The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-09
No Insult Meant
 To President Taft
State Grange Master Healey Explains Mixup Over Proposed Visit to Hart ford Fair. --.a-t0

1 speaking DetOre the mem bers of the New Haven County Pomona Grange at it's outing at Lighthouse Point, yes- terday, Worthy State Master Leonard | N, Healey of Woodstock, went into an explanation of the difficulty that has arisen between the State Grange and the State Fair Association over the | presence Of President Taft at the fair. He went into the refusal on the part or certain mem bers of the organiza- ton to take part in a State fair
 Grange day. because of President | Taft's presence there.
 In the course of his talk, MT. Hea- ley, alluding to the controversy, said that the grangers should have some one to represent them as a national speaker On Grange day-some man who was in sympathy with them and their ideas. He went on to say that fully 75 per cent. of the Patrons of Husbandry. throughout the United States, were opposed to the idea of Canadian reciprocity, and that there fore they would not welcome some one that was not opposed to it to appear before them as a national | speaker
 He said that he thought there had been misunderstanding in the whole Taft matter
 Representative Duffy of Hartford, he said, had approached him on the subject of Grange day for the State | fair, and he told him to go ahead and | consult the mana cement of the Con- necticut State Fair Association. Duffy came back with the answer that the Fair Association was desirous of hay ing the plan for a Grange day car rfed out-providing the Grange would | name a speaker of national character for the meeting. While the executive committee of the State Grange was debating among it's own body whom they should select as speaker, it was claimed by MT. Healey, Secretary Ira at Hartford put himself to the task of getting President Taft for that day as a speaker. Then a notice came out on the newspaper bulletin boards in Hartford that the President was to be the day. This was an evident misunder- standing.
 The statement on the Hartford bull letin, boards was promptly disavowed. As Mr. Healey was. quoted last night, he declared that it only happened that the date for& MT. Taft's presence at the fair and Grange day both fell on mostly on the part of the Grangers toward President Taft, he declared, and no intention of offering an insult to him.
 MT. Taft had not been selected by us as our speaker for the day." he said.
 At this point in his remarks, sew loose with the cry of Three cheers for Bill Taft
 The field day meeting was presided over by Lecturer Frank l.. Platt. of Milford. w. H. Barren of Danielson spoke. on the necessity of co-opera- turer of the Grange, talked along this line; Chas. M. Gardner, the mas ter of the Massachusetts State grange, advised "team york; smile no mat ter what happens and to help some one every chance you get" Prof. c. A. Wheeler of the Connecticut Agri- culture college, talked on the advan- tages of Storrs.
 Other dates of the State Grange meeting to be held in August are as follows:
 Housatonic Pomona at Kent, We'd nesday, August g.
 Principal Speaker, Hon. George s. Ladd, chairman of the executive com mittee Mass State Grange.
 Quinebaug Pomona, at the Connec- ticut Agricultural college, Tuesday. August 15 Hon. George s. Ladd prin- cipal sneaker
 East Central Pomona, at Andover, Thursday, Aug. IF.
 This Pomona swill be held at the home of MT. and Mrs H. G. Phelps.
 Excelsior Pomona, at Quassapaus Lake, Friday, Aug. IS.
 Fairfield Pomona, at the State Farm, Georgetown, Wednesday. Aug. B.
 Central Pomona, Lake Compounce, Friday, Aug. 25
 At the last mentioned meeting the Hon. Oliver Wilson of Peoria, Ill.,, lee turer of the National grange, will be the principal speaker.
 Regarding the Taft controversy, up in Hartford Secretary Butterfield makes this statement.
 '"The statement which practically charges me with bad faith in having President Taft at the fair as speaker on Grange day has no foundation either in theory or fact. It was my suggestion that the grangers select a day to be known as Grange day. It was not known that President Taft would attend the fair. As a matter of fact, the grange day has not yet been selected so far as I am aware and it was not until Senator Mclean got home that we knew officially when President Taft would be here.
 "Any day in <the week is open to the grangers, and if they care to se- lect a day when President Taft is not here with speaker of their own choosing. it Is their privilege to do so. None has been selected yet. We were bound, however, to suit the date of the presidents visit to his eonven- ience."
 The State Fair will be held Sept