Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-12-20
The State Grange Meeting.

From all over the State, this week.
hundreds and hundreds of members of
the great order of Patrons of Hus-
bandry, representing 3s9 subordinate
oranges with a total membership of
substantially $4,000, are gathered in
Bangor at the annual meeting of the
State Grange. 1t is the 32d annual
meeting of this organization which has
reached such growth and influence
from snail beginnings. and no State
meeting was ever held under more
auspicious circumstances. The order Is
in Il most prosperous condition; 1ts
growth has been steady and substah-
tial; there is harmony within lts rdiihs'
il has kept true to its original aims and
purposes; the year has been a most
successful one for the agricultural IN
terests of Maine and our farmers and
their families were never so well off IS
they are today
Bangor hospitality is proverbial and
the city has given its visitors well
come as characteristic in expression as
it was genuine in spirit. Yesterday.
the opening day of the sessions, was
devoted to the organization. roll-call
and reports of officers. In the evening
there was an eXemplification of the un-
written work and a lecture on good
roads A summary of the important
reports is given in the news columns of
the Journal There will be more re-
ports. today. followed by the election
and installation of new officers and the
comforting Of the sixth degree on
large class of candidates in the even
ing. Thursday, the closing day. will
be devoted to the transaction of miscel-
iareous business. with memorial
lovc-fcast in the evening such as only
enthusiastic members of the order
busy week with many entertainment
features sandwiohed in and a splendid
opportunity for everybody to do Christ
mas shopping when they can get out Of
the hall for a few moments.
The Grange in Maine has done a
great work for the advancement of the
State. and particularly for the i'm
piovement of conditions i'll our rural
communities in the third Of Il century
that it has been in existence. It's in
flucnce has been all for good, and for
the development of a higher and better
manhood and womanhood. The order
is built upon basic principles which are
as old rs humanity and as enduring as
Tine itself. 1t was nobiy conceived
and while it is true to the work il
started out to do nothing can bar its
progress or surplant it as an uplifting
and beneficial force in our country vii
lagos and farming sections. An evi-
dcncc of the stability and pcrmanency
OF the order in this State is found III
the fact that our 10000 Patrons own
Grange homes valued at SSl4.00O homes
that are ccnterS Of social activity and
enjoyment. homes that have libraries
and the features of the school and
lyccum, homes from which constantly
rddiatc an influence which makes life
infinitely more worth living in many
thousands of Maine farmhouses. The
Change is strong and prosperous
throughout the United States, but no.
Wl:"re is it i'll better condition or doing
better work than here in Maine. May
this weeks meeting at Bangor be most
successful and enjoyable in all respects
and may all the delegates present take
ho'ic from it an inspiration which viii
be directly felt in the work Of our 3S9
subordinate oranges during the coming
year.