Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-02-18
IN THE WOLVERINE STATE


Michigan Patrons Arc . Notably
Business BOdy at State Meetings.
THE Michigan state grange has out
grown even the widest dreams of its
originators." says d Detroit paper. And
that is SO. With membership of over
$4,000 1t Is pressing New York hard for
first place. 1t was deemed wise to re-
duce the representation to the state
grange to two delegates to every five
oranges. and yet on that basis there
were $50 delegates present at the an
nual meeting In his annual address
Worthy Master Horton remarked upon
the phenomenal growth of the Order i'll
that state and upon what 1t has accom-
plished in cooperative buying of farm
supplies. Members of the Order bought
over a thousand tons Of fertilizers last
year, and next years order for binder
twine will amount to 45O tons, while a
contract for woven wire fence is now
in force Of greater magnitude than any
contract ever undertaken by the
grange. The treasury Of the grange is
In good condition, receipts for the year
having been $19,S56, and there Is al
ready $4,000 loaned on good security.
Primary election reform was one of the
chief topics discussed. 1t Is a. pressing
question just now in Michigan. The
grange made most emphatic declara
ton respecting it, adopting the follow
ing recommendation Of the legislative
committee:
I'VE recommend that the grange,
through its legislative committee and
proper officers, urge the next legisla-
ture to pass a state primary election
law providing for the nomination of all
officers. state. county and township, by
direct vote Of the members of their re-
spective political parties; that nomina-
tons be made by petition and not by
fee; that the primaries of all parties be
held at the same time and under the
supervision and charge of the state and
at public expense"
Among other important resolutions
adopted were these: Indorsing parcel
post favoring nature study in the pub
lie schools and Capitalization Of schools
In such counties as might like to make
the experiment. asking for law to
regulate speed of automobiles, favoring
the Torrens system Of recording land
titles, requesting the state Legislature
to prohibit the manufacture sale and
use of cigarettes in Michigan, asking
that the bounty for killing English
sparrows be restored. favoring the cleo
ton of United States senators by popu-
lar vote and many others Of lesser inn
portance.
1t is said that the state grange will
organize cyclone insurance company
at the next annual meeting. Risks
will be taken and a board of directors
chosen prior to the meeting next year.
There is growing need Of means
Of communication between state lee
turers and lecturers of subordinate
oranges No method is so inexpensive
and efficacious as monthly bulletin,
in which the state lecturer may COM
municate with the subordinate lectur-
ers on assigned topics for discussion
impart information on matters OF pres
ent or future interest and thus make
1t possible for the subordinate grange
to keep constantly in touch with the
state organization. AS an example OF
what we are speaking of we may re-
fer, with high commendation. to the
Michigan state grange lecturers bui-
letin edited by Mrs +. d. Saunders OF
Rockford, Mich. The advantage OF is
suing such bulletin regularly Is that
1t can be entered in the mails as sec
ond class mail matter and thus be en-
urlsd to the pound rates Of POSTAGE