Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-12-21
THE STATE GRANGE.
Proceedings Of the Sixteenth Annual
Meeting.

The sixteenth annual session Of the State
Grange met in Lansing recently for a three
days session. The first session was taken
up with the annual address of Worthy
Master Thomas Mars, and the worthy mas
ter language was very much TO the point.
He characterized trusts as nothing more or
less than form Of highway robbery, and
urged vigorous effort TO secure legislative
action against them. He also urged the
organization Of "a business arm Of the
Grange in Detroit,to further and protect the
agricultural interests in the eastern part
of the state, AMI reported that the LAND
plaster" committee appointed one year ago
had been unable 10 make satisfactory ar
rangements. A more efficient system of
occurring in the interests OF the order was
also recommended.
The second session was occupied by Su-
perintendent of Public instruction Esta-
brook, who advocated the substitution OF
the township system of schools for the
present district system. The discussion
which followed the address was spirited.
A large number OF resolutions on various
topics were introduced aud referred.
The report of Secretary Cobb showed the
receipts for the year 10 be = 90 in excess of
the expenditures, and the grange, in all
PARTICULARS, to be III better condition than
for several years.
The following officers were elected for
the ensuing year: Worthy master, Thorn
as Mars, Berren Centre: overseer Perry
Mayo, Battle Creek; lecturer, Jason Wood
man; Paw Paw; steward, A. II. Gray,
Traverse City; assistant steward, f. r.
Green, Walled Lake; chaplain, ,irs. Perry
Mayo, Battle Greek; treasurer, T.. &.
Strong, Vicksburg, secretary, J. T. Cobb,
Schoocraft; gate keeper, George Lear
Isle, kalkaska; Ceres, Mrs. Thomas Mars;
Pomona. Mrs. j. Passmore, Genesee Flora,
Mrs. A. Gunison, Clinton; lady assistant
steward, Mrs Robert Wiley, Cas-; mem
haru q fxsaa r1ratf
Van Buren,; II. ID. Plat, Washtenaw; Geo.
B. Horton, Lenawee; +. w. Redferr,
Clinton.
The report OF the executive committee
indorses the mortgage tax law, passed in
1887, and calls for its continuance; il also
asks for legislation tending TO make our
penal institutions more nearly self-support-
ing Ii also thanks Gov. Luce for his eff
forts in the line of economy during the last
legislature, and urges him 10 sharpen his
knife for use this winter, II occasion de-
mands it.
The committee on resolutions indorse the
mortgage tax law, favor more rigid econo-
my in penal and state institutions, approve
OF the state university. but say the results
are not commensurate with the expenditure,
and heartily indorse the governors veto
of the last university appropriation bill.
They ask the legislature TO cut down appro-
prlations to the lowest possible notch and
IL it is not done they urge the furi her exer-
else OF the veto power by the governor.
Perhaps the most important action of the
session was the adoption Of resolution
requesting the members of the Michigan
delegation in congress to urge upon the in
coming president the appointment as com
missioner of agriculture of y. j. Woodman
of Paw Paw, the commissioner of agricul-
culture at the international exposition at
Paris, and for six consecutive years master
of the Michigan grange.
The grange also adopted resolutions urq-
ing the adoption of constitutional county
option law; months extens on of the
deer season: the establishment of the sys-
tenn Of township boards of aseesssment re-
view favored "a law that will protect inno-
cent purchasers of patented articles from
suit; decided, as individuals, to pay no
royalty on patented articles until the mat
ter has been refer ed to the grange; asked
for uniformity of school text books; REQ
commended woman representation on the
board of school examiners, and requested
the legislature TO appropriate $500 in 1850
and $1,000 In 1899 TO defray the ex penses Of
farmers institutes. majority report
favoring the township system Of schools
was discussed for two long hours and An.
ally shelved.