The Republican journal., 1912-12-26
Maine State GRANGE.
Annual Meeting in Portland Largely At.
tended.

Annual Meeting in Portland Larselv A..
tended.
The 39th annual session of thu Maine
State Grange opened at the City Hall,
Portland, Tuesday, morning Dec. 18th.
State Master C. S. Ste tson presided
and announced the standing committees
The committee on credentials reported
the presence of nearly all the delegates,
and it is believed that 27OO members of
the order attended the opening session.
In his annual address the State master
discussed the Congressional legislation
concerning the Parcels Post. The law
to go into effect Jan. l. he said, is de-
fective because the weight limit is too
low and the rate loo high, and he com.
mended the Gardner bill rather than the
Bourne bill. He strongly Endorsed the
proposed election of United States Sena-
tors by popular vote and asserted that
the farmers of the country have had
practically nothing to say about the
choice of Senator's and added that
Senator Gardner of Maine is the one man
in the Senate whose chief interest.
from personal point of view, is in agri-
culture
He said: briefly stated the grange
favors the following: A strict and i'm
partial enforcement of all laws; direct
election of United States Senators; more
equitable distribution of the school fund
Federal aid for road improvement; an
adequate Parcels Post law; conservation
of natural resources; equal suffrage for
women; extension of free rural delivery
service "
He gave the following as the ''faith of
the Maine Grange, (which an honest
citizen of Maine may live to maintain.
and gladly die in the maintaining"
The Maine Grange believes in an equit-
able division of the school taxes
In heavier taxation upon the trusts
and corporations.
In the wider adoption Of rural free de-
livery.
In the widest possible adoption of the
parcel post.
In better schools and better highways.
In the recall of inefficient officials
In the rigid and impartial enforcement
of the Maine Prohibitory law.
In vocational training at all our COM
mon schools
In lifting the country residents above
the ruts of drudgery.
In frequent appeals to the people con-
| corning the control of the State, the
county and the municipality over every
issue which concerns Maine, intellectu-
ally and morally
Sec. E. H. Libby, in his annual report,
said that during the year ending Sept.
30 five subordinate oranges had been Or
! nd hot Jpt, a.
Grange at Wells has come into existence.
Penobscot is the banner county, with
81 oranges and total membership of
6698. The total membership of the or
der in Maine is now 81, 764.
Edward Evans, George Plummer, L.
b. futile, George Alden, C. S. Stetson
and E. H. Libby, the executive commit
tee, made their annual report through
ly favored the adoption of the Gardner
Postal bill. The report of the treasurer
showed a balance of SIS, 1874, receipts of
SIT, 467 and disbursements of SILT
At the evening session there was an
address by Mrs. jerks of Concord, N.
H., on woman suffrage and round table
discussion for the good of the order.
At the Wednesday morning session
resolution was adopted protesting against
the shipment of liquors into prohibition
territory, and the members of the order
were urged to do their best to induce the
Maine Congressional delegation to use
to that effect adopted
George Alden of Gorham were re-elect-
ed members of the State executive COM
mittee. Others voted for were Julian
Emery of Salisbury Cove, Frank Blanch-
ard of Lebanon, George W. @. Perham
of Bryants Pond and E. T. Clifford of
Winthrop.
A letter from the Bangor Chamber of
Commerce extending an invitation to
the State Grange to meet in that city
next year was read at the morning ses-
sion and referred to the executive COM
mittee.
C. w. brown of Dover read a report
favoring protection for insect-eating
birds, He said the loss to the farmers
of the United States by insects is esti-
mated at from $50, 900, 900 to 500, 900, 900
annually.
George H. Foster reported that the
order has raised $2S01 out of proposed
$4,000 for a scholarship at Good Will
Farm.
At the opening of the afternoon ses-
sion there was discussion on the best
division of the SC DOL fund. Those who
took part were Payson Smith, State
Superintendent Of schools; Hon. Carl F.
Milliken of Island Falls, B. Walker Nc
Keen, Edward Evans, E.. T. Clifford and
J. M. Doyle. The vote was practically
unanimous in favor of distribution
according to the number Of scholars.
The fifth degree was conferred dur
ing the afternoon on class of rs candi-
dates. Mrs. Annie Deering, Miss Isa-
belle Osgood and Mrs. Addie Dyer of
Pleasantdale Grange at South Portland
acted as a committee OF arrangements,
and the degree was conferred by the
officers of Cumberland Pomona. In the
evening the sixth degree was conferred
on 900 candidates.
The meeting, which closed Thursday
night, was one of the most important in
the organization history, and every
session was attended by at least $500
delegates and members of the order who
were not part Of the voting strength,
A feature at the close of the morning
session was heated colloquy between
u. S. Senator Obadiah Gardner and E.
M. Frye of Harrington relative to the
dis position of funds collected nv tho