The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-28
MASTER J. ARTHUR SHERWOOD
ADVOCATES FAIRER TAX LAWS

j. arthur sherwood OF EaSLon, SranQ
master of the State Grange and
member of the State Board of Agrf-
culture, delivered the following adj
dress at a meeting of the Grange re-
Gently. His views on taxation and
legislation are especially interesting to
the citizens of Connecticut. The ad-
dress follows:
Brothers and Sisters of the Connect
cut State Grange:
For the first time it becomes my
duty to address the State Grange of
Connecticut as Master, and to give an
account of my stewardship during the
brief period since June Twentieth; to
go back with you over the history of
the years work, see perhaps, where
we have made mistakes in the past.
and gaining wisdom from these, press
on with renewed vigors in laying plans
for the future. May we council to-
gether upon the successes and failures
of the year, and cheer each other on
the way toward higher and better
manhood and womanhood for our
selves and those about US.
How eagerly many of US look for
ward to these annual meetings and
with what hopes we often return
home.
Lecturers Department..
do not desire to. trespass on my
1
feel that word is due in this res
pect about the position, which, be-
1ieve is of more importance to the wei
fare of a Grange, than any other. I
would first remind every Lecturer that
the Grange was organized for the
good of the farmer, and the farmers
family Every Lecturer owes it to
the members to bring within their
reach the best information that can
be obtained upon subjects pertaining
to agriculture. domestic science, and
civic affairs. Better methods of aag-
riculture are needed among the far
mers of Connecticut. In many cases
they are not receiving what they
should from their Soil and cropsv The
cost of raising their crops must be re-
! duced, and it should be one of the
chief aims of the Grange to help the
er who is true to the purpose of the
Grange, will not fail to bring out the
experience of their best and most sue
cessfu1 farmers and Institute work
ers, upon topics relating to the farm,
the household, and the home. We
heartily endorse the range Institutes,
and believe where they are properly
advertised and managed, they are the
means of producing much good.
Good Roads.
In taking up this subject wish to
quote part of the National Masters
highway is a. matter of general con-
Germ. The old ideas that the country
road should be constructed and main
tanned by the farmer has disappear
ed. It is now recognized that good
roads are Of as much importance to
the consumer as to the producer. as
| anything that lessons the cost of
Transportation is a benefit to the con-
Is1mer. The Grange stands for. and
fadvocates Federal aid for road i'm
lprovement. There can be no good
reason given. why the Governm ent
should not appropriate money for the
| maintaining and the improving OF
public water wprks. Seventy-five
per cent. of the product of our coun-
| try must pass over the public highway
before it can be transported over. our
railway or water system. While the
governm emit has spent millions of dol
| lars for highway Improvement in our
foreign possessions, it has never ap-
propriated one Dollar to be used on the
| highways in the United Sta
The Grange is. and should be, the
champion of good roads. The in
creasing Number of motor vehicles up
on our highways, present a problem
difficult of solution The legitimate
demand of automobile traffic must be
met.
| Stretches of road here and there
| are pleasing, Out Tie CONTINUOUS mile
age is what the farmer, as well as the
motorist desires. I believe that con-
tinuationS of our present policy in. Con
necticut will insure this in due time.
The Condition of the Order.
The report Nationa1-wise is very en-
couFaging. There have been 472 new
/ Oranges organized during the year
and one new state, Montana, has been
| added to the list.
| While we have not added any new
Oranges to the list in Connecticut
during the past year, yet we say there
has been steady growth in infiu-
ence and in m EN- bership, among
those already Working.
According to the report June TWEEN
ltieth we had LAT Active ranges with
la membership of 14.169. We have a
very few Oranges that are not strong
or that need special care. Where
/ these conditions do exist, and there
ommend that they encourage and as
sist bye frequent visits and strive to
help whenever possible. Always let
us renaember that a faithful few may
| hold a. Grange together; but it re-
| qIlires the strength of the entire mem
bership to make any Grange a success.
The National Grange Monthly.
This paper is published under au-
| thority of the National Grange, it's
object being to furnish information to
| it's members from every section of
the country, showing to them what
the organization is accomplishing. and
| how we are knit and bound together
for common good.
Insurance.
81 AS you will hear from the Secretary
| of the Patrons Insurance Company
during this season you will note with
pleasure. the progress that has been
made during the past year. Coop
/ erative insurance is the safest and
| just, as you pay for actual cost.
But, in order that it may achieve
the success to which it is entitled, it
becomes necessary that more patrons
become interested in it, and I would
cheerfully recommend it to the care
full consideration of all.