The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-10-22

tn S direction.
The good it has done cannot be meas
ured, but new problems are constantly
arising, and it is the present and future
that have to be considered now and not
the past.
While there is better degree of
prosperity at present in agriculture
than for many years past it is not as
general as 1t ought to be. In sections
where specialties In farming are fol-
lowed, which call for a higher degree
OF knowledge and intelligence, there
has been marked advance in prosper
ity, but there Is n large number OF
farmers at present in different sections
of our country who are struggling with
adverse conditions and are little better
off than were those at the close of the
civil war. The evidence of this is found
in the vast tracts of farming land that
are offered for sale at prices ranging
from $40 to $50 per acre in all of our
eastern states. Upon land so offered
for sale there is ruinous decadence
going on. farm buildings are running
down, fences are past repair, farm ten.
ant houses are empty and decaying,
roads are not worked, and the rural
schoolhouses are in many instances
without teachers or children
The grange needs to transfer its
work more actively to these sections.
to gather together the scattered and
discouraged farmers and what is left
OF their families. A campaign of real
oil ha
forces of the community must be en-
listed, the industrial, the educational
and religious, for with these dead or
inactive no progress is possible in a
community, but with them aroused
and active growth will be experienced
even with the most adverse surround
ings.
The first important work, then, is to
carry grange work into the scattered
territory, for first of all some form of
organization is necessary for systemat-
ic work. Then some clearly defined
work for the upbuilding of the town
should be begun, and the first in i'm
portance is its educational interests.
The public school can do much, but it
must be live one, and 1t should con-
tribute more than has been done to the
real life and interests of the town.
Schools should be more potent factor
in community and do more for it
than teaching in a perfunctory man
ner the English branches. The grange
can with great profit study the needs
Of the community and then aid in put
ting the school upon such a working
basis as to contribute largely to them.
This will naturally lead to the i'm
provement of roads, for the isolated
rural school is gone forever, and good
roads are necessity not only for the
farmer. but for the daily transporta-
tion of his children to and from a
strong central school. Road construc-
tion becomes vital problem for the
grange to study and work out Then
follow the many questions of the i'm
provement of the farm, the soil, stock,
Of markets, taxation and of great i'm
portance official representation In local
as in state and national legislation.
The grange should be more definite in
its object and more direct in its work,
and every new grange organized upon
this basis will I'm time revolutionlze
any community in which Its work is
vigorously and intelligently conducted.
Farmers are overwhelmed by many
present day problems which are rapid
ly pressing upon them faster than they
are educated to meet them. The grange
can do greater service by clearly de-
flning the lines of educational work to
be taken up and directing well organ
lied effort toward these ends in all
newly organized territory.
The prosperity that is experienced in
communities where the grange has
done its most progressive work is the
evidence Of its value and Of its posi-
bilities in new territory
GEORGE II. POWELL.
It..vN f. H-I