The Republican journal., 1916-12-28
Maine State Grange.
- .Aass
An Attendance Of 100 at the Opening of
the 43d Annual Session in Bangor.

An Attendance Of 100 at the Opening of
the 43d Annual Session in Bangor.
The 43d annual session of the Maine
State Grange opened in City Hall, Ban
gor, Tuesday morning. Dec. 10th, with
State Master W. J. Thompson presiding
and more than 200 voting delegates pres
ent, beside about 1900 members.
The report of the secretary showed
the total membership in the State to be
$500, with two new oranges organized
and two oranges reorganiZad in the past
year. The treasurer reported a balance
on hand of $6156
In his annual address, State Master
| Thompson took up at some length tie
subject of good roads in Maine. He ex-
pressed the opinion that much larger
proportion of road money should be ex-
pended for roads connecting the farm
and factory with the market or shipping
| point, that the weather. community
should contribute to the poorer, that the
present system of trunk line and State
lid roads is more intensive than the
State can afford because of its immense
mileage, and that much money could be
saved by building roads from the stand
| point of business rather than that of the
engineer. He said road building should
be business problem and not an engi-
neering problem. He believed that the
proposed mill tax would fall too heavily
on the smaller towns.
/ Speaking of the high cost of farm
products, he said: at must be borne in
mind that the high prices have struck
the farmer in whatever he buys, as
| oit,
labor is scarcer. and higher than ever be-
fore in this country Everything the
farmer buys, whether machinery, fertil-
izer, fencing, clothing or the necessaries
of life, have increased in price by leaps
and bounds. This is also true of taxa
ton. the increase beng in many sections
NEARLY SO percent during the last four
years.
A the evening session the unwritten
work was eXemplifed.
At the Wednesday morning session A
j. Torsletf. chairman of the Public
Health Committee, said there was de-
plorable lack of proper sanitary and by
gienic conditions upon the Maine farms
due more to lack of interest or proper
education than of means. He declared
that the health conditions were better in
the city than In the country and that
there was no reasonable excuse for it.
| Mrs. Esther Gilman Hewes of the COM
mittee on temperance said that the
grange was the enemy of the saloon,
first, last and always, that it had helped
make "dry" States and that the grange
was a big factor in the electing of Carl
E. Milliken Governor of Maine, having
faith in his pledges of enforcement. The
report urged that the State grange
adopt resolution favoring National pro-
hbition.
DR.. G. M. Twitchell Of The Committee
on Agriculture urged the keeping of
more live stock to keep up the health of
the soil, more intensive farming, study
Of conditions and more cooperation in
marketing.
In the afternoon the golden jubilee of
the grange was celebrated.
| E. 7. Clifford of Winthrop and George
Alden of Gorham were reelected mem
hers of the executive committee. The
fifth degree was conferred by the Penob-
scot Pomona officers.
At night the sixth degree was con-
ferred on large class.
| The reports on good roads, taxation
and farmers unions. marked the special
features Of the Thursday a. m. session
!
that the Improvement of the secondary or
country roads is equal in Importance, if
not of greater Importance, than the trunk
line highway. The committee also express
sed the belief that the building of State
aid roads must be accelerated in order to
meet the demands of modern rural life.
The committee on taxation declared that
the Grange has always stood against
special favors in the Legislature and is
not in sympathy with the growing ten
dency for special appropriations. There
was notable conflict over the manner
! of raising money for road building, the
committee on roads reporting in favor of
mill tax or similar tax, while the COM
mittee OIL taxation through Chairman
John E. Abbott of Berwick reported in
favor of bond issue.
I The taxation committee recomm an led
stopping the return to towns of the cor
poration franchise tax, taxation of saw
ings deposits in national banks, and as
sessment of poll taxes in proportion to
the amount raised. also that the problem
of raising public revenue should be elm
mated from political control.
The closing sessions Thursday after
noon ard night were chiefly devoted to
reading and discussion of reports.
| In protest against statements in the
report of the public health committee
that country living conditions are I'M
usually unsanitary and children's diseases
very prevalent, those sections were ex-
plunged from the report before it was
ordered printed.
AS the Grange representatives on
general committee of so to take charge
of the suffrage campaign, C. S. Stetson
and Mrs. Esther Hewes of Easton were
appointed.
Resolutions were adopted favoring Ma
tional prohibition and pledging support
to Gov-Elect Milliken in enforcement of
the prohibitory law, also urging change
in method of electing the Commissioner
Of Agriculture; declaring for a change
in distribution of the State. school funds
on basis of attendance; favoring New
England-wide organization of the dairy
industry, and urging the appointment Of
representative farmer on the State
Highway Commission.
Although discussion was favorable to
equal suffrage, no resolution was adopted.
An invitation was received from Mayor
MILFORD G. Chapman to meet there next
year. The audience received it with ap-
plause and referred it to the executive
| committee