Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-02-28
THE GRANGE.
xorihy Master wissin inisrviswed Concern.
iEe the Order IN Maine.

A JOURNAL reporter found Hon. Edward
Wiggin, master of the Maine State Grange
at the Cony House last evening and enjoyed
a pleasant interview with him 10 relation ia
the work Of the order in which he il %
much interested.
| Mr. Wiggin has been engaged for the
past week in visiting oranges in Cumberland
and Sagadahoc counties. After conyersing
for few minutes in regard to his tour
among the oranges the reporter asked,
.What is the work that the grange is now
doing and how is it benefting the farmers
of Maine:''
This was very general question to be
sure, but after listening to Mr.. Wiggin's
reply the reporter was glad he asked as he
did.
That" said Mr.. Wiggin, "is pretty
broad question and an entire evening might
be. devoted to it. Indeed" said he, ~
should be pleased to devote an hour to
speaking upon jus: that question in any
community of intelligent farmers where a
grange has not yet bsen established.
Briefly, however, will say that while
the grange is not political .orgsni-
cation it has done much to infiu-
epce legislation in this State and
while. also, it is not money-making
! oYgan:z alton yet it has been the means Of
helping the farmers of Maine to make and
to save many an honest dollar.
ITO my mind, said the worthy master,
"the greatest and most important work Of
the grange has been along social and edu-
cational lines. Previous to the advent of
the grange there was no organization which
bound together the farmers of the country
for mutual improvement and mutual pro-
lection. All other professions and trades
had their societies and their guilds
and were working together for their
common interests, but the farmer was
ploddiug along, each one for himself, with
out any organization or attempt at COM
bined action for the protection of his class.
at is not to be wondered at that in this
condition of affairs the farmers found them
selves at disadvantage. While produc-
ing food for all classes, they. from their
lack of organization, were easily the prey
of designing men, and in the social
scale were looked upon as near the
foot of the ladder. Indeed, as
class they had not fitted them
selves for demanding or maintaining a
high social rank nor for making their voice
heard in the adm inistration of affairs.
1.-The comparative isolation in which each
farmer had pursued his calling had begotten
lack Of confidence when meeting in as
semblies of his fellow citizens. Public
speaking was something with which the av-
erage farmer was wholly unfamiliar, and,
while he might have sound i!eas in regard
to public affairs, he was almost entirely un-
fitted for expressing those ideas in coherent
and convincing manner. The first effect of
the grange was to break up this iso-
lation and to bring the farmers and their
wives together in deliberative bodies, eov-
erned by parliamentary rules. The social
character of the order was what served at
once to give it strength and the secret ritual,
with ito beautiful and impressive initiatory
ceremonies, bound its members together
firmly as band of brothers and sisters, each
pledged to work for the common good. Ques-
tons relating not only to practical agricul-
ture but also to social and intellectual culture
were discussed at the meetings, habit Of
study and thought upon these matters was
encouraged and soon great improvement
began to be apparent all along these lines.
THE practice of speaking upon these
questions in the grange has developed de-
gree of confidence and has given the far
mer a comparative ease of manner and
Huency of expression which he could not
have acquired elsewhere. The effect upon
the homes of the farmers, the increased
attention to their adornment and the
improvement in the social manners
and department of the farmer and his
family is noticeable in any community
where an active grange has been organized
for any length of time. Grange Libraries
have been introduced, and an interest in
GOOD books awakened, and the Question
Box which forms part Of the programme
1 in many oranges, has induced the members
! to think and study upon many important
matters to which they formerly paid very
little attention.
"Aeain-but perhaps you have had
enough of thiss"
'.By no MEANS" replied tie interviewer,
"please so on"
swell, was about to say that the order
of Patrons of Husbandry was the first to
recognize in its meetings and in the admin
i,tration of its affairs the complete equality
of the sexes.
SIN the grange, woman stands on an equal
footing with her brothers. She is eligible
to any Office and has, in all respects, equal
.:-L.. I'D ,r;vileoos With tho atarner sex