26 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE 



sold; to fix the amount and approve the bond of the 

 TreavSurer and Secretarj^; to make the necessary appropriations 

 to defray the expense of the several officers of the Grange. 



This unnsual delegation of power seemed to be rendered 

 necessary by the large number of members present at the last 

 regular meeting of the Grange, the great diversity of opinion 

 entertained upon most of these subjects, the heavy expense 

 necessarily incurred by a lengthy session of so large a body (it 

 being about $2,300 per day), and the low condition of the treas- 

 ury at that time. 



Your committee entered upon tlie discharge of its duties 

 immediately upon the close of the last session of this Grange. 

 They met at the Ashley House, in the city of Bloomiugton, and 

 selected D. W. Dame to act as Chairman, and D. N. Foster, 

 Secretary; also fixed the amount of the Secretary's and Treas- 

 urer's bond at $25,000 each, and adjourned to meet at the city 

 of Sterling, on December 23, 1873. 



Your committee carefully considered the Constitution of the 

 Order, and requested the Master to ask for the following 

 changes, believing that the experience in the working of the 

 Order has shown them to be desirable, if not necessary, for 

 th^ good of the whole organization: 



To have the Article under the head of State Grange, so 

 altered as to allow the various State Granges to create a legisla- 

 tive or representative body from its members, of such a number, 

 and in such a manner, as it may, from time to time, deem 

 expedient. Also the right to regulate its own internal affairs, 

 providing such action shall not conflict with the constitution 

 and by-laws of the National Grange. 



SIXTH DEGREE. , 



Each State Grange to be repi'esented in the National Grange 

 upon the basis of its membership. 



TERM OF OFFICE. 



Officers of the National Grange to be elected for two years. 

 The annual meeting to be held in October. 



Also that Secretaries of Subordinate Granges report and pay 

 all moneys due the State Grange, to the Secretary, instead 

 of to the Treasurer, as required by the old Constitution. 



In Article 8, Section 5, the following words are found: 



" But no plan of work shall be adopted by the State or Subordinate 

 Grange, without first submitting it to, and receiving the sanction of, the 

 National Grange." 



It is not clear just what is intended to be convej^ed hy this 

 language. If it is intended that no plan of work shall be 

 adopted either for the moral, social, intellectual or pecuniary 

 interests of the members of the Order without applying to, and 



