Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-08-17
Addresses at Orange Field Day.
GOOD CROWD ALTHOUGH so MANY
FARMERS ARE BUSY HAVING

addresses AZ orange fieio Jay.
GOOD CROWD ALTHOUGH so MANY
FARMERS ARE BUSY HAVING
To the surprise of those specially In
terested in the affair, nearly or quite three
hundred attended the field meeting of the
State Grange at the fair grounds on
Thursday, and there was session
socially and otherwise profitable. As II
was good hay day, and, as some OF
them said, ''the second one this sum
mer," and few even of the most energetic
of the farmers have been able to finish
their hayipg, it was expected that there
would be light attendance.
In the forenoon the time was devoted
to sociability, without any formal pro-
gram, and picnic dinner was eaten,
with coffee furnished on the grounds.
At one o'clock the people assembled
at the big grand stand, which was shaded
and cool Several selections were played
by Shaw's Orchestra, and then the as.
sembly was called to order by j. q. Ed.
wards, master of Oxford Pomona Grange,
who after briefly welcoming the people
introduced G. o. Purinton of Bowdoin-
ham, lecturer of the State Grange.
Mr.. Purinton devoted the short time
which he spoke to calling attention to
the inequity resulting from the present
distribution of the common school money
by the state. In some towns there are
twenty-sx weeks Of school, and in others
thirty six, he said, and the towns which
have twenty-six weeks generally have
schools of inferior quality to those where
there are thirty-six. There is great
variation in the percentage of local taxa
ton for schools in the several towns.
Even in different towns in Oxford County
there will be found much variation.
From the report of the state superintend-
ent we find that last year the town of
Albany raised by local taxation for
school purposes IS 40 on thousand of
valuation, and had 1877 days of school.
Greenwood raised So 20 on thousand
for schools, and had 100 days. Lincoln
Plantation raised 10 cents on thousand,
and had $50 days. Newry raised 10
cents on thousand, and had 140 days.
Three mills is assessed by the state for
school purposes, and is distributed to the
towns, one mill of it on the basis of the
valuation, which makes an inequitable dis
tribution. He urged his hearers to think
of these things, and be prepared to sup.
port some plan by which the cities and
towns can receive back from the state of
the school fund in proportion to the
number of scholars attending school and
the length of time they spend there.
There was reading, "The Old Actors
Story" by Mrs. Alice Wood of Shows
Falls, who responded to an encore, and
several songs we're sung by the audience
in the course Of the program, and several
selections given by the orchestra.
State Master c. S. Stetson of Greene
was then presented to the audience, and
after congratulsting the people and ex-
pressing his gratitude for the attendance,
so unexpectedly large under the condi-
lions, he called the roll of the oranges,
and found that eighteen oranges in Maine
and New Hampshire were represented,
this being the largest number 80 far in
this series of meetings.
With only brief talk Mr.. Stetson in
troduced Principal w. E. Sargent of
Hebron Academy to give the principal
address of the afternoon.
By way of preliminary Mr.. Sargent
the grange upon having
record of achievement. 1t is great
thing, he said, TO belong to something.
MAN is immortal az long as he is talked
about" says the Greek maxim. The
grange is immortal as long as it is talked
about, and it is talked about as long as
il is doing something. He instanced the
reforms of the evils of discrimination in
railroad rates, leading to the establish
meut of the Interstate Commerce Com
and other allied matters, as hav-
ing been initiated and forwarded by the
grange.
Turning then to his main theme, Mr..
Sargent spoke Of some phases of the tenn
perance question, and cited numerous
facts to show the advance that has been
made in combating intemperance, and
all of it in about hundred
ears. Numerous quotations and cita-
lions were made to show how general
was the use of liquor, even in connection
with the church. Ons amusing feature
was bill for supplies furnished an or
iaining council of church just about a
hundred years ago, which included, for
the three days Of the council, liquor to
The amount OF over twenty dollars. As
late as 1910 he finds life insurance com.
pany charging ten per cent extra on
policy issued to Quaker, because he
seemed to be thin Of blood, and refused
to partake of the good things which God
had provided, including alcoholic liquor.
In contrast to these conditions Mr..
Sargent showed how at the present time
life insurance companies regard as very
hazardous risks people engaged in the
or sale of liquors, and fire.
luently will not accept them at all. He
showed how many forces are now en-
gagged in fighting liquor-the church,
educators, trainers of athletes,
labor organizations, the big corporations
which employ labor, the nations now at
war in Europe-all have put the ban
on liquor. All this has been accom-
plished in the short space of about q
hundred years, but there is still great
work to be done.