Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-12-29
MAINE STATE GRANGE.
sr,rrs,.r,nmrsr'. ANIMAL ADDRESS.

MAINE STATE GRANGE.
STAN H,.rt nuuNr's ANIMAL ADDRESS.
H'orfAy Plfrva. afike Mia >tafs GnaRys ?
IN compliance with the requirement.
20 the constitution of our cricr, We me,,
to-day la the eighteenth annual session,
4, consider such measures 90 nav tend
to tii. ad,sncement ~ onr order sDi the
great class We represent.
We hav. come In ihi. beautiful village
of >kosh.gsn. uc-tllng Ia the fertile
valley of the kenne,.c,'. sni are me, by
the r,pr.-cntsily. citizens thereof, whose
woris ot w.lcom- sr- b,ckei up by
their act. of hospitality. Coming - We
do from different part. of our beloved
state. frr.h from the field. where klnd
uatufr has NOR, la,i.hly than usual l's'-
slowed her boanii... rejoicing la an
abundant harvest. sni better general
outlook Tor farmers, We have r-,sou Ia
r,ioice and llft up our hearts aud voicc.
IN grateful Thanksgiving to Him Who has
promised q ses,i time aud harvest aud In
whom the lsborsr plsce. hls faith aud
trust. While under all these favorable
circumstances Ne sr- prone Ia mske
merry, let N pau.. aud remember the
fallen aud .hed the silent tear ot symps-
thv with the afflicted. tho.. " hose hearts
aud lives have bscn made sad Indeed
thpugh the disp-nsaiIon ~ that Divine
Author of our being, to whose mandates
all musi how la re,rr,ntlal submlssIyn
sBd from whose d.crcc there !. "a" sl'-
peal.
For the dr.i time In the hi.iory of our
ori.r In Maine has our Stat. .rsngr
he-n h-rrft by death of its official leader.
And for the fr.t time on that account
has the state .rang- bcen opcn.si Nv it,
osrr-s~r acting as master. pn the 1sth
day ~ last Msuh the sad Intelligence
was hsrslded throughout our state, that
our good Old grang. ship had losi h'r
master. that ot~ith.iandlng every rf-
ford ~as msd. Zoe hl. recovery, hs ssnk
60 rice no more Ia mortal form forever.
Dur mrmhTrs ~srr shocked hy this sad
nsxs, and none mofr go than the .cVond
officer Ia command. realizing a. he di
the great responsibility rr.ilng upon him
through this .sd di.pen.aiion. Hat ~
nl.mlrr.. your o,srsc-r. throagh the
constitution nos master, grtsl-i IA"
situation and throagh theif a..l.tsDcr
snd hls oNu cusl-aNors has sifiNrn Ia
keep our gpoi old ship on her course
and .ufii,isnlly 30 .hoTr to D. sale from
huancial hrvaksr., sni has brought h.r
Z. port, ss be- trusts you Nili hnd, With
clean hull, gsrui.hsd decks aud full
frvlghi.d With frsisrnal lo,c. ! would
respectfully rr,ommrud that time L.
.st apart a thl. session for memorial
ssf,i,e aud that a psg. suitably lnscfib-
ed b. .ci apart in our ioarn.l 81 pro
c,cdiugs In memory ~ oar doccss"i
~otthN master.
ItNA>CEs.
You arr Asar, that from the balance
In our treasury II each session the .,.
p-n.@. of the state srangc the follo~-
log year must D. paid. By rvpott of
TREASURER a. Belfast Dcccmber, ls>t, th"
hal.nc. on hand wa. -9,tsiH.so. The
YEAR follosing thl. sum ~. not Only
sspendei bat "a oycrlrau made ou III"
r..oarr,s ~ ls..1 ~ sli.sl. making the
total amount eNJ-nd~l In lS.bn, S,uB! ~,
leaving hflancr a. rrIoric,i D~ccmber.
l>sn, ~ -. IiGs.. sum of ssl..>~ le..
than N. year befur-. iisd your cXecu-
tive committee SEEN III Ia erp"ud a.
large q sun the past year as la l>i'i, to-
s-ther Nth the -strs e,p-nse of com
mliisc to the leglslatnr-, our hslancr Ia
the treasury NJ this session would have
h--n reduced Gar t-.lo~ that 20 last year.
There Nss expended during th. h.csl
,sar of is.sl, sisSGs more than the
whoi. hslsncc la treasury st our last M
nuai In.ctins. II ncc,i. no prophetic eve
to ~ that .hould thi. course - pur.uFd
from ,etr a. year. our treasury would
.oon % bankrupt, aud disinircsrtilnn
the Inevitable result. Noar executive
committ-. have wissly taken q cour.e
that has kept ths rxI-nsrs of the stale
Grange within the metns With which Z"
pay. our treasury .. will D. s~~n hy
rvt-ou l. In healthy condition. NJ
ons department of any society sdi. Ia
n. prominence mor- than a .ouni finin-
rlsl condition. While I would have the
fund. of the state Grange expended Ia
al l-giiimttc WAYS for the g""i ~ tlI"
order. vet wouli not rrcommeni goiug
beyond prr.ent means AZ the risk of
bankruptcy.
LABOR.
ItI.a matter ~ the greatest impor-
tame. aud -Nlserisnrc. that every Patron
.bould labor to prrs.rVe the majesty,
dignity, honor aud high standing Of our
order; aud that Ne .houli constantly
guard against every act that Nill bring
rrpToach. cont, mpi ar dishpnor upon
our association. LIT "a hy aside all
.elh.hnr.. ani labor for the common
gooi. Chssffully obey all Laws, d. long
a. they remain laws, and II obnoxious,
strive Ia q legitimate way Ia coinpss.
their amendment Or rpcal. our labor
I. laulable one. We are striving To
elevate our calling toa po.ltion worthy
of n. importance. In thi. great aud
worthy work lei Va move with perfect
unanlmity. Ia fne, In all the depart
msnts Of life. in the grange, on the farn''
OF wherever our lot may be- ca.t. let "a.
remember. that labor, diligence. aud
i~f.s,rrance, are the price of success,
and will ultimately Win, II properly ap-
piled aud directed.
IANArio>.
Al the last .e..ion of the stat. Grange
a commlttc Was appointed, one of whom
should be Ia attendance all the time dur
ing the session % our legislature, to
pt,..ent our claim, aud urge that body 10
pas. a Law equsliling the burdens of tax
alton. M quite sn expense to the state
Grange thi. committee served you, With
~hat rc.alts you are fully aware.
trust you will At this session adopt
some measure aud formulate some plan,
by aud through which another effort
may be made Ia secure justice and equity
by which the farmer may bear hls just
proportion Of the public burlcn aud no
more. k--p this question before the
people, push u Ia the front. and In the
near future we shall BE- rewarded by ss-
curing th. coveted reform.
Iwould respectfully call your atien-
tIon Ia What regard as one ~ the mo.t
unequal aud unjust burdens which the
rural town. are called upon To bear.
refer to the per capita tax, so called. for
the support 10 common schools. IL
would seem that for a purpose so gen
srally conce,led Ia be for the public
gooI, a. the maintenance and support of
our common schools, and tb. education
of the youth of our state therein, the
sxpsns. should be paid from the public
treasury, a. the mill tax nov IL. A.
few of the greatest extrsmes under the
present system, will cite from the ~
port of the sup~rintendent of common
schools of ls.g. The city of Portland
paid - cents aud bath - cents on each
sluO of their valuation. while Oakland