The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-09-06
Grange Meeting.

The third quarterly meeting of Central
Vermont Pomona Grange was held at
Shady Rill on Friday of last week, and the
occasion was one of unusual interest be-
cause of the presence of National Master j.
IL. Brigham of Ohio and State Master
Messer of Rochester. The programme for
the meeting was a closed session in the
forenoon for the transaction of Pomona
grange business, and a public meeting in
the afternoon. The forenoon session was
quite well attended, considering the fact
that some members were obliged to travel
twenty miles or more each way to attend
the meeting. During the closed session,
timely remarks and suggestions were made
by Colonial Brigham and Mr.. Messer.
The public meeting in the afternoon was
in charge of General Deputy L. A. Flint of
Middlesex grange. After singing by the
excellent grange choir, Mr.. Messer gave a
short talk on the position of the farmer and
some OF his duties and responsibilities. He
said tina the farmer needed a better educa-
ton in certain lines of work. 1t is not
enough for him to know how to plant and
cultivate and harvest his crops. He has
duties which pertain to the social and edu-
cational interests of his family and to the
community in which he resides. He also
has political duties, which cannot with
safety to his own interests be delegated to
others. The farmer needs some organiZa-
ton to assist him in this work, to enthuse
him and to enable him to co. operate with
others in obtaining a just recognition of the
farming interests and a fair share of the re-
wards Of his labors. Experience has shown
that the grange organization is admirably
adapted to this work, and IN those sections
where it exists its impress aud influence
upon the farming community are plainly
shown. Mr.. Messer said that it is now con-
sidered by nearly all classes that the grange
is doing a grand work, and he quoted ex-
Senator Edmunds' words in favor of the
Ornnnp whpn ha aaiH CT hnna tha farpnara
will keep up their organization and con-
tinue TO press for the simple justice and fair
play they are entitled to-" All farmers
were urged to join the grange and make it a
greater power for good in the land.
Col. Brigham, the master of the national
grange, was introduced and presented a
very forcible argument upon the Necessity
Of Organization All other classes are
thoroughly organized for the protection of
their interests. The farmers can do but
little individually, but collectively they
can make their power known. They rep
resent nearly one-half the voting population
of the country, are the life-blood of the ma
ton, and yet their presence is hardly known
in the halls of national legislation. OF the
500 member OF congress, 245 are lawyers.
Only twenty-seven are farmers, and nearly
half Of these are brevet farmers. There are
not farmers enough in congress for a COM
mittee on agriculture. The lawyers are not
to blame for this condition of affairs. 1t is
the farmers themselves. They should or
ganlze and discuss among other things mat
tiers relating to the economic and political
questions of the present day. He did not
understand that the farmers were the
downtrodden and oppressed class which
Observation-Disclosures had depicted. If they
were, they were to blame for it and nobody
else. They should unite their forces and
make their power felt and claim what is
Justly and fairly due them as a class, and
no more. He had travelled from the Allan
tic to the Pacific and from the Great Lakes
to the Gulf, and nowhere had he found
farmers so contented and happy as in New
England. Nowhere were opportunities for
culture and improvement so available and
so generally improved as in New England.
The grange has become Ian important fac
tor in this work and every farmer should
give it his hearty support.
Col. Brigham is an easy speaker, illus
trating many of his points with anecdotes
and kee ping his audience in the best of hui
NOR. After the speeches Master Kemp
Flint gave a humorous recitation. A fine
song was rendered and the exercises of the
day closed.