THE AMERICAN STANDARD OF PERFECTION 259 



show under any judge birds which he has bought of 

 this judge within six months previous to the time they 

 are to be judged ; that every fowl shown must be the actual 

 property of the person showing it, to which affidavit 

 must be made if required ; that exhibitors shall make no 

 attempt to interfere with or influence judges ; that ex- 

 hibitors shall have certain rights of appeal, etc. In a 

 word, they are in the line of all human experience : viz., 

 that it must be made as difficult as possible for men to 

 go wrong. The sixteen sections covering these rules 

 must be printed on the entry blanks of such shows as 

 accept the authority of the American Poultry Associa- 

 tion, and are required to be signed in ink by all accepted 

 exhibitors. 



Having such a wide field from which to draw, and such 

 wide jurisdiction, the American Poultry Association is 

 becoming a numerous and a powerful body, whose king- 

 dom is likely to increase if it is fortunate enough not to 

 make bad blunders as time passes. The fact that all 

 Branches have recognized and specific voting privileges, 

 and that members may also join the Association direct 

 and vote as individuals, gives every portion of our coun- 

 try power in training the growth of this important body. 

 If the people have the foresight to accept and to use 

 this power, as members in attendance upon its delibera- 

 tions, they are supreme. 



There has been much discussion as to what work this 

 body should take up specifically. Many of the members 

 have done much thinking along this line, and various 

 suggestions, some valuable and workable, others dubious, 

 have been brought out. A utility Standard is one of 

 the advance movements suggested, but the Association is 



