Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-03-31
me- GRANGE
Conducted by
J. W. DARROW. Chatham. N. T..
Press Correspondent Ne,r York State
Grange
NEW HAMPSHIRE ORANGES.
Governor N. j. Bachelor Writes of
the Work In That State.

the Work In That State.
Governor N. J. Bachelor, lecturer of
national grange, says In an article
in the New York Tribune Farmer Of
recent date that of all the men, wom-
en- and children in the Granite State
one in every fifteen Is granger. 1t Ia
believed that this record cannot be du-
plicated by any other secret society In
any state in the Union or in any other
country in the world. 1t is also be-
lieved, by Patrons at any rate, that the
grange is as important and beneficial
in it's influence in the Granite State as
the size Of the organization would ind1-
cate; that the quality Of its member
ship is on par with its quantity.
Its growth in New Hampshire Is OF
Just thirty years, Gilman grange, No. /,
having been organized with eighteen
charter members on Aug. 10, 1873, at
Exeter, while the state grange was Or
ganized at Manchester. Dec. 23, 1873,
with fifteen subordinate oranges repre-
sented.
For few years following its organ
ization the grange in New Hampshire,
the principle of business cooperation
as to make it perhaps the chief induce
ment in attracting members. After a
time this policy met with reverses, and
the growth Of the Order was briefly at
standstill. Then a new start was
taken upon social, educational and
moral lines, and for more than two
decades now the grange ship has Jared
prosperously forward on this course.
Equal good fortune is likely to attend
it so long as it continues to refuse all
questions of partisan politics, secta-
rian religion and private business as
part Of it's cargo.
The grange in the Granite State fully
agrees with the national body In heart
lily supporting free rural mail delivery,
postal savings banks, the election OF
United States senators by direct vote
of the people, the vesting In congress
of power to regulate and control all
corporations and combinations, the en-
largement of the powers and duties OF
the Interstate commerce commission,
pure food and antitrust laws, an ex-
tension Of the markets for farm prod
ucts equally with manufactured arti-
cles and ship canal connecting the
great lakes with the Mississippi river
and with the Atlantic ocean.
Special objects to which the grange
has lent its aid in New Hampshire
have included the old home week
movement, the equalization Of school
privileges and thetplacing Of the State
| Agricultural college upon a proper
| basis, the improvement Of highways,
| the kindly nurturing Of the summer
| home and summer resort branches Of
the states development and the equita-
| BILE adjustment of state taxes and ap-
| preparations.
The fact that the last three govern
ors of New Hampshire and both Of its
present United States senators are
members of the grange and that hun
dred Patrons can always be counted in
the makeup Of the state legislature
gives an idea of the influence of the
Order. 1t is the honest belief Of the
writer that in the past this influence
has been wisely and usefully exerted,
almost without exception, and he is
just as firmly convinced that so long
as this continues to be the rule so long
will the influence of the Order remain
undiminiShed.