Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-12-13

HON. G. T. POWELL. will tho organ-
ization grow in strength, numbers and
influence.
At the close of the civil war the agri-
culture of our country became most Sc
riously depressed. Most farmers were
heavily in debt, their farms mortgaged
to an extent that made life discourag-
ing; they had to pay high rates of in
terest, with transportation charges on
their products so high in cost as to
leave little profit after marketing
The grange was organized to meet
these conditions, and through the prin-
ciples and methods of cooperation it
undertook, and with large degree of
success, to improve the depressing con-
ditions in farming and to awaken in
farmers higher appreciation of their
work and of their influence in the COM
munity in which they lived as also
upon important questions of public
policy
The grange needs to do more of this
kind of work. Wherever a grange ex-
lists or new grange is organized it
should take first of all the problems
that affect the highest welfare of that
community. What are those most
prominent? We should say the condi-
ton of the public school is one first in
importance What is the school doing
for the farm life of the neighborhood?
Are the children being taught any
thing about the soil? Are they getting
any instruction in the plant life with
which they have to deal? Are they
gaining any conception of the posi-
bilities that are before them in intel
ligent cooperation and in the cultiva
ton of the important plants that are
grown about their farm homes and up
on which the prosperity and success
of farm life are entirely dependent?
Is the school in the rural community
in which a grange exists teaching the
children anything about the insect life
that is destroying the farm crops to a
degree that year after year seriously
reduces the income of the farm or any
thing of the blights and diseases of
plants that still further reduce the in
come and add to inability to meet
debts, to make improvements and to
add to the pleasure of living? Is there
any information impaired to the chill
dren on the animal life of the school
district, in the woods, in the water or
on the farm? Is the schoolhouse and
its surroundings pleasant and inviting
to the children or is it barren and re-
pellant to the best impulses of their
nature? Are there few children in the
school and little public interest in the
education that is being given them,
and If so Is there any relation between
the total absence of all of this benefi-
cent and all inspiring teaching and the
diminishing numbers of children in
rural schools? And, further, is there
any relation between the absence of
this kind of school instruction and the
desire of the young people to get away
from the farm and into our villages
and cities, to the final neglect of many
sacrifice in value?
Is there not here work of most
vital importance that the grange has
not done and one which it may yet do
with large possible results in the up
building of farm values and of more
active interest in farm life? What
may and should the grange do for the
community in which it exists in other
directions that affect its welfare? Do
the members look after the local gov
eminent? Do they see that efficient
and trusted men are administering the
expenditures of the town property?
Are the highways, of so much impor-
lance to farmers made as good as they
should be for the money that is col
lected for that purpose? Why do so
many farmers and highway commits
sioners allow year after year weeds to
grow along the highway, to scatter
their seeds over the farms of the en-
tire neighborhood to contest with their
grass and grain crops the occupancy of
the soil that yields such discouraging-
~ small profits? Why is an important
law in relation to the cutting of weeds
along the highway and of vital impor-
lance to farmers ignored and violated
SO universally? Does the grange as
sumo any responsibility or make its
demands and influence felt in so i'm
portant a matter as this?
The grange is not political organ
Lation, but the object is to promote
and build up agriculture, and, as the
population of our townships is largely
made up of farmers, they should be
the responsible power and influence In
the administration of the affairs of the
town rather than a mere handful Of
irresponsible hangers on. OF few men
about rural villages who under the d.
rection of political boss often equal
ly irresponsible go through the form Of
holding caucuses and putting men in
nomination for important public Of
fees whose personal rather than the
public interests are too often the 'ssue