Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-08-25

WHO wagon iOou WOulU not uenU
It q week afterward.
They Come High.
Bad roads are expensive from any
point Of view. Each year they cost this
country more money than would build
a first class highway half across the
continent, to say nothing Of the annoy
ance and discomfort which must be
experienced by the millions who are
obliged to use them.
OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
MisaDprehensions Concerning the
Grange Corrected.
First-"It costs too much''
The cost compared with the benefits
is but trihe. The revenues could not
be reduced without Gripping the work.
Other farmers organizations have been
failed. in part at least, for want Of
funds.
Second.-"Too much ceremony for
busy farmers"
Its ceremony ts not cumbersome.
Ceremony is akin to system, and sys-
tenn Is essential to success In any call
ing. The best drilled soldier Is the
most efficient In battle, and the most
skilled artisan draws the highest pay.
The grange ritual teaches beautiful
and impressive lessons throughout.
None can learn them and not be made
better
Third.-"It is secret society"
1t is secret only in the sense Of
being private. 1t is not an oath bound
society. 1t is no more secret than Is
well regulated family or many
branches Of the Christian church. All
Of these conduct their private business
in private. Were the grange less Sc
cret and less conservative 1t would
doubtless long since have gone the
way that other farmers organization
have gone. They came into being aft
er the grange. proposing to eliminate
what their promoters called the objec-
tionable features Of the grange--cere-
mony, secrecy. conservatism and cost.
They died. but the grange still lives.
Fourth.-"But the grange uses signs"
Who does not? AN use them because
they are often more expressive and
impressive than words, and because
they can be seen and heard where
words cannot When any one calls at
a private house he raps on the door
or rings the bell. No one ever claimed
thatt there was any moral wrong in
this. Would 1t be wrong il by rapping
certain number Of times or in Ger
tain way he could tell to those inside
who WAS without? What could armies.
or railroad. or mines. or factories, or
anybody or anything do without signs?
Was not the Jewish and Is not the
Christian religion typical throughout?
Red Book, Pennsylvania State
Grange.
A HINT TO LECTURERS.
How be You Get Backward Menu
bers to RespOndf
In response to the above question
we have received the following from
Ohio lecturers:
Quotations or pennies.
BY inducing them to ask questions.
BY allowing them to talk while sit
ting.
BY allowing them to select their own
subject.
Encourage regular attendance and
time will do the rest
By assigning them subjects in which
they are interested
BY hunting up a selection and plac-
ing 1t In their hands to read.
BY occasionally imposing fine Of 5
cents for failure TO respond.
By defIly turning the trend OF the
discussion upon their hobby.
By asking them direct questions to
be answered then and there.
BY keeping the thought before them
that they can do IL they try.
BY giving them something that they
can do and not too hard for them.
BY giving them questions that can be
answered by yes or no for starter.
By insisting that each member pres
ent say something upon subject un-
der discussion.
BY studying each members inclina-
tons and assigning them subjects ap-
prOpriate to the same.
3y only asking them to respond when
think something so interests them
that they can't sit still.
BY writing number of questions
from quarterly slips, having each one
draw out one and answer
ny impressing them with the fact
that they are capable Of executing any
part assigned them and that they
should cast aside all fear. for we are
all brothers and sisters-Lecturer.