Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-23
PATRONS OF HuSBANDRY.
The Annual Address of the President al
The state Orange.


Special Correspondence OF Gazette aud journal
Dover Dec. Tin his annual all
dress. read at the session Of the State
Graugs, Patrons OF ilusbautiry, hold
herv on Tuesday, President Samuel IL.
MessicK said:
The gathering together OF the repre-
sentative farmers of the State, to advo-
cate labor and promote the welfare OF
agriculture, the parent and precursor
OF all arte, must commend itself to all
good citizens. Our gathering here. to-
day. has a broader and a more exalted
Specification. United by the strong and
faithful tie of agriculture, we arc here
also for country and home, and, in the
highest sense, TO develop better and
higher manhood and womanhood among
ourselves. We are here for the good OF
our order, to advocate the cause of
in9tiee aud develop that sucia and in
telluGtual culture without which tho
privilege OF American citizenship will
not he appreciated or its duties rightly
discharged.
We are taught that, tn those who read
Alright history proves that in all ages
society ia fragmentary. and HucGeHsiul
results Of general welfare can he re
cured Only by general effort. Unity nf
action cannot he secured without uisci.
pine, anu discipline cannot be en-
forced without significant agriculture.
Tho great significant organization
which brings the American farmers
together in general effort Tor the gen.
eral welfare, through enforced ulsci.
plinc, is tho grange. Ii would afford
pleasure. perhaps, upun thu threshold
OF the 23d annual session OF this Della.
ware State Grange, to retrospect and
reflect upon the achievements Of this
significant organization, how it has
uuitiah the safest element VI our land
by bringing our farmers together in
tsns OF thousands of grange halls, veri.
table universities OF popular education,
where the farmer anu his family have
been taught to think. to write, to speak
and 10 act more intelligently.
That mistakes may have been made,
and that ell the gnod for which we
have been so solicltinHs and for which
We have ardently lahu5ed and conf
IDENTIFY expected has moi been realized,
is no cause for relinquishing our efforts.
Good people have, for many centuries,
sacrificed themselves for the elevation
of humanity. Millennium is not yet.
Th5re are no moral or intellectual
heruns weeping because there are no
wnrlla 10 conquer. As long as vice
prevails, and gs long as 10 err is human,
60 long will the cause of truth and re-
Election beCkon us onward and upward
TO noble sacrifices. he Just and fear
not. Let all the ends thou aimest az be
thy country, thy Cot and truth.
The National Grange m at in lis 3lst
annual session on November 10th in the
city of harrisburg, the capital OF Penn
| sylrania, where the urdds bOurishes.
The Pennsylvania Sta. 9 Grange, with
its 73S delegates and hundreds Of visit.
ing members. was then in session in the
same city. Reports OF the masters OF
most Of the States told of u healthy
growth in members and usefulness
This Is especially true of the Northern
and Eastern StateAi Tine muster OF New
| Hampshire State Grange, who, last
| JeRr, reported an average net gain in
his little State, for Ii consecutive years
OF over LOCO members, now states that
hs knows Of no place in his State where
another grange could be organized. lie
reports no nav Hnd striking matters
used 10 accomplishing these results.
The finances of The National Grange
are in very satisfactory condition. An
additional sum Of 50, QUO was appropTi-
ated, to he used in keeping organizers
in tho field. Among pleasant features
OF the occasion we're an excursion to
the battlefield Of Gettysburg by invita-.
tion of tine State Grange Of pennsyl-
vania, and an excursion to the Indiar
Training School at Carlisle, given by
tne Williams Grove Exposition. The
public reception held in ths OperI
House, which was packed from balcony
to the tlnor. was most pleasant anc
successful social affair.
The grange in Delaware has not beer
destitute Of good works along the vari
Gus lines of activity during the year
but In the work Of extending its mem
hership our anticipations have not beer
realized. The question of strengthen
ing the order in Delaware should havt
your most serious attention. and hefort
the close there should be somethin.
definite and praiical determined upon
During the months which afford thu
best opportunity for work | was con
fined to my house with carbuncle
Many grangers were visited, however
by members OF the order, though blu
little has been done to increase tn,
number of organizations. Col. j
III. Bingham, worthy master of th
National Grange, visited our State anC
addressed three meetings, one in eacl
county, to the evident pleasure ard,
trust, great profit Of all who heard him
There are at least IA dormant grange
, in the State. with others in the struggl
for an existence.
Popular lectures by distinguishes
orators aie usually fruitless. unles
they are suppleTen by tho organ
| izers. 1t is the experience eYerywher
r that personal appeal is tine successful
I method for grange organization.
The report OF the worthy treasure
will probably show our finances to b
in better condition than for severa
years, and it appears to me that th
J time has Come to return to liberia
policy with organizers, by tho use G
. some funds in the field. In some State
3 the organizer ia allowed $40 from th
3 State treasury, together with the allow
8 ance from the National Grange, am
as high as $40 is allowed in at least on
State, together with the allowance froI
the National Grange for organizing
! grange.
, In our Stats | observe that tn
: masters of subordinate oranges, or thei
appointed representatives, are author
lied to organize oranges in thei
vicinity. and oranges thus organize
= have better chances of being develope
n into good working condition than
. organized by ons who must hurry |
other fields. Willis entieayoring /
solve the problem OF increasing th
numbers of organizations, We shoul
!. not be unmindful of the fact that il