Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-26
KENNEBEC PATRONS|
Hold Most Delightful Field Day
at Oak Grove,
Speeches by Prominent Maine and
Visiting Patrons Of Husbandry.
Good Attendance and Thoroughly En-
ioyabe Day Passed.

-tSpecfaD.-In delightful Oak Grove,
one of the most pleasant spots on this
terrestrial sphere, was, today, held the
annual field day of the Kennebec Coun-
ty Pomona Grange. The affair was a
complete success from the start and
the committee should be congratulated
on the perfect arrangements which it
made From all parts of the county
the people from the countryside came
to enjoy the festivities, to join in the
work of the Grange and meet in So
cial way Mr.. Weather Clerk was with
the Patrons of Husbandry and al
though there was shower at noon
time and at the conclusion of the after
noon, yet on the whole the climatic
conditions were all that could be de-
sired
Some of the Changers arrived early
and on train No. 1 Hon. Obadiah Gard
ner of Rockland, the master of the
State Grange, Hon. J. H. Brigham of
Washington, D. C., assistant secretary
of agriculture and for nine years mas
ter of the National Grange, and other
prominent members of the order ar
rived. Although the farmers are eX-
tremely busy at this season of the year
yet there was a good attendance.
Hon. Obadiah Gardner, the State
master, presided at both meetings,
forenoon and afternoon, and mis- shafts
of wit caught the audience at once.
The forenoon meeting was called to or
der at 1920 o'clock by Thomas S. Ben
son of Sidney, master of Pomona
Grange, who called upon the State
master to preside. Mr.. Gardner stated
that he had lost his voice and therefore
called upon Prof. w. ]. Thompson of
China. the State lecturer and a men,
Der of the Legislature. Mr.. Thompson
was received with applause. He said
in part:
THE Grange is rapidly gaining in
membership and it proposes to hold
meetings in order to let the people
throughout the State know what the
order is doing. The gain last year was
1000 and this year it will probably be
more. The Grange as an educational
factor is gaining in influence as the
years go by. And as a factor in influ-
encing legislation it is becoming a po-
tent factor. Two years ago the Grange
showed itself in modifying laws before
the Legislature. The Grange presented
nine bills and eight of them were en-
acted into law.
Through the efforts of the Grange
over $4,000 has been placed in the
State treasury as fees from corpora
lions. And we propose to do more in
the future. In national affairs the es-
adjustment of the rural Tree delivery
and the oleomargarine bill are due to
the Grange The organization is grow
ing throughout the country and is es-
pecially strong in Maine and has more
members according to the population
than any other state in the Union.
There are $4,000 Patrons within the
confines of our State and we propose
to make that number 100000. The tax
on wild lands must be worked out by
the Grange. They say it is unconstitu-
tional. There are 100000 acres of wild
lands in the State and they are very
valuable. They should be taxed.
I'm this order we have the home
builders Of the country. In the Grange
hall we must meet and discuss matters
OF interest TO Ine state.
Prof. A. f. Rogers of the University
of Maine. was called upon. and made a
rafting good speech which was fire.
quentIy punctuated with applause. He
said in part:
THE Grange. from it's constitution,
the nature of its meetings, the charac
ter of it's membership, has a great and
increasing power in making and mould
ing public opinion. Thousands of the
conservative and intelligent people Of
this State and hundreds and thousands
of such people in this nation, meeting
each week or fortnight in deliberative
assemblies. and each month in the
county Oranges, and each year in such
magnificent gatherings as we have re-
Gently seen at Augusta, Lewiston and
Bangor. exercise an influence for good
that can scarcely be estimated.
Whether or not we discuss trusts,
industrial wars. rumselling or other
social or political evils. our influence is
upon them. BY contact and COM
munion and conference. we come to
think alike and act together against
any evil, whether the word be spoken
or not.
In the years that have passed, the
church and the schoolhouse have stood
as symbols of the forces that have
formed the sturdy New England char
acter: the church, the schoolhouse and
the Grange hall will be the trinity of
the future. The church will continue
its noble work of exalting the moral
and religious life of the people, the
school will continue to develop the
minds of our children and youth and
fit them for future usefulness, while the
Grange will not only continue and en-
force the lessons thus taught. but will
make them far-reaehing and aggres-
sive power for the good.
Beyond the personal advantages de-
rived by its individual members. the
work of our order will be done in
stamping on our social, industrial and
political life the best that there is II
our individual lives and characters.
so long as the farmers, the great
conservative class of the nation, indif.
ferently or even jealousy stood alooi
from one another. their influence fol