Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-19

e"iIoSo IcCoSHItlon anu support from the
press of the State
have deemed this retrospect not inap-
propriate on this our 21st annual meeting
and in this connection / wish particular
ly to emphasize the fact that the existence
and stability of our order today, is due, in
large measure. to the encouraging and
refining influence of our worthy sisters.
To its true, noble and devoted women is
the grange indebted for the high and com
manding position it now occupies and il
is not too much to say that but for theil
active and untiring efforts the order could
not have maintained its existence.
AS we look back over the history of the
| twenty years during which our order has
had an existence in this State we note
| with feelings of pride and satisfaction its
growth in numbers and strength and the
grand influence it has eXerted in the edu
cation and refinement of our agricultural
population and their advancement along
all worthy and commendable lines.
Comprising as do the farmers of Maine
more than two-fifths of the entire popula
tion of the State, it is evident that an or.
ganization whose influence has been SC
beneficial to the agricultural class, in SC
vastly improving their social, intellectual
and financial condition, has been bless
ing to the State and deserves the hearty
encouragement of all good citizens.
Condition Of the Order.
10 gives me great pleasure to assure you
at this our twenty-first annual session
that the order in Maine was never on a
more sound substantial basis, never better
equipped for the work it has to do, never
more enthusiastic to prosecute that work
with vigor and determination.
While, as will be seen by the report OF
your worthy secretary, no very large num-
Der of new oranges has been organized
during the past year, yet additions have
been made to the membership of the
oranges already formed, dormant and
weak oranges have been revived and in
vigorated and healthy growth is repor-
ted in all portions of the State. We should
bear in mind, too, the fact that the true
strength and influence of an organization
are not always measured by its rapidly in
creasing numbers, but rather by the char
acter, the zeal and activity of its mem
bers.
The work of the year has been charac-
terizcd by greater degree of earnestness
on the part of the members of the order, a
better appreciation of its principles and
aims and an increased determination to
extend the influence of those principles by
all legitimate means
Finances.
Financially our order in Maine is amply
solvent Not only is our State Grange
treasury in healthy condition, as is
shown by the report OF your worthy treas
urer but all the different organizations
that are the outgrowth of the order and
which may be considered as the wards of
the State Grange, our cooperative corpora
ton, mutual aid and insurance compan-
les are on sound financial basis and in
creasing in the scope of their work each
year.
While have always been convinced
that large portion of the revenue derived
from the subordinate oranges should be
expended in strengthening and extending
the order by efficient and judicious lee
ture work and by faithful deputy work in
all parts of the State yet / am also con
vinced that reserve fund i'll our State
Grange treasury, of sufficient volume to
meet all probable contingencies, is an
element of strength and permanencc and
should therefore be carefully guarded
and maintained.