Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1888 — THE NATIONAL GRANGE. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL GRANGE.

The twenty-seco'ad annual convention of the National Grange,, P. of >H., commenced at Topeka, Kansas, on the 15th. James Draper, of Mass., acting master, in his address spoke of the flourishing condition of the order, and said that during the past year 193 subordinate granges has been organized, the greatest increase being in North Carolina. Past experience showed that the organization needed a more perfect system in the supervision of its legislative interests, and he recommended that some person with authority to act for the grange, be stationed in Washington during sessions of Congress. After Criticising the action of Congress imrejecting the bill to enlarge the powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture, he turned his attention to trusts, which he denounced .as injurious to to the producer and consumer alike, teran extent- unparalleled in the world’s history. He said the grange, as the only natural organization of agricultural interests, “must take the first aggressive steps in defending that industry which underlies all other industries and affects so seriously the national prosperity.” He spoke of the alarming increase in food adulteration wnich, he said, has assumed a proportion so gigantic that it threatens the healthfulness of nearly every article of diet. On the tariff question he said: “The declaration of purposes of our order demand protection for the weak, restraint upon the strong. Equitable tariff 'egislation is an issue second to none in this direction, and to accomplish anything we must use our undivided influence and organized power in demanding a reduction of the highly protected industries to correspond with the protection agriculture is' now receiving, or else an increase of protection to agriculture that shall be equitable and just to all concerned.” Mr. Draper also spoke of the State universities established by the government for the benefit of sons of farmers and artisans, and of other matters pertaining to the work of the grange.