FANCIERS' JOURNAL 



F 



481 

 F363 

 BIRD 



AND 



POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



Vol. I. 



PHILADELPHIA, MAY 14, 1874. 



No. 20. 



(For the Fanciers' Journal.) 



A. P. A. vs. A. M. HALSTED. 



I am not the champion of the rights of the American 

 Poultry Association, neither of those of Mr. Halsted. The 

 question at issue, however, is one in which we are all inter- 

 ested, inasmuch as the individual rights of every member of 

 that Association, either present or prospective, is involved in 

 the action of the adjourned meeting held at Boston. 



I do not pretend from the records to understand the case, 

 and, I confess, I write this short article as much for the pur- 

 pose of getting some light on the question for all of us, as 

 for any other. 



In the first place I remark, therefore, that " for ways that 

 are dark," the action of the Association at Boston in this 

 particular case, beats the "Heathen Chinee" all to pieces. 

 Whether Mr. Halsted did, or did not, introduce a member 

 under an assumed name is to the public not known ; but the 

 question in the public mind is : What object could Mr. Hal- 

 sted have in so introducing any one ? Why should he 

 strive to introduce one to the presence of "the most dignified 

 body of men ever assembled together for any honorable pur- 

 pose " under a false name? Here is where the records are 

 dark. Those of us who were not at Boston can't find out 

 any of the facts of the case; neither who the member was, 

 nor why he was so introduced. If we had the facts we might 

 form a more intelligent judgment on the matter. 



But, secondly, no court, in a republic like ours, ever con- 

 victs a man without a trial. I am extremely sorry that the 

 movers in this action did not give Mr. Halsted a chance to 

 come before them, and at least plead " not guilty." This is 

 where they have betrayed great weakness, if Mr. Halsted 

 was not heard in his own defence. Prom the records we 

 can't tell whether he was present or not, nor whether he was 

 invited to be present after having been made acquainted with 

 the specific charges against him ; nor can we even tell whether 

 he was ever made acquainted with the charges against him 

 previous to expulsion. If not, the Association has cer- 

 tainly, in the calm judgment of every man, done itself much 

 dishonor, and its members, particularly Mr. Halsted, a 

 great wrong. 



Now, I confess, to me this is a bad showing for " the most 

 dignified and honorable," &c. ; or, are we to understand that 

 the President had just read Mark Antony's oration over the 

 dead body of Ca?sar, and was perpetrating a grim joke at the 

 expense of the Association when he used that phrase ? An- 

 tony said of the assassins of Ca?sar : " These are all honora- 

 ble men." 



I have not a bit of doubt as to the integrity and honor of 

 the members of the American Poultry Association. Many 

 of them are my personal friends, but they will agree with me 

 that that part which took action at Boston ei'frjef 'Sid" if in 

 undue haste or they have covered some evidence wh 

 public has not had a chance to hear. Now, i: 



themselves, and in justice to Mr. Halsted, this evidence 

 should be forthcoming at once. 



But, on the other side, if Mr. Halsted's statement is true, 

 as published, and neither the American Poultry Association 

 nor any one else has ever publicly denied it, and, besides, it 

 seems entirely fair on the face, what then? Simply this, that 

 some of the members have proved themselves hot-headed, 

 and repulsed and driven away many who were anxious to 

 become members from offering their names to the Asso- 

 ciation. 



If Mr. Halsted's statement is correct the Association 

 should not lose a moment in reversing its action. In fact, if it 

 is correct, the mover of that resolution owes it to him to pub- 

 lish a proper apology in every paper in which the resolution 

 for expulsion was published. If not correct, and the mover 

 of the resolution has the evidence, it is due to him and the 

 Association, and the public, that it is brought to light. Let 

 us know at once whether this is mere persecution, or whether 

 the accused has been guilty of an offence which would war- 

 rant his expulsion. A. N. E. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



THE LAST REVISION OF THE STANDARD. 



To Wm. H. Churchman, Esq., 



President American Poultry Association, Claymont, Del. 



Dear Sir : The universal dissatisfaction exhibited among 

 American poultry breeders and fanciers with the results of 

 the hastily concluded. Convention held at Buffalo in January 

 — of which you were presiding officer — prompts me to 

 address you directly, for the purpose of presenting to you 

 officially my views, already communicated publicly through 

 two of our leading poultry journals. 



Personally, I have no especial interest in the matter of 

 a " Standard of Excellence " for adoption at American poul- 

 try exhibitions, because I long since ceased to be a contrib- 

 utor of my stock to our public shows — after a successful 

 career for years among sharp competitors with my Chinese 

 fowls, which proved (at least to me) of the most flattering 

 and remunerative character; but, feeling the same lively 

 interest in the welfare of my brother fanciers at large that 

 I have indulged for over a quarter of a century, and believing 

 that I know something about this subject (or ought to) 

 through past long experience, I desire to call your attention, 

 and, through you, the notice also of the officers and mem- 

 bers of the new "American Poultry Association " to my 

 views, and to this end I respectfully present the following 

 specific objections to the " standard" just issued under your 

 auspices, which is offered to the poultry societies of the 

 -United States as law, to govern their conduct at future pub- 

 lic fowl exhibitions. These objections to, and my opinion 

 fif thin- pr"p""H-S'ii8itww1i rrl , " are in part as follows : 



he phraseology in this work is unwisely and 

 '•"WwfNirbitrary ; n jj s g enera i character, and alto- 



JAN 2 4 2001 ) 



i/SRARIES 



