The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-18
THE FARMERS OF TEXAS.
State Grange Is 10 Annual Session
at Dublin.
FARMERS ARE NEEDED IN POLITICS
said worthy Mnster Ray, Who Also
sion as OF No Use 90 Farmer.

Dublin, Texas, August II The twenty
third annual session of the Texas Grangs
was called to order at 10 o'clock a. m
tby J l.. Ray OF Wood county, the worthy
master. The following filled the different
chairs; r. d. MCGEE of Lee county. over.
Iseer r. l.. Moody OF Robertson county
lecturer; W. II. Harris OF McLennsn eoun-
ty, secretary; A. NJ Kellar OF Bell coun-
ty. treasurer; A. F.. league Of Lee coun-
county steward. Mrs. Matte Alexander OF
McI.enuan county. Flora Mrs. William
! Howell OF Erath county Pomona; Mrs. +.
ID. Newton OF Erath county, lady steward
Is. T. Crouch OF Erath county, assistant
steward; L. N. Still OF Erath county. gate
keeper Mrs. l.. s. Blackburn OF Erath
lcounty. Ceres.
The committee on credentials reported
delegates present from thirty counties OF
the State.
The worthy master announced commit
tees on finance, order OF business, off,
Gers reports. cooperation, resolutions,
transportation, education good Of order.
grange organ. on featuring
The address OF Worthy Master Ray was
the feature OF todays session. IL was a
lengthy document covering the various in
|
with great approval. The master, referring
to the dormant condition OF many OF the
14o0 granges organized in the State, made
a strong appeal for a renewal of interest
in grange work. He referred with some
humor to the organization OF the grange in
1873, when lawyers doctors. merchants
polticians and AL other classes made
frantic efforts to join and contrasted that
time with the present when so many farm
tNn- lib ,lf-
financial cooperation. showing that not n
single experiment In that line failed in
Texas where the principles OF true CO.
| operation has been adhered to- which prin-
| ciples are no credit, labor to receive fair
wages, capital fair interest ard profits to
be distributed pro rata TO the trade.
| The master discussed politics un.er the
proposition that the grarge should be In
| politics intensely but politics should never
be In the grange. Among other things be
said the grange is nonpartisan but Is now
needed in politics more than anywhere else
because the evils expressing the farmers
are mainly political
The farmers are. for instance, giving no
organized attention to State Legislation,
while every legislature passes laws that
burden them. Ofticialsm adds constantly 10
public expense without any protest from
the farmers. We already have number
OF useless cshces and departments aud yet
new offices are being created TO afford pol-
iticai pets livelihood but no protest is
heard. The grange exercised great influ-
euce in framing the present constitution,
but every appropriation bill tramples 1t
under foot and we make no protest The
grange OF Texas was in the forefront bat
| Ting for railroad commissions State and
Interstate: they are now doing little or
no afsood5 !. -Srs-s often pregnated with
evii; for Instance. our State commission
recently reduced the rate on cotton 25 cents
when II is known the railroads, by private
reoates, often give rates not half as much
as the commission rate. We had demanded
at least 81 reduction but the commission
| favored the roads and not the people
Il am not charging the commission with
Intentional wrong. bat that the comm q
sion has been not a boon TO the farmers
while costing them S3o 900 to S400 900 an
| nually. use these facts to show how
much we need the grange to investigate
and discover the evil.
In defense OF what appears outrnges by
the railroad commission upon the people,
it is alleged that court decisions stop them
from making rates which will not return
earnings upon capital. real or watered
[ ihen commission is powerless to do ia
much good. The only hope we have is
10 encourage competition TO protect our
selves from robbery. The owners of rail-
roads are of the East and Europe, hence
| IL they can control State and Interstate
rates they viii be in interest Of the Aa-
lantic scaboard and against the South
For this reason leading msD are advocat-
ing that Texas rivers be made navfgabie
Railroads would have to meet their low
rates. Others want railroads from the
northern border Of the State to the gull,
and want the State to give 1t aid bv In
sestns our accumulated school fund in its
nfst mortgage bonds and use our conyic. s
al fair redemption to build such a road
lhey want IT'S charter provisions to give
the State absolute control OF rates. Tha
railroad company that builds Il to be de-
barred by charter from power to enio nj
rates. They want the State to pledge CO.
operation OF States aud Territories north
ana northwest for connections with such
roads. They hold that such roads would
| regulate freight rates and that TEXAS
would be the key to the commercial sit
uatson and make ii impossible for the
East to longer manipulate the freight bust
ness OF the country in favor OF the At
lantic seaboard without tndorsing their
plans pro or con.
| II say we ought to have the grange In
condition to Investigate. This freight
question Is to be great issue In Texas
aud II is but Que o. a number OF issues Of
paramount Importance and our farmers
should have the facts as only the grange
can CLEAN them. Having the facts, they
are sure to be right"
This part OF the masters address created
profound impression.
AT p. m. Captain W. H. Harris ad-
dressed the public in the park AT night
at the same place addresses of welcome
were delivered by l.. e Gillett on behalf
OF the city. and c. F, Kiker on the part OF
tue Erath county grange. Responses were
!naae ~ K l.. Moody OF Robertson county
ana Farmer Shaw OF Dallas county.
ALL LEFT HIT ONE.