The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-18
Annual Address Of Hon. ]. |. Ray to the
Assemblase at McGreeor.
WENT DFEPlYlNTO NEED OF ORGANIZATION
Farmers WIN Receive Bcneflt. They
ehn Get In No other Way Than
Through the Grange.


Two years ago We met In State Grange
assembly in the beautiful little city OF Dub
iin.s Our meeting was very pleasant one
and exceedingly enthusiastic. We elected
a full quota of officers; we made many
pledges, both orally and mentally We
have now met to compare notes as to the
past take our bearings at the present and
formulate plans for the future; to devise
ways and means to build up and perpetuate
our order. Notwithstanding the intense
war excitement in the past year. which SO
absorbed the attention OF the people that
1t has made it difficult to interest them
in civic affairs, yet there has never been
time when there was greater need for
grange work.
The question has been often asked
through the columns OF our great cham
pion. Texas Farmer as TO the cause OF so
much dormancy among the oranges, and
tho remedy. And some few have tried
TO answer. We will all agree that a grange
composed OF loyal and devoted member
ship-persons who have Joined the grange
'"'' 'hS' peiie'e ~ IT, VIM attehu tho
grange because they love Its work, seeing
in it not only the opportunity of benefit
ing themselves but the broader oppor-
tunity of helping others--will not become
dormant.
The highest tvne of manhood Is IA on
49,. - -. ..,.,. -, A., -, .s,
e'ee "i 'eS' Ao wy
and happiness OF those around us. A
grunge thus MADE up oil nopie-mlnned
men and women can not iail, and V can
not conceive OF situation where nine
intelligent, honorable men, and four
women, can be found VINO would accept
the ofheial control of grange under
pledge OF honor, ana not perform their du-
Ties. Ana grange with thirteen mem
hers can never become dormant. We nave
hundreds OF good men ana women In our
State who love the grange and would de-
light in seeing 1t prosper, who do or say
very little in its behalf to help along the
good cause, Tor the reason. they claim,
that they are not good readers, writer's CIR
speakers. Moses tried TO shirk his re-
sponsibility by telling God that he was
SLOW OF speech and yet he became tho
great lawgiver and leader OF the Hebrews
whose teachings nave been handed down
through past centuries unimpaired So
may every one do good by standing at his
post as faithful sentinel for good
cause
When we consider the little state OF New
hampshire, with ten counties, win an area
ABOUT one-thirtleth Inc size OF lexas. Win
her 2SS WORKING oranges, with an agsre-
with sixteen counties, with an area equal
to about one-t tenth OF Texas, having 2lg
working oranges and membership of over
23,ooo; massachusetts,, with fourteen coun-
ties, with an area equal to about one
thirty-second of Texas, having sixteen 20.
mona oranges, az subordinate oranges,
with live working membership OF over
1900, and New York, about sixteenth
the size of Texas having $50 subordinate
oranges and live membership OF over 3d.
coo, we can form some idea of how little
the great Lone Star state is doing to ele-
Vate ana advance the interests of the man
with the plow, SPADE ana noe. But then
there are other dnoushts anu comparisons
that should stimulate us to action, to more
dlligent work
When we see from statistical records the
rapid transition OF the wealth produced
from the hands OF the producers into tho
possession OF the non producers or specu-
lators, We certainly should arouse from
our stupor ana go TO work. Take the au-
thentlcated statistical statement that can
not DE denled, to-Wlt:
Total value OF property In the United
states:
1901 .......''.''......... ..$7, 135, 7S0, 22S
1860 .......'.'.'..'......- nc, l59, GIG. 06S
leto ..... ..'..'............. .23,997 22l, Az
1851 $500. '......... AZ, 642, 900 600
lSgo .....-..'.'... %. O37, 091, 1917
Iotal value or property belonging to
farmers:
lS6O. ~, o6l ,343, $50 or 55.59 per cent
ls6V.......' 1850 ,493.0 63 or 1885 per cent
S!o''...'.. S'sSo' t5s,2ls or 81 per cent
lSSo''..... II, IVA VOl ,o5s or 27.7S per cent
ls9o-...:' 10 ss2,2o3 6s9 or 2454 per cent
IL VIII DE seen that in 1850 the farmers
owned 90 per cent of the wealth OF our
country, ana that In 1890 they owned "a
per cent--a dllierence OF 81 per cent III
forty years. query Where will the far
mer De IN 1851, anotner forty years span
~ may De CANNED by some that this is
me raVing OF pesslmist' but | only refer
you 10 the records 1t Is an admitted fact
that the farmers are the producers of the
greatest buik OF the wealth; then we ask,
why nave they not held possession OF 1t
as they nave produced 1t
what Is the cause and what the rem
cay! Inc farmers only ask an equal
snow IN the race OF lie They ask no
class legislation IN their interest. They
only seek ana demand their rights. They
do not ask prosperity at the hands OF our
In ~ DIV NN .No