Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-18

ton upon any rural community that
does not support a grange and certainly
| IFS D. ople are rot as we'll informed up
| on public matters.
Judged by all these standards the
grange in Maine occupies Il high posi-
ton among the galaxy Of grange states,
and is rot outraIned by any. and is :
source nf pride to all wcli-meaninS cit
| liens of Maine. and is destined 10 yet
higher honors ii it is kept within those
lines of work tina. are so clearly set
| forth in our .Dcclaration of Purposes"
Occasionally there is a grange that fails
| to realize the true purpose Of the order
and is allowed to drift into those lines
of work that are foreign to its purposes.
AS q consequence dissenSiOns creep in
and its usefulness is impaired or dis
troyeti. Often this condition of affairs
mas been brought about by an inordin-
ate desire TO increase its membership.
and those are admitted who have no di-
rect interest in the real work Of the
order.
In 1874 the worthy master OF the Ma
tional Grange, Dudley w. Adams, in
his annual address pointed out some Of
the dangers that confronted the grange,
iii the following words: There is dam
ger that in graphing with the gigantic
questions of the hour we may lose
sight of the rock upon which we build
ed. 1t is of prime Importance in order
to maintain the strength Of the national
| organization, that the subordinate
oranges be kept up TO high order of
efficiency. The order has become one
of recognized power in the land and the
gates are besieged from ocean to ocean
by hcrdes of spectators. demagogues,
small politicians, grain buyers, cotton
factors and lawyers who suddenly dis
cover that they are interested in agri-
CULTURAL pursuits, but only as hawk
| is interested in the sparrow. You
ing cost. or making its environment
more pleasant and comfortable, brings
would do well to give this matter your
careful consideration 50 we may be able
To keep our gates closed against those
whose only irtarest consists in what
they can make out Of III. To have such
admitted to our councils can only result
in evil and SOW seeds of internal
strife" This warning holds with equal
tocce today.
Nj. Gardiner told of the meeting of
the Rational Grange 1T Hartford
Conn, in November. He urged
Grange support for the projects Of a
parcels post and postal savings banks.
as recommended by the President, and
touched in general way about the
subjects of law enforcement and taxa
ton. He continued as follows:
AS yonr Legislative committee will
them, or attempted, 1 will refrain from
so doing in this address, but will sim
ply call attention to the fact that We
have in effect ten different laws.
through the efforts of the Grange.
within ten years. and between $400 900,
and 100000. is receipted by the State
| this present year on account of the eff
forts of the Grange. more than what
| would have been received without such
/ efforts. And on account of the agita-
ton of tax matters by the Grange there
has been appointed by the Governor a
| special tax commission to investigate
the tax condition in this State and
| submit their report, whatever it may
| be. But the fact remains that it was
the Grange which caused this action
| by their constant. consistent efforts to
more equally place the tax burdens of
| the State. I have it from the very
best authority that Hon. NJ L. Merrill.
the chairman of your legislative com.
nittce, was selected as one of the
commission only because he had the
endorsement of the Grange for the
position. All of which proves the ne
c"ssity of continued activity on the
part Of the Grange. We ask nothing
Unfair TO any interest and will not be