Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-08-25
STATE HOUSE.
Secretary McKeen Says Farm
ers Are More Prosperous.
Volunteers Do Not Need Legal Aid in
Getting Money Due.
N!ws From The Various Departments Gathered
by the Journal Man.

board of agriculture is very enthusiasts
tic over the prospects of the grange in
this State. He says that there is in
creased activity and the season after
the summer vacation is opening with a
large number of enthusiastic meetings
being held.
He has just returned from a tour of
several field meetings. The first was
at the grove of n. +. Norton of South
Penobscot 1t was the meeting of the
Hancock Pomona Grange and was at
tended by about 500 enthusiastic and
wide awake workers of the order
The meeting at East Livermore
campground of the Norland Grange of
Livcrmore, was a fine one. There were
1000 people there. The grove is one Of
finest places to hold meeting imagin-
able. The location is all that can be
desired and everything is so nicely fit
ted up. The Norland Grange recently
purchased the lot of land and fitted the
grove up for just such purposes
Norland Grange is the first to do this
thing and it is the first step of a great
advancement of the grange throughout
the State 1t is dedicated for a perma-
nent place for the holding of field meet
down and pretty walks laid out 50 that
it is an ideal place for an outing and
a place to have an outdoor session.
One of the other meetings attended
by Mr. McKeen was the meeting of the
Crooked River Grange at Otsville to
celebrate its 25th anniversary. There
cises were of high order. They con-
sisted of a history of the grange, ad-
dresses by Secretary Libby of the State
Grange. Hon. John A. Roberts of Nor
way formerly oversecr of the State
Grange. and Secretary McKeen. There
were declamations, singing and speech
es by the local members
The last meeting was the oxford
Pomona which met with Mount Cutler
Grange at Hiram. 1t was an open
meeting at which 15 oranges If the
county were represented. There are
number of meetings coming right along
in the Androscoggin, oxford and Han
cock oranges.
The meetings are principally occu
pied with discussion of the topics of
vital interest to the grangers. There
are more discussions about the Condi-
ton of the farmers, questions of govern
ment and other vital things. just at
present rather than crops. which are
all doing nicely.
Mr.. Mckeen thinks all the crops are
doing well, barring the need of rain.
The last few days of showers has done
an immense amount of good but the
farmers still need much more. The
ground is very dry and should it come
off warm at once the crops would be
in very nearly the same condition as
they were before the ram
Mr. McKeen notices marked I'M
proyement in the condition of the farm
ers in the past few years. They are
constantly riding in better carriages
and have better looking turnouts in
every way. Then another sure sign of
prosperity is the improved appearance
| of the farmhouses. Now a person drlV-
ing on almost any country road in the
State will find nice comfortable look
| ing homes There are not so many OF
| the unpainted. tumbled down places
| which are pictured and which existed
few years ago. There are still some
of these poorer houses, especially on
| tho edge of civilization but they are
| few.
The farmers have a desire to go out
into the world more, and become a part
of the civilization which makes this
country the great and glorious place it
is. They are reading more and study
ing how to become prosperous They
nut more intelligent work into their
farms and their wives are great help
ers in the improved condition of affairs.
Secretary McKeen says this encour-
aging condition is due in great meas
ure to the grange. The grange has
created this desire to minGle with the
worlds people and has given encourage
meut to study. Not only that the dis
cussions have been helpful toward
Eriving the farmers good idea of how
lthey can procure the best results from
their work.
The story comes from Biddeford that
some of the men lately connected with
the 1st Maine have consulted lawyers
in regard to securing their back pay.