Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-14

the city's churches and splendid school
system and the system of suburban
roads and public streets, the best per-
haps in Maine, All these and other
features of Augusta, he said. with her
central situation admirably fitted Au-
gusta to be the best convention city
in the State and her people were al
ways delighted to have them come.
Especially pleased was Augusta to be
able to accommodate and entertain,
this week, representatives of that
grand body of men and women, the
Patrons of Husbandry of Maine.
State Lecturer B. Walker McKeen
in response. expressed satisfaction and
pride in the presence of so many
Changers from all parts of the State.
/ He thought every one present was
proud of the ability of Augusta to en-
Ntertain, in addition to the Legislature,
so many strangers within her walls.
this week. He was pleased at THE man
ner in which homes had been opened
so Hospitality to members of the con-
ference.
| Lecturer McI\een was glad to learn
how prosperous Augusta is, but. he
en- represent other prosperous cities
and thriving influential communities
to the North and East and West of
the Capital. They represent much of
the industry frugality and good citi-
zenship OF the State. He thanked.
however, Augusta for its hospitality
and knew that the members would
return home with pleasant memories
/ of their visit here
j State Master c. S Stetson in greet
/ ing the Lecturers of the Grange said
that while he had been three times
/ elected TO his honorable office as mas
I ter OF the Grange. he ever felt that he
was not doing enough for the welfare
of the Organization and was ambitious
! to dn sill M re. Il was TO be Il great
! year in accUsap liahment for the Grange
! of Maine. Al lis beginning. at this
conference he and all obtained en-
eouragement by the gathering OF SC
many people. From its small begin
| ming down iii Pembroke SO years ago
1.-The Grange in Maine now enrolled II
| membership of 10000 women and men.
| Its success was due largely to the eff
forts of lecturers and the sisters, espe-
eially to the latter who have labored
| coed. The conference will be sue
cess and all will so away inspired by
| il TO labor for lofty ideals.
Playfullp the Chairman in reply to
some joke by the Master remarked
that while anybody could serve as
Master of the Grange it required
great ability TO be Grange lecturer.
The Chairman referred to the honor
hn- H. h.
| of national officials of the Grange and
| introduced Natl Grange lecturer, the
Hon. n. p Hull of Michigan.
Lecturer Hull spoke for three-quar-
| tiers of an hour on Grange Work and
| It's Ideals" He had joined the Grange
in his small town as lad of Ia and
had never ceased to rejoice because OF
the benefits he had derived the edu-
cation and training and social cheer
| 1t had given him. He had always
wanted to come to Maine and was
glad to be here. He had heard OF the
Changers success in Maine and at
| tributed it largely TO tie fact that here
there were women lecturers. He want
ed Michigan to hustle and try to equal
| Maine and would advocate more wo-
men lecturers for the Oranges in his
State
The speaker drew vivid word pic
ture of the life of farmers and their
| families in olden times, when all
worked for existence only until they
died. Now they were aided by the
| Grange and worked with head as well
| as hands and were succeeding SO we'll
that the farms of this nation, last year,
| produced more wealth than any other
industry in any similar period in the
| entire world. He gave the amazing
| figures and illustrated them with word
| pictures of last years corn crop. He
| told how the Grange with its influence
| for justice to all had by organized
| effort compelled the establishment of
| the Interstate Commerce Commission
| Now the railroads must deal justly
with the farmer and working man.
| The speaker wanted more boys and girls
to remain pure, healthy and prosperous
| on the farm. To tighten labor aid to sue
| cess and entertain socially the Grange
was helping in this direction. In the cit
| les IS per cent. of the successful men had
come from farms. But they did not need
to leave the land and starve their lungs
| in dirty towns. They could remain on
farms and be successful, live longer and
be happy.
In Michigan the Boston owners of the
"copper" mines years ago had allowed the
| farmers to pay most of the taxes while
they escaped with low rates. The Grange
Il took hand and the mine owners were
Il Obliged to pay u tax raised 400 per cent.
II In Michigan, he said, they manufacture
80 per cent of all the auto cars used in
Il America. 1t divided the Michiganders
into two classes, the quick and the dead
The one class had to run to get out of the
way Those who didn't were numbered
II among the dead
II Lecturer Hall wanted all Changers to
belong to the quick class and hustle for
the success of the Grange, which he
Claimed was, next to church and school,
the grandest organization in the world.
il Grange work in the Granite State was
admirably described by the N H. state
lecturer, A. l.. Felkner of Meredith ii
that state. He also threw bouquets to his
Pine Tree State brethren and sisters fol
their wonderful growth in the Grange