Norwich bulletin., 1920-01-14
CHANGERS SHOULD STAND
 BOLDLY BEHIND GOVERNMENT


 Stratford called upon every member to use his utmost endeavor to stand firm for the principles of integrity and sobriety upon which the solid founda- t1ons of our government are laid in making his annual address at the thirty fifth annual session of the Connecticut state grange at Foot Guard hall in Hartford Tuesday morning.
 In attendance at the session-the premier event in grange activity ev- cry year-are nearly 300 delegates from the ten Pomona granges and the 146 subordinate granges. Nurner- ous visitors are expected during the session, and one-Natioh Master Sherman J. Lowell of New York-will install the new officers Thursday af- ternoon.
 One of the features of the session will be the election of officers for the coming two years. It is probable that the present officers, who have served only one term, will be elected.
 Moster Blakeman said on the sub ject of prohibition "Our Connecticut Senate voted to place the disgrace of refusing to ratify the prohibition amendment on the state, although forty-five state and Congress and the highest courts in our nation sustained every measure for it's adoption of and enforcement. For tunately our delegation in congress and those senators who refused to ac- cede to demand for a higher and better civilization are not permitted to deprive our state of the advantages of saloonless nation in 1920.
 Therefore it becomes the duty of every patron to use his utmost en- deaVer to aid the federal government in the enforcement of the law. The rapid growth Of our cities in recent years, populated very largely by peo- pie of foreign birth and foreign ideals. has carried the sentiment of our state far from it's reputation of beings the land of steady habits Therefore it behooves every home loving patron to stand firm for those principles of in- tegrity and sobriety upon which the solid foundations of our state gov- ernment were laid.
 Master Blakeman said that early this year request was sent out from the masters office for an extension regarding the daylight saving law and nearly every grange voted emphaticaT> Iy in favor of it's repeal. This session. he said, should take some clear ac- ton which will express the policy of the grange in a clear and unmistazable manner.
 Country Thisving.
 One of the problems which con- front the farmer. Master Blakeman said was that of protecting his crops from thieves. After successfully combating drouth, storms, winds, | hail, blight, bugs, caterpillars and fungus" said Nfr. Blakeman, "the worst rodents of all are the city 1 thieyea. They 1scend upon our crops just before maturity and, in the cunning of their naliciousness and destructiveness exceed all others. 1 Our experiment station, or our Agri- | cultural college, has not devised 8 practical method of exterminating l them. This is a rapidly growing evil and while the last general assembly provided a law with very heavy pen alty it does not abate the nuisance. The farmer must be watchful of sus- picious persons and be willing to ap- pear as witnesses in court whenever they are in possession of evidence which might lead to conviction. It would be well if this session could 1 formulate a plan which our legislative committee could urge before the next i legislature as possible remedy.'
 Highways.
 Mir. Blakeman in referring to high way development said that there should be further development of the so- called feeder roads that the farmers may be more easily in touch with the l enters of trade at all season of the year. Many of the best farms are not being operated at maximum of their producing capacity because of, the condition of the highways leading to them four months in the year. He urged the grange to adopt a definite policy to be placed before the legisla- ture whereby state aid can be l used to improve feeder roads. This 1 would increase the value of farm | lands and so increase the amount of food produced to assist in feeding our own people.
 Relations With Labor.
 In reviewing the session of the Ma tienal Grange MT. Blakeman analysed | the matter of Grange utilization with the Federation of Labor. He said: l "Whefever efforts have been made | to bring organized labor and the farmers together it has always result ed in the labor unions wanting short CT hours, higher wages and cheaper food; but when the problem of what