Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-01-14
THE NATIONAL GRANGE
Some Comments on the Recent
Meeting.
Suggestions as to Shorter Sessions
and the Official Paper, Future Meet
ings and Proportional Representation
by an Observer of the Proceedings.


and the Official Paper, Future Meet
ings and Proportional Representation
BY an Observer of the Proceedings.
Especial Correspondence
Looking back In review over the pro
ceedings of the national grange, wha
features stand out most prominently
The answers to this question would
probably vary greatly with the persons
answering them; therefore those tina
the writer might select might not be
those that impressed others with their
significance. However, here are some
Shorter Sessions.
am OF the opinion that one full
week would AFFORD sufficient time t.
transact the business which Is now
thinly spread over ten days or parts
thereof Compared as TO volume II 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 SEES
sions were supposed to begin at 1C
O'Clock and close at ~ 80 for the noon
recess, and the afternoon session be
gan at 2:30 and closed at 3 O'Clock
Evening sessions there were
two or three Of them. The comforting
Of the seventh degree occupied one 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
ton 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 1t 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 II will re-
quire a small revolution TO overcome
II. 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 IL
be present.
Future Meetings.
According to resolution adopted. il
Is to be the policy of the national
grange to meet hereafter In the veal;
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
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 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
selects one paper in the city
where the national grange meets I'm
which To publish the proceedings
About $500 copies of this Official pa
per are purchased and mailed to n
list of names furnished by each state
master. These papers cost from 81
to So a hundred, according to the
made. Thus the nation
al grange expends from $500 10 $3.50
a session for the papers sent to each
state with the official report IL doesn't
pay unless everything can be printed
that the public should know. and only
an ironclad contract will hold a paper
TO print all that the grange would like
to have Its constituents know. This
would mean at least page day, and
a newspaper could well afford to give
up a page for the price 1t gets. This
year enough copy was furnished by
the official reporter to fill several col
umns each day. but the paper never
carried over two. Unless newspaper
can be secured that will print what Is
by an experienced reporter
then the plan would better be changed
But, entirely apart from all this. why
should 100 Patrons out of $1,000 In
New York state be selected rather than
some other 100 to receive the official
report? Here is an injustice.
| respectfully suggest that the inter.
ests OF the national grange and mem
hers of the Order everywhere would be
better subserved and at much less ex-
pcnse n daily bulletin reports OF the
were mailed to 100 or 900
failies and weeklies in grange states.
most OF which l am sure would pub
lish them AN OBSERVER.
RuuinhQn a nd