Year: 1873

Of the people These corporations
claim an exemption from legislative
control, and assume to be independent
of the power which gave them exist
ence


We protest against these practices,
so injurious to our rights and interests.
and these assumed powers, so subversive
of the lawful authority of the State,
and demand the reduction Of all corpo-
rations Of whatever kind in the State
co obedience to the laws Of the State
We are moved in this matter by no
spirit of hostility to railroads. On the
other hand, we claim to be their truest
friends, as we are their chief support
ers. We believe they ought to be, and
may be, conducted in such manner as
to serve the best interests of the farmer,
and at the same time be reasonably re-
munerative to their stockholders. We
believe that the real and ultimate inter-
ests Of the railroads and people are re-
ciprocal, and each will find the largest
prosperity in encouraging, fostering,
and building up the other.


In view Of these considerations, I
recommend the raising of select CON-
mittee from this State Grange, whose
duty it shall be to attend the approach
ing session Of the Legislature and as.
sist in ;he framing Of law looking to
the correction Of the evils Of the pres
ent system of transportation. I re-
commend also that steps be taken to
provide means, by assessment upon the
Oranges or otherwise, for carrying on
any suit coming before the courts in
which the validity of such law may be
contested. 1850 .>. .,-. y,


Another subject which demands our
attention is that Of the granting or re-
newal Of letters patent to individuals
for useful inventions. The grant to an
individual of an exclusive right to
make, use and sell any useful article
which that individual has made, or up
on which he las made meritorious
improvement, is altogether right and
proper; it is only securing to him the
reward for his labor, but it is at the
same time restriction of the rights of
others. 1t is monopoly, and as such
should be carefully and sparingly grant
Led. Nearly all household and farm ma
chinery is manufactured and sold under
this exclusive right, and the farmers of
our State are at this moment laboring
under load of debts, greater and more
burdensome by far, for patent machi-
merry, at enormous prices, in conse-
quence of patents: than for all other
things put together. Recommend that
Congress be memorialized by this State
Grange to amend the patent laws, re-
| stricting the duration of letters patent
to seven years, and to provide against
! their renewal .
1t is reported that there is very
large accumulation Of money to the
credit of the National Grange in the
depository selected by the Executive
Committee in the city of New York.
This money has accrued in consequence
of the great growth of the Order and
its enormous paying membership. Such
an accumulation. was doubtless not
contemplated when the rates of dues by
the National Grange and the fees for
charters were established. That money
should be placed where it will do the
most good" J" and I recommend that the
National Grange be requested to reduce
the dues of membership, and the fees
for charters, to such an amount as shall,
as near as practical, be sufficient only to
defray the current expenses of the Ma
tional Grange, and to distribute to the
State Oranges the present surplus fund
in proportion to the membership report
ed in each. Also to repeal the provis.
ion Of the Constitution fixing the rate
OF fees for the degrees in subordinate
Oranges, and allow the State Grange to
establish the same at their pleasure:


The present constitution of this State
Grange was drafted and reported in
great haste, at nearly the close Of the
last session The committee having the
subject in charge had not sufficient
time in which to mature such law fol
the government Of the Order as ou1
necessities required. It is crude, ill,di