TEXAS PACIFIC RAILROAD. 129 18. The election of members of the Executive Committee was an important matter. At the last session it was determined to increase the number from three to five. D. W. Aiken, of South Carolina, is re-elected for three years, and the two new members are D. T. Chase, of New Hampshire, and John T. Jones, of Arkansas. R. E. Shankland, of Iowa, continues for two years, and William Saunders, of Washington City, for one year. 19. The National Grange will meet in San Francisco next November, if, on investigation, it is found that the expense to its Treasury will not be too great. 20. An important change made by the ratification and final adoption of the new Constitution is, that Past Masters are no longer, as such, even honorary members of the National or State Granges. The following is a report of the Committee and the resolutions adopted concerning the Texas Pacific Railroad: Your committee, to whom was referred resolutions of the Texas State Grange, and of numerous other bodies in different sections of the United States, to extend its aid to the Texas Pacific Railroad, have had the same under consideration, and ask to make this report: Your committee have viewed with great interest the expressions of approval and appeals to Congress to forward this great work, emanating from the State Granges and Boards of Trade, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and are impressed with the great and obvious benefits which would result to this whole nation by the speedy completion of this road; and as it is an enterprise too vast to depend alone for its success upon private capital, equal justice to all sections of our common country requires aid of the National Government to forward this work, under the proper restrictions and safeguards, insuring the Government against loss, and the people against unjust impositions and discriminations. Your committee therefore submit the following resolution: That this National Grange earnestly invites the attention of Congress to the necessity of a speedy completion of the Texas Pacific Railroad, and asks of that body reasonable aid to the company, which has inaugurated this great national enterprise, under such cautionary restrictions and safeguards as the prudence and wisdom of Congress may devise to guarantee the Government against loss, and protect the agricultural interests of every section of the country against unjust discriminations in the price of transportation. The reasons for the action of the National Grange are thus explained by Worthy Master Hamilton: The friends of the Texas Pacific, when they came before the National Grange, never asked for anything which might prove injurious-they merely asked the endorsement of the agriculturists of our country to a bill then before Congress, which was intended and well calculated to develop the resources of millions of fertile acres of our territory, open up beautiful homes for thousands of our fellow citizens, check the monopoly already existing in the carrying trade across this continent, between Asia and the cities and sea-board on our Atlantic coast; add to the national population, the national industry and the national wealth; increase the taxable resources of the country, add to its revenues and lessen the public debt. They urged it was a public duty to utilize the enormous national capital that now lies idle in the vast southern region between Texas and the Pacific coast. They pointed to that vast national domain, capable of producing untold quantities of corn, wheat, wine, cotton, wool and stock; and which, from its want of accessibility and distance from market, could not be profitably brought under cultivation. This wealth, with the rich mines of gold, silver, lead, copper, and coal in Southern Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Southern Utah, Nevada, and Southern California, was shown to be unavailable to the nation by reason of distance from mercantile centers and cost of transportation. Justice to the Southern States demanded that they should have the same rights and facilities to develop their material wealth and increase their productions as had been extended to the Middle and Northern States. Their products, cotton, tobacco, rice, and sugar, are of great value to the nation, and the Northern and Middle States have a direct interest in everything which has a tendency to stimulate the growth of agricultural products in the South. Our military commanders, Generals Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Hancock, Meiggs and Ingalls, have all testified that the extension of the railroad from our south-western frontier to the Pacific coast is a military necessity, and that it would substantially end our Indian troubles by the facilities it would give the military to control these wild and savage people. The bill indorsed by the National Grange, and which it recommended to the speedy action of Congress, does not ask for one acre of the public domain, beyond what may be needed for roadway and stations, nor one dollar as a gift from the public treasury, nor any bonds, the principle or interest of which the government was expected to pay, none of these were asked for-but simply that the government would guarantee an interest of six per cent. upon the bonds of the road, to the extent of $30,000 per mile, agreed that every guard and restriction necessary to prevent extortion, or unjust discrimination, or fraud of any kind, either towards the people or bond-holders, should be placed by Congress in the franchise. The security offered against loss on this guarantee is vast and comprehensive. First, the road surrenders every acre of the valuable lands hitherto obtained. Second, it gives the whole of its earnings for transportation for the government. Third, it gives ten per cent. of the entire gross receipts of the road. Fourth, in default of payment the road itself becomes forfeit. Was better security ever exacted by capitalist? The propriety and security of this great work was so apparent to the members of the National Grange, that the vote, in regard to it, was almost a unit. The Masters from Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and other States, where Patrons have been contending so earnestly against railroad monopolies, were so well satisfied of the benefits and advantages to be derived from opening another great thoroughfare across our country from Atlantic to Pacific shore, and that ORGANIZATION OF STATE GRANGE OF CALIFORNIA. 131 all necessary guards and restrictions to prevent imposition and fraud would be thrown around it, gave it their hearty support; and not one of them had an idea their action was in the least degree a departure from the principles which should control the action of Grangers, or a violation of the objects and purposes of the Patrons of Husbandry, as fully set forth and given to the world in our Platform of Principles. CHAPTER XII. ANNALS OF THE STATE GRANGE OF CALIFORNIA. ORGANIZATION AT NAPA - REPRESENTATION: ADDRESS OF N. W. GARRETSON: SPECIFIC OBJECTS STATED RESOLUTIONS: STATE BOOK OF PLANS: ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: AGENCIES PROVIDED FOR-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING-ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR GRANGES IN THREE MONTHS-WORTHY MASTER WRIGHT'S ADDRESS--REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON IRRIGATION: COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY INTO AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF UNIVERSITY-ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR TWO ENSUING YEARS--PRESENTATION TO BRO. GARRETSON-INSTALLATION--PROF. CARR'S LECTURE--CONSTITUTION AND BY LAWS. THE organization of the State Grange of California took place at Napa, on the 15th of July, 1873, scarcely three months after the adjournment of the Farmers' Union Convention. Meanwhile, a special deputy from the National Grange had been busy organizing the necessary number of Subordinate Granges, which were now convened; the First President of the State Agricultural Society, Hon. J. M. Hamilton, Worthy Master of Guenoc Grange, appeared among the good men and true, who had been active members of the Union, and upon whose shoulders the burden of responsibility was afterward cast. The following Granges were represented by their proper officers: W. H. Baxter and Mrs. Baxter, Napa Grange; W. A. Fisher, Past Master, Napa Grange; E. B. Stiles, W. San Joaquin Grange; J. D. Spencer and Mrs. Spencer, Stanislaus Grange; T. Hart Hyatt, Vacaville Grange; W. M. Thorp and Mrs. Thorp, Chico Grange; J. B. Jolley and Mrs. Jolley, Merced Grange; J. D. Reyburn and Mrs. Reyburn, Salida Grange; R. C. Haile, Suisun Valley Grange; G. W. Henning, San Jose Grange; J. D. Fowler, Hollister Grange; W. S. Manlove and Mrs. Manlove, Sacramento Grange; W. M. Jackson and Mrs. Jackson, Yolo Grange; Nelson Carr and Mrs. N. Carr, Bennett Valley Grange; G. W. Davis and Mrs. G. W. Davis, Santa Rosa Grange; T. H. Merry and Mrs. T. H. Merry, Healds |