Connecticut western news., 1906-10-04

Let's Get Editor In Every
 Grange" Said Founder Kelly In
 1868 When About to Organize the
 First Oranges.
 Especial Correspondence.l
 From the incorporation of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry to the pres ent day the newspaper has been the powerful ally of the grange. Its as sistance has been sought after by lead CTS of the movement and Its influence has always been appreciated. In 1868, when there was but O.e subordinate grange in the United States, O. H. Kelly. the originator of the Order, saw the necessity of getting on the right side' of the editors, and wrote these words to r. NJ. Mcdowell. also one of the founders of the Order:
 I send a Philadelphia paper today in which you will sec q letter by Dr. Trim ble. Have q portion of 1t published in one of your papers. Interest an editor in the grange that is to be established in your neighborkood. so as to have his aid. Take editors in "deadhead" and let's see if it will fail. Let us get m editor in every grange!
 The above shows Brother Kelly's faith in the success of the Order and likewise the estimate which he frankly placed on the editors value to the grange, because of the publicity which he was in q position to give 1t. When Brother Kelly started out on his first tour of organization, he says in his history that the influence of the vil- lage press was what he most desired to secure.
 In making his monthly report to the national grange, among other things he wrote:
 can now report to you the friendly aid of five agricultural papers whose columns are open to our cause-viz, the Prairie Farmer, Chicago: Farmers Chronicle Columbus, O.; Ohio Farmer. Cleveland. O.; Rural World. St. Louis; Farmers Un- ion. Minneapolis. Besides these, the va rious daily and weekly papers in this state (Minnesota) will publish any mat ter to advance our interests.
 We have given sufficient testimony to the fact that the press was deemed al- most a sine qua non to the success of the grange in its early days. And we wish to emphasize the statement that the Order would not have been the sue cess that 1t is without the substantial aid given 1t by the press of the country. In this opinion all who are familiar with the progress of the Order will agree.
 And what is the explanation? It lies in the fact that country editors, as well as the editors of smaller dailies, who are in close touch with their constitu- ents, believe 1t to be their high privi- lege and their duty to help along every worthy cause, and they do 1t unselfish- ly and for the public good. It is unfair and unkind to attribute to them any ulterior motives. Figured in dollars and cents, the returns they receive for the publicity they give the grange are as nothing to the cost of 1t. The aver age editor does more for the community in which he lives than any ten mil lionaires who may be his neighbors.
 It becomes, then, the plain duty of the grange to manifest, as occasion may permit, due appreciation of the as- sistance rendered the organization by the public press. We are glad to note in the annual addresses of our various state masters their appreciative words of the press. We make a single ex- tract from ono of them. which says:
 Again have we cause to express our hearty appreciation of the valuable serv- ice rendered our Order the past year by the press, both the strictly agricultural papers and the daily and weekly news papers as well. To such publicity, wisely directed, much of our success may be at- tributed, and if VIC are wise we shall con- tinue to avail ourselves of the opportuni- ties for extension of grange principles af- forded through the kindness of the news papers.
 It wasn't so bad an idea of Founder Kelly, after all, that impelled him to say, Let's get an editor in every grange" The only exception we take to the suggestion is that there are not editors enough to go round. But the the editor may be invited to your pub lie meetings and your picnics, and his report of them will be more to the point and more helpful to the Order than anything less tactful or less fa- cile writer might contribute. As you meet him thank him for any good word spoken for the Order or any writeup he may have given your meet ings or for the grange column which he may publish every week. He will appreciate your appreciation of his ef- forts-believe that!
 Just so long as the Order of Patrons of Husbandry behaves itself (to use an expressive term) so long will 1t find in the press an earnest advocate and friend. Just 50 soon as 1t does things unworthy of itself. it's avowed princi- pies and declared purposes, so soon will it be likely to find in the press q severe but just critic and opponent And why should 1t not? J. W. D.
 Farmers Will Test Act.