The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-17
THE STATE GRANGE,
INTERESTING ADDRESS OF THE MAS
TER WORKMAN.

The following is the address Of Col.
Lewis Thompson of Kershaw county,
master of the State Grange OF South
Carolina, delivered at the annual
meeting of that body, recently held
in Sumter:
SUMTER, S. G, Feb. 10, 1897.
Officers and members Of the State
Grange of South Carolina:
Once again It becomes my pleasant
duty to greet you as representatives OF
the greatest organization of farmers
in the land and to render an account,
to this body, of the work OF the grange
during the past year. While there has
been no great boom in grange work,
still the effort to elevate our agricul-
tural classes to a higher and better
manhood and womanhood among us
members, and to enhance the comforts
and attractions of the farm homes,
has gone steadily forward, and today
we are stronger in members and In.
fluence and stronger in the hearts OF
the people than we were one year ago.
Some new oranges have been organ
lied and the membership IN the older
oranges has been increased. While
these facts are encouraging, still my
brothers and sisters there is q great
work for all of us to do. There are
many, very many neighborhoods yet
to be organized. The farmers need
some organizations in each section, !,
and the time is propitious now, and l
have no doubt that persistent personal
work, properly directed, will result in
q vigorous and healthy growth OF The
order throughout the State. Some one
to lead the way in each agricultural
community is the great need now /.
Let each of us bear in mind that the
men and women who make this world
worth living in, are those who attac Z
the work which lies in their way and
which seems to be the best they can
do at the moment, and who attack 1t
fearlessly, cheerfully and without
complaining. The order will receive
benefit in direct measure as its mem
bers are earnest, harmonious and sct-
i've in its work. While the right OF
supervision and advice belong to your
officers, the responsibility OF future
results rests to q large extent on the
individual members, and it is here
that we must beg in reform, it we are
to expect any great success. From my
experience and observation l am con-
vinced the best way to organize
oranges is for an earnest deputy to 60
into a neighborhood and make visit
from house to house and get the lead
ing men interested and a well organ
lied grange will be the result. Let
each of us then constitute ourself a
committee to see what work we can
accomplish during the next year.
AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS.
While there has been no general
failure of crops, still prices received
for our products have not been alto
pether remunerstive. The cause or
causes should be earnestly sought and
remedy applied. We can not control
the production or cost of production
of crops in the great cotton growing
States of the west, and there is no
profit, but very discouraging, to sell
our products below the cost OF pro-
duction. But there is one thing we
can do, we can produce nearly every
thing we need to supply our own peo'
pie, we can reduce our cotton area,
increase the production of all good
crops, diversifying our industries, and
thus control our own markets, for
why should we buy from others what
we can produce on our own farms.
Our State with its varied climate and
soils is capable of producing every
crop necessary for mans support, and
. I have thought that if a Chinese wall
was built entirely around our State,
and thus cut US off from the outside
world, our resources would be suf1i-
cieut to sustain all of its inhabitants.
THE NATIONAL GRANGE.
It was my privilege as well as my
pleasure to attend the last meeting of
The national grange, which was held
in Washington D. c., Nov. 11-19.
Very much important grange work
was done at this, the thirtieth session
of the national grange. as you will
see by reading the published proceed
ipgs which have brought to distrib.
ute. The grange believing that it is
for the best interest of agriculture
that a practical farmer should be
placed at the head of the agricultural
department. An earnest effort was
made to accomplish this. The grange
appointed committee to visit the
President-elect to convey to him the
wishes of the grange, and to urge the
appointment to this position of our
worthy master of the national grange,
the Hon. J. Fl. Brigham, as one emil
nently fitted for this Office. Petitions
signed by thousands of members of
the order from all parts, of the coun-
try without regard to section or party,
were forwarded in behalf of Mr.. Brig
man as the choice Of the farmers. The
grange did more towards .elevating
the department of agriculture to q
cabinet position than any other body,
and the farmers claim the right to ask
the appointment of man in close
sympathy with the farmers of the
whole country, but alas, within the
past few days. I see it announced
through the press that our wishes and
efforts have been disregarded and an
other has received the appointment,
whether practical farmer or not |
know not, ard whether in sympathy
with the best interest of agriculture
remains 10 be been.
BUILDING UP THE GRANGE.
As your representative 1 made an
earnest effort to obtain some financial
help towards building up the grange