News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1913-05-28
THE. se
IA H. S-~---As4axC|o
NATIONAL
~ ORANGE
Conducted by Charles NJ Gardner. Editor
OF the National Grange. westheld. Mass
VICTORIES BY THE GRANGE
National Legislation II Has Been In
strumental in Having Enacted
the Past Few Years.

Some national legislation enacted
during the past year has been the oc-
casion for calling to mind all that the
grange has been instrumental in ac-
complishing the past few years, for
the public good, that marks the
grange one OF the great beneficial or
CARNATIONS Of this country. In all
the list Of progressive accomplish
ments enumerated below the grange
has been a powerful factor; in most
Of them It has been the pioneers and
in nearly all It led the fight unassist-
ed for long time, while in every case
! II has stayed in the struggle to the
very friah Here Is the list of some
Of the.things the grange has done, in
national sense, within score OF
years:
Under its leadership and through its
unaided efforts for years start was
finally made on the free delivery OF
mail to the farm homes of the coun-
try: as n result of which more than
$4,000 rural mail carriers are starting
out every week day moving to deliv-
er the mail to the farm homes in two
score of states
Grange influence and energy set go
ing the postal saving banks in which
hovo been safely gathered more than
$50 900, 900 Of the small savings of the
goorer people, representing money
formerly not saved at all or else
boarded in places Of uncertain Sc
aurity.
Because the grange long demanded
#. an interstate commerce commission
vas finally established, that has been
hiphlv efficient in adjusting numerous
problems between states and in pro-
tecting I've smo'' dealer and shipper
from undue hardship and eXtortion-
able rates.
because of lOng-cOntinund grange
agitation the secretary of the nation
q department Of agriculture was elo-
vated to a cabinet position and his
department. so enlarged and exDendod
that totol Of 100000 represented
It's disbursements last year for i'm
proving the agricultural work of the
nation
Because of the grange the oleomar-
garine 2ituation was several years ago
adjusted through the Grout law en-
actment, whereby the users of pure
natural butter are adequately protect
cd from the fraud and counterfeiting
Of the imitation butter manufacturers.
Federal protection of migratory
Birds has long been one of the policies
for which the national grange and
many state oranges have earnestly
striven. And the evidence of that
work is seen in the recent passage of
the Weeks-McClean bill affording eX
actly that protection to millions Of
birds and by so much insuring con
tinuance Of their valuable work in de-
the insects that wipe out mil
lions of dollars worth of farm pro-
luce every year.
The great sentiment favoring ma
.ional conservation Of natural re-
had it's origin in the grange, |
'ully twenty wears ago; and as a re-
suit Of the effort then set going, and |
since carried irto thousands of grange !
meetings in r~7ny states, the great |
r.0vement has sprung, |
thor~qnds of people in its |
support and resulting in various en-
of benefit already with many |
more soon to follow.
Federal road building, into which |
he national government is about TO |
enter; liberal road work
~ all the state governments, and the |
expenditure, within de-
,ade, for the Improvement of the high |
ways in practically every city and |
own in the country-all this forward |
movement in improved highways for |
III the people has received large i'm
Netus and in many cases actual initia
i've from grange agitation and effort.
The last great grange victory of all
S parcel post, by which more than
70, 100000 parcels a month are now
.arried for the people at a rate scarce
y half. and in some instances even
ess than a quarter, what the express
formerly charged for trans
PORTING the same parcels. For years
he grange stood absolutely alone in
he parcel post fight, and even to the
-ery end, when the Bourne bill was
inally passed by congress and signed
" the president, The grange stood the
'runt of the fight and led the strug-
lie against the continuance of the
ong-endured express company monop
ly.