The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-12-18
THE MAINE GRANGE.
The Annual Meeting at Bangor Yesterday
The Masters Remarks.

The Masters Remarks.
banogr, December 1.-THE Main
State Grange began it's annual session
here today with good attendance. The
address OF the master was we'll received.
EDWARD Wiggin. master Of the State
Grange, delivered long address. He
touched upon the financial condition,
state of agriculture, education, State
college, board of agriculture, deputy
work. legislation and national grange.
Upon the topic of Legislation. he said
| 1t becomes more and more apparent
each year that if we as Patrons are to
make our influence felt in obtaining
| rligslation which shall place the farmers
OF the state on footing of equality with
men in other industries. we must make
our strength felt by closer organization
and more effective work along political
lines. While am opposed to anything
bordering upon the discussion of partisan
politics in the grange and while L am
equally opposed to the formation of a
farmers political party, yet I am fally
| convinced that the grange is the proper
place for the discussion, in non-par-
tisan manner, of those questions which
are affecting our rights and interests as
farmers and for the formulation of such
plans and methods as shall best make
| our influence felt in securing legislation
| favorable to our rights.
! l would again emphatically assert that
| the farmers of Maine are asking no fay-
ors, nor are they seeking any special class
legislation in their interest. Ali they
ask, and this they should continue to
demand Until it is secured, is such legis-
| lation as shall remove the burdens now
resting unduly. upon the agricultural
class and place them on an equality with
all other citizens. The listing bill met
with increased opposition in the last leg
| lslature and some who had formerly been
It's friends were deferred by political
motives lorm supporting it during the
session of 1885, l still maintain that the
argument in favor of the listing bill is
sound and incontroyertilbe. 1t is simply
this and nothing more. If it is right
to tax one mans personal property it is
right that every mans property should
be taxed in an equal ratio. The opposi
tion to the i'll can arise from no other
motive than desire to escape just and
equal taxation. If, as many of the op-
ponents Of the bill assert, the enactment
|
affect the man facturing industries of
the state, the only honest reply can be-
| then repeal all taxes on pesronal porperty
and let oil stand alike before the law.
maintain that there are only two logical
grounds on which any fair man can
stand and between these the choice
should be made. Either pass the listing
bill and tax all personal property equally
or repeal all laws taxing personal proper
ty OF any kind. My own choice has been
plainly indicated since the question was
first raised in our legislature. The bill
for the equalization Of the school tax also
met with opposition from the capitalists
of the state sufficient to preevnt it's be-
| coming a law. The theory GAan which
this bill is based is eminently just and
| equitable. 1t is that the property of the
| state should bear the burden of taxation
! tor the education of the children of the
state, and that this burden should fall
equally upon every dollar of property in
the state, however invested or wherever
| located. [ repeat that the only way to
obtain our rights in matters of legislation
is to show an amount of organized
strength which is the surest passport to
respect in all legislative bodies. | am
convinced that our work should COM
mence in the primary meetings of the
different political parties to which we
| severally belong. The farmers of Maine
| ton of their rights if they would organ
| ize their strength and work with de-
| termined purpose for we'll defined re-
suit. This organization will, think
| ultimately be brought about through
the grange and will not necessitate the
formation of any new political party. Let
each man work lover against his own
house" and the desired result will be
| obtained. There is one great mistake
that l think we as citizens of Maine are
making, inour organizations of Patrons
Of Husbandry, of boards of trade and
other Industrial associations, and that is
in encouraging the idea that there is
natural enmity and hostility of interest
between agriculture and the other indus
tries of the state. We as farmers have
long been taught that capital invested in
other callings is necessarily our natural
enemy. On the Their hand men who have
their capital invested in mercantile and
manufacturing interests seem to think
that in ma tiers of legislation affecting
industrial interests they must perforce
antagonize the agricultural classes |
maintain that this is all wrong. The
interests of the different industries in
our state are identio al and the prosperity
of one is intimately connected with the
successful prosecution of all the others.
No industry in the stAte, even if it have
the power, can afford from a fiancial
poiuo VI WOW, w oPpICoo sbhouAOi ouu pun
it at disad vantage.
Here thon is the true work of the
grange First to perfect and consolidate
the organization of it's forces in order that
it may show sufficient strength to COM
mand respect from political parties that
seek to control legislation. Second, 20
say to the State board of trade and to
other industrial organizations, gentle
men we are not natural enemies, but on
| the contrary, 1t is for the interest of all
| that laws should be enacted which shall
secure to each equal and exact Justice
You cannot afford to cripple agriculture,
or put it at a disadvantage. 1t is for your
interest to give us fair deal and it is
for our mutual interest to work together
for the common good" In this way a
concert of action may be brought about
which shall take the place of the present
quasi hostile attitude between agricul-
ture and the other Industries of the state.
| Friendly consultations may be arranged,
| mutual concessions made and wrongs
righted along the line of general dire
for fair play and equal justice and rec
ognition of the great economic truth
that no industry IN the state can long
flourish at the expense of another.
| Cknl11d ha