Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-02-16

points: First, that the principle Of gov
ernmental control of railways seems to
be irrevocably established. and the
grange should demand that such CON
troll should be exercised as will secure
equal justice to all shippers as well as
to railroads; that the powers and du-
ties of the interstate commerce COM
mission be enlarged in order to sup
press unjust discrimination and to
give the commission the undoubted
right to control transportation in the
interests of the whole people; that the
express companies should be placed
under the control of the interstate COM
merce commission; that our interna-
tional waterways should be improved
by the national government; that the
grange is unalterably opposed to all
subsidies and that the policy of nation
al aid for public highways in co-opera-
ton with the several states under some
equitable plan is right.
Officers Elected For Two Years.
Master. Oliver Wilson, Illinois; over
seer. L. II. Healey, Connecticut; lee
turer, N. 2. Hull, Michigan; steward,
d. G. Mullen, Idaho; assistant steward,
George r. Schaefer. Wisconsin,; chap
lain. c. F. Smith. Vermont: treasurer,
Mrs. E. S. Mcdowell, Massachusetts:
secretary, C. NJ. Freeman, Ohio; gate
keeper, A. B. Judson, Iowa; ceres, Mrs.
Richard Pattee, New Hampshire; Po-
mona. Mrs. T. G. Atkeson, West Vir-
GINA; fora, Mrs. A. B. Judson. Iowa;
lady assistant steward, Mrs. G. f.
Smith, Vermont; executive committee
man for three years, c. o. Raine, Mis-
souri,.
The New National Master.
In the election Of Oliver Wilson as
master of the national grange a good
man has been selected Mr.. Wilson
was born in Belmont county, O., but
when a child went with his parents to
Putnam county, in Illinois. where they
settled in the town of Magnolia. Here
he has since resided, and here he owns
a farm of 240 acres, where grain and
stock are made his specialties. His
city residence Is in Peoria. He has
been a member of the grange for al
most forty years and has held many
Of its offices. For sixteen years he
was the state master and for the last
two years has held the responsible po-
sition Of national lecturer. He is an
able speaker and organizer and is now
in position to do more good than ever
before.
The election Of Mr.. Wilson is a hap.
py solution of all the difficulties that
have beset this order for the past few
years. He comes to his great office
with the esteem and good will Of all
the members and will command the
confidence of the country. His task
will be difficult, but it is fully expected
that he will be equal to the occasion.
The Grange on Education.
Professor T. G. Atkeson of West
Virginia presented an admirable re-
port for the committee on education.
He said the grange should not limit
its educational work to the ordinary
work of schools There are great edu-
cational problems facing us for solu-
ton, and the grange must do its part.
Among the problems are such as the
following:
What caused the high cost of liv-
ing, not in agricultural products alone.
but generally? How far does the bur
den Of taxation affect the cost of liv-
ing? Has the increase in the worlds
gold any Influence upon the cost of
living? What effect have past wars
and the preparation for war upon the
cost of living? How may the cost of
distribution be reduced? How far
should the government provide or CON
troll the means of distribution? How
may the producer procure Il larger per
cent of what the consumer pays? Are
the present high prices of farm prod.
ucts permanent, or are they to find
lower level? Why was the proposed
reciprocity with Canada bad for the
United States farmers? What should
be the future tariff policy of the
grange and our farmers? Who is
most deeply interested in the cost Of
living, the producer or the consumer?
Is the cost of distribution a problem
for the consumer or producer, or have
they a common interest in it? Should
our banking laws be amended? If so,
how? Is centralized bank desira-
BILE? Why not?
These are live questions. and the
grange should discuss them. 1t can
do no better work than to famiiarize
its members with such problems.
The Grange In New York.
Mr.. Godfrey of New York said in his
report as state master that forty-three
new oranges had been organized thus
far during the year and the total men,
bership is now about 100000 in the
state. The interest Of the grange in
agricultural education is noteworthy
The new syllabus of the education de.
partment will devote larger attention
to the study of agriculture in the rural
schools. The state grange gives twelve
scholarships to grange young people in
the State Agricultural college at Cor.
nell Anofhar {pdioo Hon of tho prooy.