Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-12-17
THE VERMONT CHANGERS,
Their Annual Session Held at
Springfield Last Week.

Report of p. =. Enmes, Master Of Pro-
tective Orange of Brnttlthoro---Hcso-
1utIons Adopted.
The 2Gth annual session of the Vermont
state grange was held in Springfield We'd
nesday, Thursday and Friday of last week,
State Master G. j. Bell of East Hardwick
presiding The Wednesday morning ses-
sion was devoted to routine work y the
afternoon the reports of the grand officers
were read and also the reports OF subordi-
nate and Pomona oranges. The general
opinion was that the grange in vermont
was not as prosperous as ii should ne
There are now G2 oranges in the state with
a membership of $500 Nine new branches
have been established during the past
wear as follows Burlington, Bethel, Cor
intl. Sutton. Sheldon, East Fairfield,
West Milton. south Vernon and Newport.
The public meeting Wednesday evening
was largely attended. Geo. f. Leland,
president OF the village, gave the state
grange hearty welcome to the town and
Worthy Master G. i. Bell responded. l..
NJ. Cragin extended a cordial welcome in
behalf Of the local grange and state Lee
turer r. i Galusha responded.
c. w. Scarf of Burlington then read a
paper on "A Ray of sunshine Hon.
Alpha Messer, the national lecturer, gave
an address speaking of the high character
of the grange members and OF the lmpor-
tant positions which they fill in the gov
eminent of the nation. He was followed
by NJ. 5. Stone, superintendent OF educa-
ton, who spoke of the work of education
done by the state and the grange. The
exercises of the evening closed with an ad-
dress by George W. Pierce OF Brattleboro'
secretary of the State Dairymen' associa-
ton. GOV. Grout was to have been pres
ent at this meeting but was unable to do
so on account of i'll health.
At the session Thursday morning the
treasurer's report showed S77G5O in the
treasury. A. A. Priest of Randolph, who
had acted as secretary pro TEN, was chosen
permanent secretary. The election of
members of the executive committee TO
succeed Alpha Messer and f. q. Taylor
resulted in the choice OF MI Messer and
l. 7. Strong.
Following is the report of J.. ). Eames,
master of the Protective grange of Brat
tleboro The Protective grange, No. -, OF
Brattleboro, is one of the largest in the
United States: we have membership OF
SO, the new members received this year
number u the average attendance has
have moved out of town and some have
Joined other oranges We have worked
the@legree once in three months, the rest
OF the meetings have been literary work
and have been very interesting and in
structive. Protective grange has always
been fortunate in having a good lecturer,
and this year has proved no exception, as
we have had one that understands what
the grange most needs. Our dramatic
club has done fine work also, and believe
it has been a help to the order financially,
socially and educationally. We started
few years ago a relief fund which has
done much good, and enabled us to extend
help to those that were in need in the or
der. and also in few instances to others
who were in distress that did not belong to
the grange. We have little over 800 in
the relief treasury. The members of Pro-
tective grange have always been united in
their efforts to advance the interests of
Patrons of Husbandry in education aud to
uplift a high standard of manhood and
womanhood among ourselves. This should
be the object of every Patron of Hus-
bandry, to build up.character.
At the Thursday afternoon session Hon.
Alpha Messer read the report of the COM
mittee on double taxation in the absence
of the chairman, Cassius Peck. This re-
port thought the owner of real estate
should be relieved from taxation to the ex-
tent of his Indebtedness and the holder of
the mortgage should pay a tax of one and
a half per cent on the amount of the loan.
On motion of B. T. Barrett of Burlington
the report was returned to the committee
with power to draft bill for the next leg
islature.
In for hnl ha
meeting were received from Randolph, St.
Johnsbury, Bethel and other places, and
the matter of selection was left with the eX-
ecutive committee.
A banquet was held Thursday evening
at which over 800 were present After
the banquet postprandial exercises occu-
pied the time until a late hour. Excellent
degree work was done by the Brattleboro
and Springfield oranges.
At the Friday morning session reports
from the finance and agricultural commit
tees were read and adopted. commit
tee on resolutions then presented a list
which was read and adopted.
These resolutions endorsed those passed
at the recent session of the National
grange. They favored the educational
system of the grange, the introduction of
agricultural text books into the schools,
the free mail delivery system in rural dis
tricts, the establishment of postal savings
banks in the smaller towns and the enact
ment by Congress of a law prohibiting the
use of adulterants in the manufacture of
all food. The introduction of nature
studies in the common schools was com
mended, the sustaining of the state pro-
hibitory laws was favored and the cause
of temperance and morality endorsed.
After the resolutions were adopted the
sixth degree was conferred on a class of
about 70 members The secretary was
then duly installed and after some other
routine business the 2Gth annual session
of the State grange closed after a very
successful meeting