Fine Speeches Heard By Many Farmers

National Grange Day Brought Out a Big Crowd, Who Enjoyed the Exercises

Address by the Hon. J.H. Brigham
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Praises the Farmers and Honors the Memory of President McKinley

Buffalo Evening News, October 11, 1901

Farmers and their families flocked into Buffalo yesterday morning on all railroads and hastened out to the Pan-American Exposition to take part in the celebration of National Grange Day. The Patrons of Husbandry came from every direction, at the Exposition they were to be seen everywhere, and in the afternoon the Temple of Music was packed during the interesting exercises which were held.

The Grangers assembled at the Grange building and, headed by the 74th Regiment band, marched to the Temple swarming into it like bees and quickly filling every available seat. There sat on the stage officers of the National Grange and the various State granges, including the speakers.

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Director-General Buchanan welcomed the Grangers most cordially. The Grange, said the Director-General, is an order which represents education in the highest sense; the education which is the most practical, the most common-sense, is most beneficial to mankind. Mr. Buchanan referred to his experience as a boy on a farm, declaring that he then acquired so much good information that he had not been able to put all of it to proper use.

Chairman Jones, as Master of the National organization, responded fittingly. He expressed appreciation of the welcome extended and then spoke of the farmer and his place in citizenship. The security of this country, he said, depends upon agriculture; when the farmer prospers all others prosper. The Grange stands for American freedom and better citizenship, for the placing of wives and children on an equality in the home and in citizenship with husbands and brothers; for the highest ideal in life, the happy home. The cornerstone of the Grange and its work is formed by education, justice and equality.

E.B. Norris, master of the New York State Grange, followed with a brief address, which few heard owing to the crowds surging in and out of the Temple. Mr. Norris expressed his gratification at the attendance of so large a number of the members of the order, and paid high tribute in a few words to President McKinley as one who took great interest in the agricultural affairs of the country and who always was a good friend while in official position to the farmer.

Hon. J.H. Brigham, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and past master of the National Grange, received a very enthusiastic greeting. He declared that his hearers represented the most important industry of the country, agriculture, and that their organization was founded upon good principles and calculated to raise the status of the tiller of the soil.

Mr. Brigham spoke at length of the Department of Agriculture, pointing out the great benefits which have come to the farmers of the United States through its establishment and its operation. The department helps the farmer in many ways, it saves him money, it brings to him the best that science and nature can bestow which will assist the agriculturalist in getting the best profit out of them.

Mr. Brigham declared that our people had been negligent in failing to suppress the teaching of anarchy and those who promulgate the doctrines which lead to murder. He declared that the men and women who are preaching the pernicious doctrines in the United States should be disposed of; they should be sent somewhere where they can live without law, if they wish, but if that cannot be done, then the only thing to do is to treat them as we would a mad dog.

The lecturer of the National Grange, N.J.Bachedler, followed with an eloquent address in which he told of the work, the growth and the prosperity of the organization throughout the United States. He praised the Exposition as beautiful and illustrative of the progress and prosperity of this nation and the other Pan-American countries. He urged that, if there could be shown at the Exposition what the Grange had saved farmers, what needful and helpful legislation it had secured in their interest, how it secured the oleomargarine and other food laws, how it aided in securing the Inter-Commerce Commissions, no grander monument could be built to human energy, human good, to noble men and women.

Excellent addresses were made by Mr. Horton of Michigan, Mrs. Twing of Westfield, N.Y., C. J. Bell of Vermont, E.W. Westgate of Kansas and Jabel Robinson of Canada.

The playing of a selection and the singing of the song, "Mr. Volunteer," by Eugene Jerge, closed the ceremonies.

 


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