Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-01-03
TIE STATE GRANGE.
PORTIONS or THE MASTERS ADDRESS
GIvEN AT THE rwESrY-FiFrH ANNUAL
SESSION, At BANGOR

| tuRfio>> or rHE MASTERS ADDRESS
GIyEN AT THE rwENrY-FiFrH ANNUAL
SESSION, At BANGOR
We have reached another milestone 10
the history Of our order, and as we as
semSle in this beautiful and hospitable
Queen City OF our State, Ia our twenty
ffth annual session, to take counsel to-
gether and 20 legislste for the best 10
terests OF the order In the future. trust
each one OF us will realize the great
responsibilities that have been placed
upon us by our fellow patrons, and that
IN our deliberations, we win, at all times,
exercise q spirit OF federation for those
Who NAV differ with US, In harmony
with the teaching that difference OF
opinion IL no crime, and that progress
towards truth IL made hy differences of
opinion. The fault lies in the bitterness
of controversy; remembering that We
meet ss the representatives OF the great
est nstionsl farmers organization In the
world, and that II behooves us TO care
fully consider every measure and every
proposition that may be brought before
us, that we NAV CLEAN the wheat from
ehsff, that our session nav result iu
great good 10 the agricultural interests
OF our state, and In consequence, 90 the
lasting benefit Of our organization.
Sometimes We are critised because we
theorize too much and put into practical
effect altogether too little, "a an organ
iEation. While 20 some extent this ma
10 true, vet we are inclined 10 the idea
that the educational work that IL con-
the grange is but the preliminary To
crest results In the future; when the
y, 200 patrons Of the old Pine Tree State,
reinforced by as many more farmers, who
have In the past withheld their support
from the order, that vas conceived aud
exists entirely for upholding and im-
proving the condition Of the American
farmer, when the patrons Of our State
resch thst stage OF discipline that they
fully realize the power OF organization
and their ability 10 exert their strength
unitedly, for their common good, who Is
there 70 doubt the success OF their efforts,
upon any question founded upon the
principles OF equity and Justice:
lavish with her gifts. zs the innumersble,
well filed cellars and barns Of the State
give ample testimony, vet find the
farmers, as a whole, are not prosperous,
as they have been unable 20 market the
products Of their farms at prices, which
return 20 this great wealth producing
Glass fair aud Just reward for their
lAbors. The vast wealth produced an
nuAlly Ny the farmers of the [ nited
States, furnishes the foundation Of sill
other industries and Is In excess, ss re-
lates 10 exports, Of all other industries
combined, being In 1897, 6S - per cent
OF our exports.
The agricultural interests snd ~
sources al the country have kept psce
with all other occupations 10 productive
capacity snd economy OF same; vet Ne
find that with all this increase, the per
cent OF all farm values has steadily de-
clined from IS per cent In 1850 10 "a l-2
per cent in 1897 ia other words, vhil,'
We as class, hsve kept pace with all
other industries during the past forty-
eight wears, vet 10 the same time NE ind
the farm values have decreased 80 per
cent. am satisfied the rule holds good
in Msine so far a. applied 20 farm prop
ertv. This i a serious question and one
that, a. class, we are vitality interested
in snd which should receive our most
careful consideration.
CONDITION OF IHg ORDER.
We h.ve slmo.t every reason 10 feel
satisfied with our Organization In this
State. We occupy proud position; We
are second only To the Empire State la
number o. members, and In average
number per grange we exceed them %
per cent. lsm satisfied, by observation,
that our membership is az truly repre-
sentative Of the agricultural Interests OF
the country As sny State 10 the Union.
During the year We hsve organized
eight subordinate oranges, all, 40 fsr NJ
| can learn, good, strong, self-sustsining
organizations, and will, We trust, grow
and prosper Ia all lines of grange work.
While We have hsd no spasmodic boom,
vet the order in the State has maintained
= steady, constant growth; with q st.adV
growth 10 uumhsrs has been CORE
spending increase Of th- finSnces. IL l. n
source OF qualification, ali thing consid-
cred. thst the order il stronger than
ever before, as the reports of the secre-
tary snd treasurer will show.
There have been eight new grange
halls dedicsted To the use OF the PStror ;
OF HusbAndry, snd one other very near
compl-iion al this time, located as fol-
lows. panville Junction, Leeds, Saco,
Clinton, Houlton, Perry, Resdfield and
Turner, south Sangerville nearly COM
pleted. These are all beautiful and com
modious halls, ornaments TO the towns
where located. and ample In their se-
commodations for the purposes for when
they were designed. IL is doubtful ~
there l., in the whole country, subor-
dinste grsnge hsll, for beauty OF design
and completeness of appointments, thst
il superior 10 the new hsll of Turner
Grange. These npw halls and the resd-
,nes- With which the patrons invest their
mo1ey 10 them. give most eloquent aud
convincing testimony of the stability
and permsnency Of the order in our
State.
while the work Il the subordinate
oranges las = whole Is being raised Ia
/, higher standard. there IL, however, sn
element or Neaknc->, iu thNS VIC wv "'s'
st sll times. seem To realize that we arr
part snd parcel OF grest national or
sauizstion, and in order 70 get all ther-
is for us, In organized effort, there must
be 4 close Stfinity between ali orsnch~s
of the order. The Nsti"nsl and StSt-
Oranges must h, W wstchful oversight
II the county and subordinate grsnge- :;
ne ever ready 20 rx,end aid where aid l.
due. and see that the organic laws sr
strictly observed, and gradually bring
the order 20 condition OF discipl'n-
that viii insure the united support OF all
ia members. :,
A subordinate grange should. at All
Americas Greatest
Medicine is