The Republican journal., 1899-05-04
reeting of Waldo Pomona Grange.


Master, Overseer, Assistant and Lady As
sistant Steward, Secretary and Pomona.
James G. Harding acted as Lecturer; c. l..
Whltten as Chaplain; Frank Laue as Stew
ard Brother Batchelder as Gate Keeper.
A class of II was Instructed in the fifth de-
gree. Oranges We're reported as follows:
Rising Sun by w d Elliott; Silver Har-
vest by Edith Gurney; Harvest Moon by
Reuel S. Ward; Sandy Stream by A. I.
| Woods, Sebastcook by c. l.. Whitten; :;
Dirigo by Mrs. Mixer Equity by Emma
WadlIn; Granite by \. L. Llttiefeld; Fred
erlck Ritchie by J. g. Harding; Sunhght by
". S. Dollott: Tranquility by Austin Mar
riner; Hillside by Bro. Higgins, Somerset
county was represented by Bro. Goodwin,
aud kennehec county by Sister Learned.
Remarks for the good of the order were
made by j. &, Harding b f. Foster, c. l.
Whitten, and others. Neon recess was then
taken, during which the usual excellent
dinner was partaken Of
AT the opening of the afternoon session
the following address of welcome was
given by Miss Mary A. Emery:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS: l can not eX-
press i'll words to-day the welcome that is in
our hearts. Let the kind words, the loving
hand-clasp, the songs of the birds and all
the grandeur of this beautiful spring day
speak the welcome that words are too weak
to express. We had hoped to greet you in a
new home. but owing to differences of opin-
ION among our grangerS that is lmpossl BILE.
One of the brothers offered to furnish dry
goods box and rent II to the grange. We have
been unable to decide if 1t would be best to
tt,4r a tE a h3l w
forty. We trust some of our visiting broth
ers will help us TO decide this difficult point.
We are glad to-day We look over your
faces to see many familiar ones, many new
ones; and Yet our hearts sadden We miss
some that We're here TWO years ago, and
know that they will never meet with us
again III the grange hall. One especially we
have IN mind, brother Perley. But let US
say of them with James Whltcomb Riley,
They are not dead, they are just away.
The two years that have passed since
we last met here have been eventful years
to us as nation. We little dreamed then
that ere We met again the war cloud would
have passed over us. We read of the battles
of other nations, their sufferings, their
bloods he'd read IT calmly, carelessiy. What
was il t. us? We had no part in it: we
We're at peace with all the world. But soon,
'Our land was dressed in deepest mourning,
for the heroes OF our gallant ship, the Maine.
And the war that followed has been a war
that has called forth n a remarkable degree
the hearty support, the generous impulses,
the unselfshness of the people. Men have
given freely of their lives and, what | some
times think is harder still, their wealth to
preserve the honor OF the Old Flag
| Perhaps the TWO men who stand out most
prominently i'll this war are Dewey and
| Hobson. Two years ago probably few of us
who are here today had ever heard of
Commodore Dewey; but today his name-is
known tar and wide While ten thousand
miles from home IN a foreign port he was
/ ordered to destroy the Spanish fleet then III
| Manila harbor. When he reached Manila
! the only approaches where the water
shown On the charts was deep enough to
sail lis vessels We're mined. But Dewey
ran his ships, drawing twentyfour feet If
water into the bay at a point where the
| charts showed only fifteen feet His
! officers, chart in hand, tell him he is rum
ming aground. "Steam ahead" "a the only
reply. On the signal lines OF each ship in
/ his fleet tfuJters the warning, you are run
ming aground '' The answer flashes out on
| the lines of the nag snip, "Steam ahead
Follow me- and they steamed ahead to
( victory. Dewey tunmph 1t Nal.lia. the
/ honor and fame that came to him in conse-
| Qurnct, was no sIreak of luck. no sudden
/ turn Of the wheel II fortune His whole
I life WAS preparation for the taking ri
Manila. During al The previous years Of
quiet routine, through tile faithful perform
ance Of every duty. lie was gainng the
discipline, the character, the reserve force
I that should tit Linn to seize ANA use the OPP
/ portunty THAI came to him with the Presi-
dents order to take Manila.
( i mouth before the war with Snain
probably none of Us knew that there W as
such man Richmond Pearson Hobson,
4 but today who of us does not feel the heart
/ thrill at mention OF Hobson and his seven.
| All the world knows and honors our Hob
/ sen | need not tell of the deed which won
htr gft In
the firm composure in the face of almost
| certain death, that carried to a successful
! issue one of the most daring exploits the
| world has ever known. In the words of
| Edward Burns.
| Eight against the feet and fort,
brook against sea,
But Santiagos door is shut,
And Hobson turned the key
But while we honor, as they deserve
| Hobson and his seven, let rs not forget those
W ho begged to go with him and wept be-
cause their officers forbade. They were not
the less brave because it was their duty to
remain quietly on board the ship while their
comrades went forth TO meet death for the
sake Of the old Flag Hobson had the mind
to conceive the plan of sinking the Merrimac
| the clear head To command the expedition !,
but it was the readiness of the men in vol
unteering to help carry out the plan which
inand il possible What could Dewey have
done at Manila if be had not had brave men
behind the guns, and commanders on his
ships who were willing to obey orders, to
| steam ahead, to follow him even though
they believed it to be certain destruction.
| Gen. Joe w Whee .er asked to name the
| bravest deed Whicn he had observed during
the fighting in Cuba He replied that it was
the readiness of each and every soldier in
doing and daring any ything and everything
| he was commanded to do.
| We as grangers engaged in warfare
against injustice and prejudice The ends
for which We fight are more equal rights a
! broader, more cultured life for the farmer
| Looking back over the recent war, can we
! not gain a lesson for the conflict which is
| before
We may have Deweys and Hobsons
among our officers; but they can do little
| unless the ranks of the grangers are ready
| to support them We need more men who
are willing to steam ahead, even against al
| most insurm0untable difficulties We want
| more OF the spirit of the soldier, a spirit
| that ls willing to sacrifice self for the good
! of the order. We need more unity. We
can do nothing worth doing until we are
| ready to throw self to the winds and stand
! united Tor the general good.
| W hat would have been the result at San
| Juan If each soldier had thought only of
| himself and his safety, forgetting his
| comrades, forgetting the cause for which he
| fought. If we would come off victorious in
this battle for the right, each grange and
each granger must bring their strength to