The Portland daily press., 1901-02-06
And Done So at Ex-
pense of the State.
Quoted State Master Gardner
as Supporting Him.
Especial TO THE rBEss,l

Augusta, February 5-The Secretary
of the Board of Agriculture Is again
under fire When the bill was presented
last week to give the legislature authori-
ty to elect the secretary and-to prescribe
the duties of the board, Mr.. Mckeen lost
no time in preparing to meet the Issue.
The method which he adopted to get his
friends into line, however, is now the
subject of q demand from the Ieglsla.
ture for statement OF his reasons and
his right to pursue this particular oourEe.
Mr.. McKeen under dats OF January 3D.
sent out circular letter with remon-
STRANGE against the bill. The letter was
typswritten upon the paper Of the Board
of Agriculture. The board uses good
paper, by the way. 1t has a handsomely
engraved heading, with the state seal
at one side. inscribed state Of Maine,
Agricultural Department, Is. Walker
MeKeen, Secretary" The letter which
MIR Mckeen sent to the memters or the
Grarge, reads as followsf
Dear Sir and Brother AN act has been
presented in the House ana referred to
the COMMITTEES of agriculture, TO amend
election or the Secretary OF the Board OF
Agriculture from the Board to the Legis-
latuTe While the bill does not 80 state,
Ii Is proposed to have 1t take effect at
once. The State Grange passed strong
resolutions in 1899, fayoring the retaining
of the functions of the board as they are
at present. Worthy Master Gardner, In
his last annual address, spoke strongly
along the same line. The farmers now
control the board and Its executive otii-
Ger, and they ara independent OF all po-
liticaI influences. by placing the cleo
tion of the secretary in the hands of the
legislature. 1t must in a measure, become
political, ana the functions of the board
are reduced, possible step toward the
abolition OF the board.
viii you present the enclosed remon
STRANGE in your Grange. making such
statements in relation to it as may seem
TO you to be best, secure as many
names as possible and return to this
office at your earliest convenience. l
have consulted the States Master, and he
sanctions the movement on the part OF
the Oranges.
1t would also be of much assistance II
some OF your members would write che
committee, stating their Views in oppo
sitton to the proposed measure. Ihe mem.
bers of this committee are as follows:
Rutillus Alden. Winthrop; J. W. Dud-
ley, Castle Hill; Joseph +. Stearns, Low
OIL Ou ou6 phLb VI luo CouhttS anu luuui-
as ID. Boothby, Leeds; Henry ID. Ham
mond, Paris; Howard B. Leathers, Her
mon; George w. Harvey, Atkinson
Charles ii. Hoxie, Fairfield; w. j
Thompson, South China; Isaac Cusb-
man, Sherman Mills, on the part of the
House. Letters addressed state House,
Augusta, win reach them.
Yours very truly.
dictated
1t will be observed that Mr.. McKsen re-
fers co utterances OF the State Master and
says that that official sanctions this
movement on the part OF the Oranges "
In his address at the state gathering Of
the Grange at Lewiston in Deoemter
last, Worthy Master Obadiah Gardner
spoke as follows;
Changing conditions and a more ex.
acting future demand more thorough
practical education among the farmer
of our stats. No industry has been more