The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-07-19

most important committee in the house
At the beginning of the session of 81,
he was chosen Speaker protein and, ow-
ing TO the illness of the speaker, served
=, presiding officer during a larger por-
ton of the term The aptitude he dis
played 10 that capacity caused him to be
elected Speaker la 90 and u, and he
presided over tn house during the reg
uiar sessions Of 90 and II and the spe-
cial sessions OF 20 and - Mr., Wood
man made au exhaustive study Of the
history OF pariiment8r, law from its be-
ginning he knew intimately the meth
ods Of procedure practiced by delIber
alive bodies, not only in this country,
but in England as well. This kEowl-
edge, coupled with his long experience,
made hm preemineut IN thls direction.
H. was recognized authority on par
liueutary practice aud up TO the time of
his death was not iufrtquently called
upon to settle disputed points that arose
IN dcliberative assemblies A history OF
Michigan published 10 the 70s referred
10. him as, "unquestIonably the most
profound parlimeutarian and the abiest
presiding officer Michigan had ever pro-
duced.
In the fall of 1872, Paw Paw Grange
was organized, and j j. Woodman, con-
viuced that ereat possibilities for good
lay q the organization, became charter
member In IA the state Grange held
its second annual session in Grand Rap
ids. By that time the organization had
grown TO large proportions. The state
Grauge that year contained 400 delegates.
A member of that body has described it
to the writer as an undisciplined mob,
unacquaintej with the rules governing
deliberatiye assemblies and utterly un-
able to do business. At the suggestion
Of men like Cyrus @. Luce, the late
Lieutenant Sessions and j. Webster
Childs, who had served in the legisla-
ture with him, Mr. Woodman was elect
ed Master a telegram was sent him
asking him to report immediately for
duty 1t is said that within 20 minutes OF
the time he took the chair he had re-
duced that turbulent assembly Of farm
ers to an orderly body, and from that
time till the close of the session busi
ness was properly and speedily dis.
patched and order prevailed. He served
as Master of the state Grange for six
years Under his wise and conservative
leadership the Grange in this state was
steered clear of the visionary business
experiments and wild political schemes
which in those early days wrecked the
order in so many states.
In 1878 President Hayes appointed
Mr. Woodman one of the United States
Commissioners to the International Ex-
position held in Paris. While in Europe
be made careful study of the govern
mental aid extended by various Euro.
pean countries to agriculture and be-
came convinced of its value. The year
following his return to this country he
was elected Master OF the National
Grange. Under his leadership that body
urged upon congress the enlargement of
the national agriculture department the
extension of his work in the lines of sci
entific research and agricultural expert
ments. Mr. Woodman was the origina-
tor OF the idea OF making the head Of the
agriculture department a cabinet officer
of creating the secretaryship OF agricul-
ture. At first this conception was re-
ceived with scoffing and derision The
agricultural press ridiculed it, farmers
outside of the Grange generally opposed
it, but the Grange organization stood
with Mr.. Woodman and urged the bill
providing for the establishment of this