The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-20
Vermont State Grange.

Vermont State Grange.
The twenty-second annual meeting, held
at West Randolph, December 12-14, was the
best attended and most interesting of any
ever held during the existence of the organ
zation. The public meeting on Tuesday
evening drew out large audience of the
farmers and business men of the place II
was held in Dubois & Gays hall, which
was tastefully decorated for the occasion
with grains and other products of the farm.
After music, State Master Alpha Messer
introduced Justin II. Moulton, manager of
the Green Mountain stock farm, who wei
coined the visitors in behalf of the farmers
and citizens of the place. " All honor to
the grange" he said (which is doing
good work. Its influence for good will be
felt for generations to come" He then
gave a history of the first agricultural So
cety of the world the Highwind Society
of Scotland, " in 1885. c. j. Bell of Walden,
the treasurer of the grange since its organ
ization, responded, speaking in happy
vein and telling of junket some of the
grangers had few years ago, with com
mittee of the Vermont legislature, at YER
gennes.
Mr.. Messer then delivered his annual adj
dress. At no previous time in the history
of the order in this state, he said, had the
grange met under more favorable circum-
stances. He congratulated the grangers over
the success which has crowned their labors
in the grange field A general degree of
health has prevailed. The year has been
one of manifold blessing to the farmer.
Prices of some products have been low, but,
in the midst of great financial depression,
the farmers have generally received good
prices. A few years ago, Vermont was
widely advertised as the state of deserted
farms, but, thanks to the state officials, the
words " deserted farms are a thing of the
past. The order in Vermont is in a healthy
and furnishing condition. and has gained
more than twenty per cent in membership
the past year. In New Hampshire, the
master said, there is a grange in nearly
every town, and he hoped in the near fu-
ture the same thing could be said OF this
state During the past year, the inspection
service has been the most complete and
satisfactory since il was instituted. The
master seemed to favor government con-
troll of the railroads. and asked a careful
consideration of this matter. He spoke on
the subject of taxation, and believed some
system should be devised to relieve the
farmer and equalize taxation. He con-
demned double taxation. Regarding the
school question, he thought the new law
was an improvement over the old. as it
| equalized taxation, but believed it would be
more just if the graded school districts
were abolished He recommended the ap-
| pOintment of a legislative committee.
After music by the orchestra, Governor
| Fuller was introduced and enthusiastically
| received. he Shll llldl ne was DlbdoSu W
| be with the grange, that it was a pleasure
to meet those who are interested in farming.
| Vermont had taken high rank at Chicago,
taking first prize on butter in competition
with the world. He commended the
| Judgment of Dr. III, M. Mcintyre in having
such type and form of Vermont horses Sc
| lected to represent the state that a few,
! in comparison with other states, took more
prizes. Thirty horses were entered, and
out of forty-siX prizes Vermont brought
home twenty-siX. Vermont in her exhibits
| took a large percentage of premiums, and
when the official statement is made it will
bring great honor to the state and be handed
| down as a heritage to its farming industries.
Professor j. l.. Hills of the state exper-
iment station told of the exhibit made by
the state colleges and experiment stations
| at Chicago. An exhibit OF the results of in
dustria education was made, and of the
nine states receiving special mention Yer
mont was one. He said that the expert
ment stations were bureaus OF Information
for farmers of the state, and that farmers,
on the whole do not understand their use,
which was free to all. Mrs. Luna S. Peck
of Br0okfield then read poem entitled go,
| Magnify Your Calling" g. Nj. Winslow,
secretary of the state board of agriculture,
said that he looked with much respect upon
| the grange and that they worked in unison
with the board of agriculture. The farmers
could be trusted with power and should
| help rule this country.
George S. Hubbard of Rupert read paper
on Education and Crime" favoring hui
name education in schools.
Mason S. Stone of Montpelier, state SUI
perintendent Of education, said he was
pleased to meet with the grange, which is
interested in education. Teaching Is i'm
proving in quality. The town system of
schools is not Capitalization of schools,
but Capitalization of management. The
present system was in advance OF the old
system. IL may not be less expensive, but
il may even be more economical. Better
schools may be had by having better teach
ers and better supervision. Normal schools
should be better patronized, and summer
schools should be organized in the larger
villages He favored free text books,
showing that it would be great saving Go
the state.
Victor /. Spear, of the state board of agri.
culture, said that he had been interested in
looking up matters in Vermont and pub.
fishing the results and, if he had good
idea of Vermont before he began, it had
more than doubled in the course of his
work Vermont compares favorably witt
other states of the Union. Fifteen years
ago, Vermont cows averaged ll5 pounds o.
butter per year. and since then the average
has been increasing. The last census
showed the average to be 40 pounds pei
/ cow, and last spring the listers reported
10000 COWS, averaging 155 pounds. Yer
mont farming was on the up grade, and II
t attracting attention. Inquiries are beinl
Q received every day of people who have gon'
S out of the state, but who wish to return