Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1913-11-28
NATIONAL GRANGE
Annaal Session of the National
Grange, of Patrons of Industry at
Manchester, New Hampshire, Leg
islative Policies-Years Record.

There is no organization in this
country, political or otherwise, that
is OF more vital interest to the farm
ers of the country than is the Ma
tional Grange, Patrons of Industry
and one is justified in going still
further in the statement and saying
that there is no industry of more Wit
al importance to the whole body poll
tic than agriculture, using the term
in it's inclusive sense. The above
statements considered, it would seem
to follow that the action taken and
the policies announced by the Nation
al Grange at its 47th annual conven-
ton in New Hampshire is of real in
terest to all and the utterances from
the platform of that convention
should be carefully considered. Oil
yer Wilson of Ohio is the National
! Master and presided at the sessions
of this meeting. One of the princi-
pal speakers was Congressman Ray
mond B. Stevens whose words are
worth considering carefully; he
said in part: Farming today needs
Just one thing; it needs to be made
more profitable for the farmer. 1t
is at. a great disadvantage in rhe
business world because it is being
carried on in the same way it was
generations ago-without combina-
ton or consolidation. Farming is a
business affected more by combina.
ton than any other industry. Today
the farmer is not only laborer, but
he is compelled to buy his supplies
from industries that have con-
solidated and control the market
The price of fertilizers will increase
just in proportion to the farmers
ability to buy. In selling you are
caught in exactly the same trap
the corporations that control the
MARKET Mr.. Stevens announced
himself as heartily in favor OF
amending the Sherman Antitrust
law so that it should not be appilca-
Bile to co operation of farmers In sell
ing or purchasing supplies. Nation.
al Master Wilson's annual address
was masterful message and covered
many subjects and many conditions;
perhaps the most important part OF
this address was that which an
nounced the Legislative policies OF
the National Grange. These policies
as stated by Mr.. Wilson, are:
Federal aid for road improvements;
conservation of our national re-
sources: just and equitable system
Of financial cooperation; effective
regulation and control of railroad anc
express companies; rational anc
fair system of agricultural credit; In
ternational peace.
The national secretary's report
showed All oranges organized during
the year ending September Both, 1913
and 20 oranges re-organized during
Secretary David F. Houston, of the
u. S. Department of Agriculture, lr
his address before the body, said that
rural conditions in this country pre-
ent not a class problem but nation.
al problem, affecting city and rura
populations alike. Mr.. Houston call.
ed attention to the fact that less thar
12 per cent of our land is yielding
maximum returns and also pointed
out that we have population of less
than ninety-five millions living or
three millions of square miles ane
that out Of approximately 9S6 mil
lion acres of arabic land, only about
400 million acres are included II
farms and improved; that we have
practically ceased to be an exporting
nation SO far as food products arr
concerned, fast becoming dependent
upon foreign nations for the neces
saries of. life, and that we are suffer
ing the penalty of fostering. indus
trial centers and letting agriculture
take care of itself. He recommended
the discontinuance Of present see'
distribution and outlined the program
of the Department of Agriculture t.
meet and supply the needs of the ag
ricultural interests Of the nation.