Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1908-01-30
NATIONAL GRANGE.
Annual Address Of Worthy Master
EecheIder--TotaI Assets Of the Or
eanization Now Amount to $1o2,S21.

al itS opening SeSSiol III haTthOIu'
Com, Oh Nov. IL National Master n.
j. nacheider said that the membership
of the grange throughout the country
las made net increase of & per cent
ior the past year, which Is larger than
Ior over thirty years past. The fnau-
rial condition Of the Order ia good
The total assets of the national grange
u year ago were 1884, ~ and on Oct
!. 1891. $102.s21.44, which is a net gain
OF $S,2ii3.50. Although the work Of
,rganiza ton has been more than usu-
ally successful, the Order should be
still further built up In the states Of
the central west.
Speaking of the importance Of agri-
culture, the national master said that
the whole total volume OF the crops
may be slightly less than the crops of
1896. but their cash farm yalNe will he
greater. The farm products in their
original form or in the form Of cattle,
sheep. hogs and horses have oyerfowed
the great grnnaries. clogged transpor-
ratton facilities and brought gold from
foreign countries. These facts warrant
the statement that agriculture Is not
only the great industry OF the country.
but the most important in the nations
Industrial prosperity. Agriculture pros
pers not because other industries pros
per, but other industries prosper be-
cause agriculture prospers. The pro
motion OF agriculture emb0dies the
highest type of statesmanship. 1t Is
eminently proper to inquire the effect
of all proposed public policies upon
agriculture when under consideration
in any legislative body,
On the subject of grange mutual life
Insurance tho worthy master had this
to say: There has been a demand for
several years for some form OF frater-
nal life Insurance within the 0rSanixa-
ton 10 cover the national field as local
com panies cover certain stntes. Sound.
reliable, full legal reserve life incur
ance furnished by society and con-
troiled by It's own members, operated
on The fraternsl system, with the Off
cers directly responsible to the mem
bera, is tie foundation to build upon.
What Is wanted Is the best at the
cheapest price-not cheap life insur-
ance, but good life insurance cheap"
Concerning the publication Of the na-
tioual grange paper the speaker re-
marked that the executive committee
had made arrangements Tor the pub
lication of II weekly 1ournu! upon
FERNS acceptable to the masters Of the
state oranges. He emphasized the fact
that It's publica ton viii not come in
competition with agricultural papers.
Its editorial policy will be dictated
solely by desire to promote the or
ganization II is to be the Official Or
gan of the grange.
OF the denatured alcohol law, which
took effect jan. /, 1907, the national
master eaid that the comparatively
small consumption Of denatured alec
ho! during the past six months had
been chiefly due to the fact that our
manufacturers We're not ready to fur
nish the alcohol using apparatus. such
As stoves, lamps, etc. None being ON
sale in this country, there was NO de-
mand for the alcohol. The question Of
utilizing alcohol as u fuel for motor
vehicles, boats and farm engines 10
engaging the attention OF manufacture
ers, and it Is believed that this alcohol
will be made available for use as q
motor fuel in the near future.
On federal aid for the improvement
OF public highways the speaker said
that the grange had fnaugurated
campaign Of education having for Its
object the enactment Of legislation by
congress providing for federal appro-
priatior Of S5o.o00.0 .0o0. TO be divided
lat .iva ANIMAL appropriations Of $40.
UU,3LU e. a. 60 be expended for the
Improvement of public highways. The
legislative committee has given close
attention TO this work and believes that
the time has arrived when the move
ment should be prosecuted vigorously
with the view Of securing legislation at
the present session OF congress.
On trusts aud the tariR 1t was re-
marked that the present tariff rates on
ar,icles produced by trusts are much
higher than is necessary to cover the
difference III labor cost as between
home and foreign manufacturers and
that material reductions could be made
Oh The duty OF such articles and amply
provide Tor liberal wages compared
with The wages abroad. II these critt-
cislis are we'll founded there would
seen to be good reasons for legislation
THAI will correct the evident defects on
the present :ariff schedules without In
iHriously affecting our agricultural or
manufacturing industries. These facts
can best be secured through a non-
partisan tariff commission whose duty
1t shall be to examine carefully into all
phases OF the subject. This commits
sion should Include representatives OF
the agricultural. labor. manufacturing.
transpoI oItation and commercial inter
ests.
On the parcels post question the ma
tional master remarked that the postal
reform had rocAiyod a pa1u fyrpotus