS encouragement"
On the subject the Maine Farmer ex-
presses itself confidently, as follows:
"Ssveral of the political conventions OF
both the leading parties have put them
selves on record for the establishment OF
an experiment station, aud it is one of the
we'll understood issues of the campaign
in which all the political parties are
happily agreed. The opposition to it in
the next legislature will be small. A:
the next legislature will thoroughly under
stand the question and the almost unani
nous desire of the farmers of Maine, We
have no fears as to the result"
Maine, interested heavily in ship build
ing, navigation and the fisheries, and in it,
immense numbering and manufacturing
business, has naturally been in farming
somewhat behind such exclusively agri
cultural states as Vermont. Yet, under
the spur of its wonderfully able agricul
tural press, it is now pushing agricultur,
strongly to the front, and Vermont
may we'll look to her lsurels as the leader
of New England agriculture. What arr
our oranges doing for agricultural educa'
ton Will some well-informed member
of the order tell us