Pending discussion, on motion of Bro. Forsyth, Ills., the subject was made the special order for Monday at 10 o'clock A. M. On motion of Bro Draper, Mass., the Secretary was directed to have printed, for the use of the members, five hundred copies of the paper. On motion, the Grange was closed until Monday at 9 30 o'clock A. M. FIFTH DAY. MONDAY, November 22d, 1880. The Grange assembled in accordance with the order of Saturday, and was opened at 9.30 o'clock A. M., in the Fourth Degree, by the Worthy Master. Present, the officers and members as on other days, and a number of visiting Patrons. Sister Mary Baylor, W. Va., appeared in place as a member of this Grange. The roll was called, and a quorum of members responded. On motion, the special order set for the hour was transferred to the order of unfinished business, and the regular order of business was entered upon. Under the call of States for new business the foilowing was presented : By Bro. Smith, Ga.: Resolutions of Willacoochee Grange, No. 512, Ga., asking the adoption by the National Grange of an additional sign. Referred to the Committee on Good of the Order. Under a call of the Standing Committees the following was presented: By Bro. Eshbaugh, Mo.: Worthy Master: Your Committee on Co-operation, to which was referred the resolution of Bro. Wilson, Fla., on the subject of inter-state agencies has considered the same, and submits the following report: State Agents are appointees of State Granges, and are established for the general benefit of members in the States creating such agencies, and are therefore entirely under the control of their respective State Granges, and not accountable to this body as such agents. And in the absence of any law regulating interstate agency, your Committee would recommend that wherever practicable and of advantage to the Order, such agents be authorized by their respective State Granges to enter into such business relations with each other upon Grange principles, as may be just and proper, and to advantage to the Patrons of the several States. The report was received, and on motion concurred in. Your Committee on accounts, to whom was referred the account of Bro. Samuel E. Adams, Past Master of the National Grange, from Sept. 30th, 1879, to Nov. 28th, 1879, have had the same under consideration, and instruct me to report, that we find ⚫ the several items therein contained, amounting in the aggregate to $137.45, to be correct and properly chargeable to the National Grange. We also find that the aforesaid account has been paid by requisitions on the Treasurer of the National Grange. Your Committee therefore recommend that the account be placed on file. The report was received, and on motion the recommendation concurred in. Your Committee on Accounts, to whom was referred the account of Bro. S. H. Ellis, as a member of the Executive Committee, from Sept. 30th, 1879, to Nov. 28th, 1879, have had the same under consideration, and instruct me to report that we find the several items therein contained, amounting to $125.00, to be correct and properly chargeable to the National Grange, and we also find the above indebtedness of the National Grange to Bro. Ellis cancelled by cash in his hands Oct. 1st, 1879, amounting to $101.75, and by a draft on the Fiscal Agency, Nov. 28th, 1879, of $23.25, making a total of $125.00. Your Committee therefore recommend that the account of Bro. Ellis be accepted and placed on file. The report was received, and on motion the recommendation was concurred in. By Bro. Franklin, Vt.: The Committee on Constitution and By-Laws, to whom was referred the preamble and resolution introduced by Bro. Armstrong, of N. Y., declaratory of the views of the National Grange as to the amendment of its Constitution in relation to Fourth Degree members being eligible as representatives to State Granges, would respectfully return the same to the National Grange, as in the opinion of the Committee the subject matter contained therein is not within the province of the Committee to act upon. The report was received, and on motion placed on the order of unfinished business. Also, Your Committee on Constitution and By-Laws, to whom was referred the action of the Tennessee State Grange, asking changes in the Constitution of the National Grange, would report that they have considered the same, and report adversely thereto. The report was received, and on motion concurred in. By Bro. Smith, Ky.: The Special Committee, to whom was referred the resolution offered by Bro. Harwell, concerning the consolidation of life insurance companies within the jurisdiction of the National Grange respectfully report: That inasmuch as the life insurance companies, or mutual aid societies, are organized under the laws of the several States, and a conflict of the laws of those States would prevent the consolidation under one general management, therefore your Committee are of the opinion that any action of the National Grange upon the subject would be inexpedient. And your Committee further report, that the resolution referred to them requiring supervision of the several State business agencies of the several States, is not in accordance with the legitimate business of the National Grange, and therefore report adversely thereto. The report was received, and on motion the conclusions were concurred in. Under the call for Motions and Resolutions the following was presented: By Bro. Smith, Ga.: Resolved, That a call for the status of the Grange in the respecive States be again made, and that the call be made the special order for Monday next at 11 o'clock A. M., when it will be expected that each brother will present, in writing, a condensed statement of the condition of the Grange in his State, that our brotherhood throughout the country may be advised as to its status, and stimulated to persevere in the worthy objects, aims, and purposes of our organization. Which was decided in the negative. The Secretary presented the following communication: RIO CARABELLE, FLA., Nov. 15, 1880. HON. J. J. WOODMAN, Master National Grange: MY WORTHY BROTHER,-Yours of the 5th inst. received. Accept my hearty thanks for the invitation to meet the National Grange at its coming Session in Washington. It would be to me a great pleasure to meet with you all once more, and particularly at this time, in the birthplace of our noble Order; while circumstances prevent, yet I shall bear you in remembrance during your Session, and let me assure you, that I do not wish my pres. ent retirement from active work in the Order to be considered as permanent, by any means, for I have determined to take hold of the work again at an early day, and, I trust, under such favorable circumstances as to enable me to carry out some at least of the plans laid in the early days of the institution. The time is near at hand when the Grange will stand before the world in a far different light than to-day, and it will exert an influence more powerful and beneficial than that of any other association. To those of my old associates who may be present, I send congratulations, and rejoice that their lives have been spared for this occasion; and to the new members, my earnest wishes that the Session may prove the most valuable to the Order of any ever held. I remain yours fraternally, O. H. KELLEY. Bro. Blanton, Va., rose to a question of privilege, and stated that inasmuch as the National Grange had not accepted the invitation of the Alexandria District Grange, of Northern Virginia, to visit it on Wednesday evening next, in the terms in which it was extended, but had amended it, he was instructed to withdraw it, and request the National Grange not to make the visitation. On motion of Bro. Forsyth, Ill., the vote by which the report of the Committee on Good of the Order, on this invitation, was concurred in, was reconsidered. The question recurring on concurrence in the report of the committee, on motion of Bro. Thing, Me., the report was amended by striking out the last sentence, commencing with the words, "It is further submitted," and ending with the words, on that occasion " On motion, the report as amended was concurred in. On motion of Bro. Thing, Me., it was Resolved, That when this Grange closes its business on Wednesday next it take a recess, to meet again at 7.30 o'clock P. M., in the city of Alexandria, Va. On motion of Bro. Jones, Ind., it was Resolved, That the election of a member of the Executive Committee be made the special order for this evening at 8 o'clock. Bro. Devries, Md., presented a communication from Mr. Alexander Dercourt, of Montgomery County, Md., on the subject of the excessive tolls imposed on the several turnpike roads leading into the city of Washington, which was referred to the Com. mittee on Transportation. By consent, the following report of the Committee on Transportation and Commercial Relations was presented by Bro. Armstrong, N. Y.: The problem of transportation, in its relation to agriculture, confronts every farmer throughout the land. He may apply his labor with rare skill, propitious seasons may bless his efforts, and the fertile soil under these influences may return the most bountiful crops, yet there is the necessity of a market and the means of reaching it as the prime condition of profit. There is ever-increasing demand for the products of his labor, he makes the supply, but there is one intervening condition necessary to bring these two elements of commerce into profitable union-transportation. Time was when the water-ways of this country served the purpose well, but new and improved highways of commerce have been provided; railways threading the continent, the lines laid in advance of the plow, reaching athwart the broad domain of an industrious people, whose restless energies have thus been led to new effort, on new lands, and this country has by such means become the granary of the world. But while agriculture has been enlarged and extended through this agency, working to promote its development, it has by rapid stages become subjected to the very power whose kindly offices were at first employed to give it encouragement and support. Between it and the railways there is close interdependence, reciprocal obligation that must be honestly observed; for, if it is not, one or the other must suffer. The railways depend upon the products of agriculture more than upon all else for employment out of which to secure profitable return for expense of operating and capital invested in construction; while farmers depend on the railways to move their crops at such cost for the service as will leave them fair return for their labor and capital employed. As a question of political economy, it is clear that these relations must be steadily maintained for the security and welfare of both interests; and it is equally clear |