Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-01-05
NATIONAL GRANGE
Annual Session Nov. IS to rs
at Atlantic City, N. J.
Proposed Change In the Basis of Rep
resentation In That Body Provokes
Considerable Discussion-No EIee-
ton of Officers This Year.

Considerable Diseussion-No EIee-
ton Of Officers This Year.
1t was in 1905 that the national
grange last met In this city by the
sea. Again, on Nov. 10, there con-
vened there not only the members of
the national grange proper-that is,
two delegates from each grange state
but hundreds Of Patrons from the
eastern and middle west states to at
and incidentally TO regale themselves
in the ozone, If not In the waters, of
the old ocean. Atlantic City is an at
tractive place even in autumn. A
large excursion was run from the New
England states and eastern New York,
and the itinerary was extended to
Washington for as many as cared TO
go.
The sessions OF the national grange
were held in music hall on the steel
pier, probably the finest meeting place
ever provided for such an occasion.
The grange headquarters were at the
Hotel Chalfonte, and here the state
masters and the New York delegation
OF visitors were located.
The first Wednesday evening Of the
week in which the grange convenes
is always devoted TO a public meeting,
and for this occasion the following
program had been prepared for the
evening of Nov. 1G: Welcome address,
Governor John Il. Fort Of New Jer-
sey; response, Hon ~ ]. Bachelor
master of the national grange; adj
dress, Hon. Franklin +. Stoy, mayor
of Atlantic City; response, Hon. Aaron
Jones of South Bend, Ind; address,
Hon. George w. Gaunt, master Of
New Jersey state grange; response,
Hon. Oliver Wilson, lecturer nation
al grange The sixth degree, or de-
gree Of Flora, was conferred on Thurs
day evening, Nov. II. The seventh
degree. or degree of Ceres, was con
ferred on Friday evening. Nov. Is.
Memorial exercises were held Sunday
afternoon, Nov. 20.
The chief officers OF the national
grange are y. j. Bachelor of Concord,
n. H., national master; Professor II.
G. Atkeson of Morgantown, w. Va,
overseer; Oliver Wilson of Peoria, ILL.,.
lecturer; c. NJ. Freeman of Tippecanoe
City, o.. secretary. There was no cleo
ton of officers this year, as they were
chosen for two years at the last session
held in Des Moines, la.
Much interest was taken in the prop
osition TO change the basis of repre-
sentation in the national grange. Ever
since the order was founded in 1867
the only voting delegates in the ma
tional body have been the master Of
each state grange and his wife, If hap
PLY he possessed one. Not having
wife, the state master must then be
the only representative from that state
entitled to a vote. 1t was proposed at
the Des Moines Na) session last year
to change this representation to one
based on tie grange membership in
each state giving one delegate TO about
$1,000 or the membership, thus max
ing it a popular representation CORE
spending to that of the lower house of
congress, whereas the old system cor
responds to the senate or state repre-
sentation. Important questions Of
public nature and dealing with farm
ers' interests generally were also dis
cussed.
National Secretary's Report.
Secretary Freeman of the national
grange reports as follows for the fiscal
year ended Sept. 80 last:
ORANGES ORGANIZED.
California ....... Minnesota ....... s
Colorado ......... 10 Missouri ......... S
Connecticut 49,. ! New Hampshire.
Idaho ............. 10 New jersey. 3