Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-12-17
STATE GRANGE.
AnruiI EIfellen M 0ncsrs
Took Place Wednesday.
Great Enthusiasts Being Shown In This
Meeting Large Attendance.


ssowHsoAs, Dec I6.-The storm cloud
hsys roiis d svsy ssd the bright sun 10
saiaiss. making today one Of she pleasant
rst ia ihs session Of the State Grange. Our
streets present ses ne that 10 not often ou,
fortune TO witness. The sturdy hnsosndmln o
Is evsrywhsre and bic nos estinsbis wife
. vish him vhen the Grange 10 not ia ses-
sion. Our sovrspeopie feel highly honefsd
10 this visit Of the Stsss Gsangs. and never
n tho recollection es any Of oar citizen.
hss . more sober, honest looking and intel
isenf crowd Of stTgg gers visited Us Soms
lttis Inconvenience IL experienced BY thoss
~ho can not BE- accommodated u the hosel..
bus all grsrp the situAtioo in 3 pleasant
vial manner, and si!h forti u3e peculiar
50 their class they sre setting their teeth 10
the little perpls I ties.
Win the area, crosd there is no Ill
hamor. every body Is happy, pleasant and
ss the ssms time disnihed The robust Ard
stalxars patron, the hesiihy, handsome
and happy formers W fs and hsipmeet,
whose presence would grace any position,
ad 3. beauty, life aud bustle to ouf pretty
little city.
Ihs forenoon session Wednesday was
entirely tAksn up Ia bAlIosins for officers
NJ b. Hunt Of BelnoSt was elected worthy
master upon ;hs third ballot. O. NJ
rwifcbsll Of Augusta vas elected overseer,
j o Winslow Of 1t. Albans, lecturer I;
Rev. o. j Hancock, Corinna, chspIain; !;
$. s. Smith. Norway. treasurer; r. A
Auburn, secretary; w. \. Rogers. Tops
ham. steward; d. o Bowen, morrill,,
assistant steward; " + Nsrton, Brooks
vuIe, gate keeper Mrs NJ. B Hunt, Ceres, (,
Mrs q. M. Twiteheli, Fiofs; Mrs O
Hancock, PomonA; Mrs. d o. Bowen,
lady sssiss.ns steward; j. B, Moore
Pnippsbufg, Thos. Dsggslt, Foxcrofs, sx
eca,ive committee.
CoDRratulatofy kilograms were sent to
New Hampshire and Msssschusetts state
oranges. now in session. 10 ths evening
occurred the installation of afflcers and
report Of COMMITTEES on taxa ion.
Report Of Committee on Taxation.
Hon. Edward Wisg fer the committee
On taxation, presenss the following report:
In soverDmsp ut ziEh political and social
Institutions like ou, own there are certain
secs sssry expenses for the legitimate COS,
Of the government as we'll es for the edu-
cation OF the people and for institutions Of
q humane and Of q charitable character
penal institution. and others upon which the
selfsre Of the whole country depends and
n which all gol ciiiz rs xre interested.
As the protect, z hand Of our fair govern
ment Is over all It's CIT Z ne Ard as all are ben
fled BY tue institutions shove named it /,
evident without .rgumei { thAs tae burden Of
thei, support shou d fall npoa all the
people equally accordtdg to The individual
means OF each This burden is sppoftiop-
ed by the machinery Of tsxanon, Ii astituted
~nh the pIomisei purpose of distribuiir q
he cost Of government equally and equit'
aply, ar d regulated from ums to time BY
laws enacted by the chosen representatives,
II the people. That il is extremely diff
cult and well nigh Impossible, ~hen there
sre % many ard so vsiied slBcs OF pro
perty, &, divide this burden with exact
Justice is evident to aIl who have made the
sut ject study to any extent. Still IL Is
,qusly evide nt that IL Any class ef cit Zens
is unduly burdened. the general interests
Of cipty mus suffer from the Il jIsiice
done. Were rbis Vi due burden TO fail upon
a Glass so favored by TO tune s. to be able
10 bear it wiih9us msterisliy iessening ,h sir
chances for oem ortsble livenhoo5,
though the prit cipls Of Il justice would re-
maio the ssme, yet the results would not
De- go unfortunate. When, however, the
discrimination is msde sgsiust 3 class not
so specially favored the weight Of the
burden 10 muca move heavily ftlt sad when
the class thu, unduly oppressed is the pro-
DUCT class Of the country the result can
cut BE- disastrous. TO the wh1ie body polite
ihe claim that the farmers of the Country
As q class, are at present besrirg an VI ass
a d undue amou1t Of the burden of TAXA
ion is one Ihst needs no argument and
mus, be sdmit,ed by all. The farmers
properly, both real and psrsonsi, is Of a
character that can be readily seen and
is open to inspection. vAlustion and
assessment. j, is net necessary to
claim tat farm properly is over valued.
Let j, be corrected that il is rated at fair
snd just valuation, yet, # many other kinds
II property srr grestiy under valued, snd
still othsr kinds not vsiued at sii for rur
poses Of taxstiop, Il 10 evident 70. all
that great IL jus ice is done to the farm
lpg class TINS ii justice. 1t 10 the duy of
be people themselves to correct by proper
legislation. Tine farmers Of Maine should
ouk for no aid in this direction from CAPT
i. tsressed to reduce their own tsxsd1n 20
the lowest possible limi', or from those who
eek to conceal the investmen Of their
surplus wealth from me eye Of the assessor.
Whatever relief We srs to obssn must b
secured by the persistent AID combined &C
uou of farmers themselves. The Msine
Ssate Grxt e., as the largest organized body
Of farmers Ia the State may resson-
ably be expected to take the lesd in
any movement for this end ard We claim
III At ia no vay can its eff RS sud il fuence
be more properly or .ffecnvely enpieyed
ihsn in sn active and combined movement
10 secure such amendments to The tax las
f The State a. .hsli afford the peedrd re-
lief. The action of the grange should De
arm, d anifed std conservative, but sf the
same time aggressive and persistent.
While is is manifessly impossible within
the hints Of committees report to 90 in o
ali the details Of the desired reform We
may, however. indicate some pnints upon
sli, h the farmers Of the State have . right
TO insiss The frst sod most important
point necessary under any jass sysiem Of
tsx.tion is a fair and eguilsoie vaiuation OF
ali the property in the State. 70 this snd
the appointment Of State board OF asses
.ors is step in the right dir csion and
4. in line With the rscommendsft ms
made by the State Grange as its iast annual
s-sron The orgsn suoa Of the board /.
vet 100 vacant to admit Of any fair jadg-
m4ut as to the ,Meiency OF iss work. out
III. rssul. Of its iabors during tie past year
csrtxialv proyes the necessity OF eome