Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-22
Afternoon Session.

The session of Wednesday afternoon
was wholly devoted to miscellaneous bus
| mess. State Master Gardner gave out the
| annual password to the masters of the
subordinate oranges and this required
some little time. During this business
| there was a sort of general recess and the
| steady buzz of voices showed that the
members knew how to combine pleasure
with business.
| The Lewiston Journal has come in for
many big compliments. Two of its bright
young men stood at the gates Wednesday
morning. and handed a copy of the paper
| to every member as they entered. This
edition contained the State masters ad-
| dress, and full report of the proceed
| ings up to going to press, Tuesday even
| ing. The courtesy was greatly appre-
| GATED by all the members and the pa
pers We're generally saved for future ref
erence. These little amenities never go
amiss in this busy and grasping world
and they never fall upon barren soil.
The afternoon session was presided over
| by VIM. II. Douglass of Lisbon. He is
an old timer, we'll up in parliamentary
| law and yields the gavel with great force
and vigor. Mr. Gardner is a very busy
/
one else should he called to the chair now
and then. Ii was a happy thought that
fell upon Brother Douglass. for his pres
| ence is an inspiration. miscellaneous
| business covers a wide range OF mat
tiers. but, unlike charity. it covers no sin.
All sorts of things are brought up on
these occasions and the afternoon devot-
| ed to this is a sort of general button
basket where a little of everything can be
| found. With an average attendance of
1890 people there are many matters of in
posed
First on the program came singing by
the choir of a dozen voices. Mr. O. D.
Stinchfield has got his singers well train
ed and they are giving fine music to en-
liven the proceedings.
Then Mrs. f. c. Pattcn of Topsham
was called upon for a recitation She is
a trained expert in this direction and is
very popular with the members. Of
course she was loudly appIauded at the
| close.
| Then came aunt Mandy of Excelsior
| She is ever popular and ever welcome
and her own quaint style Of reading al
ways arouses the enthusiasm of her hear
ers.
The convention thenr settled down to
business. 1t was nearly 4 o'clock when
State Lecturer w. J. Thompson. who is
tho chairman of the legislative committed
| made his annual report. AS this was the
! most important business of the afternoon
4 we herewith give. the same in full:
Report of Legislative Committee. Worthy
Master and Patrons.
L
OF the Maine State Grange differs from
that OF most of the other committees in
asmuch as 1t is supposed to carry out or
Sa.tempt TO carry out, in the form of
| state legislation, such recommendations
as the grange through its other commit
tees may recommend. and as the As 900
patrons of the State believe to be lust
and fair go
1t would seem at first unnecessary for
INC grange to appoint a commtte. to look
after the interests of the rural paonIn Of
inc State in matters of Legislation. when
these same people have CHOSEN representa-
lives to look after these same intercsts
but a careful study of legislative meth
| legislation Is pushed by some personal
or corporate interest. while cOmparatiyefv
1 ~ attention Is given to legislation for
me common welfare. unless backed by
some society or organiZa ton WORKING for
some special reform
e The average legislature. in this respect,
| - very much IKE the average individual
It does not do. very many things except
| those which it is compelled to do
| Legislation is not a love song: il is 4
warfare in which. too often individuale
ana parties are struggling for their own
| interests as they see them. And who
wonders If sometimes in such a STRUGGLE
| the general welfare is forgotten, and Fair
| play even is not used "
We believe that the welfare of the rural
people is of first importance to the STATE
as whole. that all other industries may
come and go, but that of agriculture must
| remain.
The legislation that benefits the aprioul-
| turist must benefit the State at large
| Therefore. whatever legislation this order
may effect in the interests of agriculture
| Is OF the greatest possible interest ia TIA
State as a whole and should concern every
good citizen who values the common vel
fare above individual greed
| The organization from its start has call
ed for certain legislation in the Interest
| of the agricultural people of the State &C.
pecially in relation to tax laws
THESE claims and demands are still trna
ard we would have the people know that
we have just begun the fight.
Among the claims for legislation from
| this organiZati ton have been the following.
Taxation of property according to value.
that all property should be taxed. that
| the fee system should he abolished: thar
tne strictest economy should be maintain
| ed In public expenditures: that a large
| proportion of the local tax be made n
STATE tax. thus distributing the burden of
expenditure more evenly: that n,ihlic
corporations are the servants Of the nao-
pie and that legislation should he 81
framed as to protect the interests of the
people as well as the interests of Tho oor
pOratl0n, that most conSnicuouS anoonr