Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-01-07
THE NATIONAL GRANGE.
Some Comments .on the Recent
Meeting.
Suggestions as to Shorter Sessions
and the Official Paper, Future Meet
inss and Proportional Representation
by an Observer of the Proceedings.


ines and Proportional Representation
by an Observer of the Proceedings.
Especial Correspondence
Looking back in review over the pro-
ceedings of the national grange, what
features stand out most prominently?
The answers to this question would
probably vary greatly with the persons
answering them; therefore those that
the writer might select might not be
those that impressed others with their
significance. However, here are some:
Shorter Sessions.
I am of the opinion that one full
week would afford sufficient time to
transact the business which is now
thinly spread over ten days or parts
| thereof Compared as to volume If not
as to Importance, as much real bust
ness is transacted in three days by the
| New York or the Michigan state
oranges as the national grange trans
acts in eight or ten days. The ses-
sions were supposed to begin at 10
O'Clock and close at 2:3O for the noon
recess, and the afternoon session be-
gan at 2:30 and closed at o'clock.
Evening sessions well. there were
of the seventh degree occupied one of
these and the deliberative assembly of
| the Priests of Demeter another. State
masters reports could be condensed
materially and without loss. The in
PRODUCTION of resolutions for reference
to committees should be limited to the
| first Two or three days, which would
enable committees to report earlier,
and all resolutions should be read
when presented, but not discussed.
The important reports on tariff, taxa
tion and good of the Order should come
early in the session and the less i'm
portant ones later.
Proportional Representation.
| The project to increase the number
of delegates TO the national grange by
basing that representation on mem
bership got very black eye. Until
some one has an absolutely workable
plan to suggest the change will not be
made, and we doubt if it will be when
the practical plan comes along. The
idea that the founders Of the Order
builded wisely in limiting the repre-
sentation to two from each state
the worthy master and his wife-is an
idea pretty thoroughly fixed in the
minds of the leaders, and it will re-
quire small revolution to overcome
it. The constitution might be amend
ed, however, so as to provide for a
succession in representation in case
the master and his wife are unable to
be present
Future Meetings.
| According to resolution adopted, it
is to be the policy of the national
grange to meet hereafter in the weak
grange states. The resolution is not
very serious one, but the idea of
meeting occasionally or for most of the
| time in those states where the grange
needs building up is all right. Next
year the meeting will be held in the
middle western states somewhere, the
place to be selected by the executive
committee. The suggestion made by a
delegate that after the annual session
closes the state masters should go out
j in groups OF two or four and do mis-
sionary work for organization is an
idea worthy of adoption. Turn loose
| twenty-five enthusiastic state masters
with a speaking campaign of two or
three days in places previously select
ed for missionary work and follow up
these public meetings with successful
organizers.
The Official Paper.
| The official paper proposition is one
| that needs revision. 1t may not be
generally known that the executive
committee selects one paper in the city
where the national grange meets in
which to publish the proceedings.
About $500 copies of this official pa
per are purchased and mailed to
master. These papers cost from So
to So hundred, according to the
arrangements made. Thus the nation
al grange expends from $500 to $3.50
a session for the papers sent to each
state with the official report. 1t doesn't
pay unless everything can be printed
that the public should know and only
an ironclad contract will hold paper
to print all that the grange would like
to have its constituents know This
would mean at least a page day. and
n newspaper could well afford to give
up a page for the price it gets. This
year enough copy was furnished by
the official reporter to fill several col
unns each day, but the paper never
carried over two. Unless newspaper
can be secured that will print what is
furnished by an experienced reporter
then the plan would better be changed.
But. entirely apart from all this, why
should 100 Patrons out of $4,000 In
New York state be selected rather than
some other 100 to receive the official