Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-12-13
GRANGE DECLARES
ITS ALLEGIANCE
Supports Hoover Food Admins
tration, the Y. M. C. A.
and Red Cross.
MEMBERSHIP OF 10000.
Vermont Patrons Of Husbandry. In 46th
Annual Session. Promise to Speed
UP Production Next Year.

Annual Session, Promise to Speed
UP Production Next Year.
Faith in. and allegiance to the govern
mont, both State and national" was the
gist Of a unanimously adopted resolution
sent by night letter to President woodrow
Wilson at Washington by the 4sth annual
session Of the Vermont State Grange
in convention at the New Sherwood
Hotel Tuesday night, where nearly four
hundred delegates from all over the State
gathered.
The full text Of the resolution follows:
Resolved. That the Vermont State
Grange, in its 46th annual session. hereby
proclaims its faith in and allegiance to our
government, both State and national; and
be 1t further resolved that We support
the Hoover food administration, the Y. M.
c. A., the Red Cross and anything to the
advantage Of our soldiers and sailors. and
develop our productions next year by every
possible means"
The report Of the secretary. A. A. Priest.
showed that the order In the State has
about $1,000 members, and Of pomona
oranges there are 5,170 members. There
are % of the latter oranges and 1S3 SUBJ
oranges. The Rutland Valley Grange has
the largest membership, with N6 on the
rolls, and the other four leaders are Brat
tleboro. 23S; West Randolph, 233; Middle
bury. 232; and Bridgewater. 226.
The treasurer's report. by j. B. Pier.
showed that there was a standing fund Of
$500 in the various banks Of the State
to the organizations credit, and the or
ganization as a State order has ten 1000
Liberty bonds Of the first issue paid for.
The majority Of the oranges and Pomona
oranges each has Individual Liberty bonds
Of smaller denominations.
Attending the convention were delegates
from the Green Mountain Grange. No. 1.
Of st. Johnsbury. the first grange ever
founded in New England.
The principal business meeting Of the
afternoon was the annual address given
by Willis N. Cady. worthy master Of the
State Grange. following which there were
reports Of officers and reports Of deputies.
| A summary Of the address by Mr.. Cady
follows:
GRAND MASTERS ADDRESS.
We have organized two new Oranges
| this year. one in Fletcher and one in
! Ryegate. The order has prospered
throughout the country. Four hundred
and seventy-seven new Oranges have been
organized and Is dormant ones brought
to life.
The Grange has always been a peace
loving organization. but the time has
come when to insure peace we must fight.
| The principles Of democracy arc on trial.
the challenge has been flung to US and
we shall not be found wanting. The
farmers Of the United States responded
nobly to the call for moro food and
used every effort to produce It. BY pre-
serving long hours and hard work with
the discouraging weather conditions and
shortage of labor. they have produced an
immense amount Of food crops. Vermont
has had her share in this work. When
the government asked for money the
farmers responded according to their
ability. Many Of the subordinate and
, Pomona Oranges subscribed for bonds
out of their limited treasury.
/ When the first call for money was
made the executive committee Of the
State Grange met and invested $4,000
of Grange funds in Liberty bonds, al.
though this meant a shrinking of our
! income. Nearly every Grange in OUT
State has sent one or more of its mem.
bers to fight for our country. and in this
connection, I am glad to say that the
national Grange authorized the State
Grange, II they so wished, to cancel the
dues of the members who are in the
! army during the war. We hope that
action will be taken upon this question
at this session. We wish at this time ia
dedicate all of the influence and strength
of the Grange in Vermont to the success.
full prosecution Of the war. until peace
/ shall reign throughout the earth. We
ought to remember tho boys who have
gone out from our midst to make the
: supreme sacrifice. We should write to
them as often as possible. send to them
something to show they are not forgotten
! and above all. do our part at home with.
out complaining. Let US remember that
! victory will only co1le by united effort
at the front. on the sea, In the shops
on the farms and in our homes. fighting
manufacturing. producing and saving.
Mr.. Cady spoke strongly in favor Of CO.
operation Of farmers because Of the acute
labor situation and for other necessary
reasons. He noted the splendid work
, done by the county agricultural agents
In Vermont. Tho speaker referred ia
the advisability Of Grange fairs and
Grange insurance.
Their ought to be found In every homo
In the State papers and magazines that
will keep the people informed upon the
topics Of the day. We ought to support
our local paper. also our State dailies
We believe that there IL not an institu.
ton that IL doing more to build up the
/ State. better It's government. and ad
vance Its interest than the press Of Yer.
mont. While we may not agree with
everything that we read we believe tina,
the press of Vermont reflects the thoughts
! and feelings Of Its citisens In an accurate
manner. Every family ought to have q
Feiigious paper. especially IL connected
! with any church. The best farm journal,
should be on every farm table and every
patron should take the National Orange
Monthly.
Good roads was emphasized as impera'
tive. The people can have such roads
as they want and are willing to pay for
we believe. said the master. that we
ought to take better care Of the roads
that we now have. even II we do moi
puiid as much new a. we have in the
past.
Mr. Cady also made an earnest plea
for education. saying:
The agricultural college. located In
TINS beautiful city, Is stretching out
helping hands to the farmers of the
state through its experiment station
us extension work. It short courses In
agriculture. and above all, its oppor.
tun'ty for those who wish to take q
-FOUR years college course in agricul.
ture. The schools are our schools. the
colleges are our colleges. the opportun-
tiles are our opportunities"
"StnCo Its orga nlrattnu th> 0,.r~~