The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-16

| now available for that purpose is ampi,
sufficient, fund judaciously expended; ;,
The great waste of our school funu II
not in the direction Of excessive ssiafloi
paid 10 teachers and superintendents
but in the many details OF expenditure
where business principles seem to Ut
wholly lacking.
The influence OF the grange in matters
of legislation both national and stnts
has been potant tor good and may b'
even more so in the future if wisely
directed.
Thnt some measure should be devisec
which woulG remove from the farmers ;
portion of tho burden which, under ex
listing laws, they are unjustiy bearing
all mem hers of the order are agreod
The trouble, so far, has been to unite the
farmers Of the state in any one move
ment.
One CT the first and most important
things for us to do in order to influence
legislation in favor of just measures Of
reform is to convince the business men Of
the state TINT our interests and theirs are
indentical. ! would particularly recon-.
mend, as a measure upon which all
patrons ought 20 De able tn, unite, the
bill for cqualizing the burden of the
school tax by increasing that portion
raised by state tax and reducing the
~.
None of the reforms heretofore indi-
Gated can be brought about without
hearty, systematic corporation. Co
operation is the corner stone OF our order.
While we would give TO the grange stores
the entire mcaSuI g OF credit TO which
they are entitled, it would seem that, in
Maine at least, they have outllveu their
usefulnes an still OF the opinion that
a large saving could be secured tn o III
members by cooperation in the matter OF
purchasing agricultural implements.
Secre tary E. II. Libby, reported that
from September 30, 1895, to septem ber
80, 1885, eight new subordinate oranges
have been organized, one re-organized
and one Pomona organized as follows:
The total number of oranges is 1888;
members, 90, 1873; gain in membership for
the year, 1884. The oranges having a
membership Of 200 or more are Turner,
AIS mem bers; Excelsior of Poland, 299;
Fryoburs, 273; okowhegan, s55; Frank
liz, aa0; Androscoggin, 1893; Norway,
2l9; Sidn ey, 204 Canton, 2o3; Granite,
a02.
"There are many towns In the state
where oranges are wanted and being
asked for and I recommend that still
more vigorous efforts be made the coming
year to organize new and reorganize
dormant oranges and with good corps
of enthusiastic deputies working lin
season and out of season, still creator
results may be achieved than during the
past year.
Orders have been drawn during this
year to ths amount Of So, 90S.47.
The receipts at the secretary Office
from December 10, 1895, to September 30,
1896, were So, 500 ~, divided rs follows:
Foes and dues from subordinate oranges,
So, s79. AS; sixth degree fee., S67; J. ].
jackson, past secretary, s35S. 32; other
sources, S204. 95.
The stock of grange supplies on hand
September 3Oth, amounted to 1922. 81.
State Treasurer Hunt reported cash in
treasury October /, 1895, SO, 52s. 66: re-
ceipts S., o76.72; disbursements, s3,Ss2.s2;
balance in treasury, So, 1866.
At the evening session it was voted to
send telegram to President-eleot Nc
KinIey, urging Col. J. 6. Brigham of
Delta, Ohio, for secretary of agriculture.