Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-10
STATE GRANGE
(Continued from. PAGE One)

felt satisfied, he wished to impress
upon all the difficulty of securing
competent persons to act as depu-
ties, because of the personal sacri-
uce called for. He wanted to &C.
complish more in this direction and
asked all to cooperate.
The future of the State grange de-
pended largely upon the ability Oh
the officers. and members of the or
der to improve the work. 1t was
necessary to look carefully after the
business methods, see that dues were
collected promptly and, above all,
masters should safeguard the an
nual word. 1t was the cornerstone
of the order. He urged more at
tention to degree work. Improve
this and he believed interest in the
grange would be stimulated. The
State Master approved degree teams
and urged the Importance of officers
of. oranges perfecting themselves IN
I the work and then exchanging work
with other oranges. Such a course
would promote sociability and be OF
value in the exchange of ideas.
Team work between the officers OF
the subordinate oranges was urged.
Subordinate grange masters should
principle of the grange: 1.-THE great
est good for the greatest number"
In the organization of the Juvenile
grange in Maine during the past
year, State Master Abbott saw a
great help to the order. 1t would
make better members of the adult
grange in the future.
l. Particularly did he stress the OPP
portunity for newly elected officers
in subordinate oranges to build up
the order. He wanted to see each
subordinate grange take leadership
in the social life of the community.
Pomona Gets Its Place
Referring to the ritualistic changes
| which the National grange made at
its Atlantic City session in Novem-
Der. the State master said:
|. THE coming year will be one of in
terest to the Pomona Grange. 1t has
been assigned place in the order,
making it Il fifth degree Grange in re-
ality as well as in name, regulating its
duties and assigning it specific work
to accomplish. With fixed plan in
view, and the interest to attend that
we all should have. together with our
improved facilities for attending the
Pomona meetings. let them be made
the real community center of our or
der--let US ever have in mind the
thought that the Pomona Grange is
the parent of each present and future
subordinate Grange In its district. ,..
| LET us ever bear III mind that it
is the duty of the Pomona Grange to
assist the needy or weaker Oranges in
it's district, to. oversee their work, and
to stimulate them to greater activity
and give them the high place they
should occupy in the civic life of their
respective communities. The value of
! this oversight, whereby an interest in
education and an interest in the es-
sentials of good government is built
up in each subordinate Grange. wheth-
err strong or weak. will prove TO be
of untold benefit to our order and the
community which it serves"
The national organization had plcdg-
ed it's support 10 a forward looking
program for rural America.
Appreciates Publicity
State Master Abbott urged patron
age OF grange enterprises by members
Of the order and expressed appTecia-
ton of the attitude of the press to-
ward the grange. lie thought that each
grange should have a press committee
to provide news for the papers. The
program of the national organization
for increasing the circulation of the
National Grange Monthly WIS COM
mended by State Master Abbott.
Speaking of taxation the state mas
ter said:
while farmers are not opposed to
progress in any way, yet we believe at
this time that we should carefully con-
slider our needs and not our 1uxuries.
and demand a reasonable considerable ion
of the necessary things pertaining to
municipal, county and State expendi-
lures. We should practice economy.
MANY of our tax difficulties have
resulted from unsound Legislative
methods The heavy indirect tax that
the faNner has to bear originates
largely from national and in part from
state taxation. Consequently econo-
my and efficiency in government and
State arc of vital Importance, especial
ly in relieving the local tax burden of
our farmers. While not discussing the
question here, we would suggest that
many ideas can be advanced through
our subordinate and Pomona Oranges
that may benefit the rural commune
ties in the. correction of their local tax
burdens.
Must Support Education
1.-THE Grange must continue to be
an important factor in education. A
self-governing people must be an
educated people. We as farmers
realize the necessity of improving
our rural schools. Therefore we
should urge upon those having in
charge the educational program. not
only of the State but of the COM
munity, that every effort be made
to increase the efficiency of our ru-
raj schools. Remember that with
out the guidance and influence of
the rural church and the rural school
the country community must perish
from the face of the earth Let us
then dedicate this order to an up
holding of both of these institutions
until they shall acquire the record
of usefulness never before achieved.
Let me in this connection call to
the attention of every Subordinate
and Pomona Grange the worthy pur-
poses of our educational aid fund.
while speaking of educational
activities, may / call your, attention
to the recent and pending proposal
calling for the expenditure of huge
sums of money in behalf of ma
tional educational program. This is
project dangerous in its possibili-
ties, some of them good, but most
of them bad. The conduct of our
public schools is q matter above all
else which should lie in the hands
of each municipality, subject to a
suitable amount of reasonable super
vision by the State, and not be sub
ject to the intermeddling of a rep
resentative of the Federal goverH-
ment. which apparently Is exercising
a wider ueld of paternalism each
year. This project. fraught with SO
puch apparent danger to our COM
munities, should receive the closest
attention both of Agriculture and in