358 



FANCIBES' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



which is to be held in Hartford, December 16-19. Com- 

 mittees on special premiums, purchasing exhibition coops 

 for the Society, amending the Constitution, etc., were 

 appointed, and it was voted to hold the next quarterly 

 meeting in New Haven. 



A very lively discussion concerning the new standard 

 took place, resulting in the adoption of the following reso- 

 lution, which was opposed by only one speaker and two or 



three votes : 



Hartford, May 12, 1874. 

 To the American Poultry Association. 



At a meeting of the Connecticut State Poultry Society, held iu Hart- 

 ford, May 12th, it was 



Resolved, That this Society recognize the American Poultry Associa- 

 tion as composed of high-minded, honorable gentlemen, every way quali- 

 fied to pass upon and adopt a Standard of Excellence such as sha'll meet 

 the approbation of breeders generally throughout the country; that we 

 commend their labors at the Convention at Buffalo, and are willing to 

 stand by them and give our support in their endeavors to "perpetually 

 improve" the standard of breeding in this country; that we learn with 

 pleasure that an early meeting of the Society is to be called for the pur- 

 pose of correcting the errors which are apparent in the first edition of 

 the Standard. H. H. Stoddard, 



C. A. Pitkin, 

 J. S. Gilman, 

 Committee on Resolutions. 

 The feeling — almost unanimous, I may say — among fan- 

 ciers and breeders in this vicinity relating to the standard 

 is, that while it is not perfect, it is not faulty through any 

 intention on the part of the compilers. There is a strong 

 feeling of confidence in the officers and members of the 

 American Association. They are considered gentlemen who 

 have only the best interest of the poultry breeders and 

 fanciers at heart, and it is believed that every honest criti- 

 cism and every notice of omissions or errors will receive at 

 their hands only courteous and prompt attention. In this 

 belief and with this feeling the meeting thought it advisable 

 to say what it did in the resolution above given. 



And now — if you will allow me space — just one word 

 from your correspondent. I have probably read every 

 article (some twenty-five in number) that has appeared 

 against the standard, and carefully separating the honest 

 criticisms and notes on apparent typographical and other 

 errors from the articles which are clearly prompted from 

 jealousy and chagrin, I find that the American Association 

 can very easily make such corrections as will render the 

 standard generally acceptable to the breeders of the coun- 

 try. The Association has drawn out the respect and ad- 

 miration of all right-thinking and honest breeders by the 

 very dignified and courteous course it has pursued through 

 all the mud and rotten-egg throwing it has had to endure 

 since three or four persons, who care more for a little cheap 

 notoriety than for a clear conscience, commenced their bil- 

 lingsgate and contemptible personalties in writing upon the 

 new standard. 



The American Association, I know, is above all that sort 

 of thing, and can not be injured by it ; but the temptation 

 was strong to make it hot for the anonymous and other 

 villifiers, and, for one, I am pleased to note that the per- 

 sons attacked have thought their powder worth more than 

 the game. Evidently every person who has real cause for 

 complaint will be heard, and corrections made accordingly ; 

 so that those who are attempting to create a disturbance for 

 the sake of bringing themselves into notice will be the only 

 dissatisfied ones in the country. The best thing they can 

 do is to call a convention and see what a figure they will 

 cut before the country. I should like to read over the list 

 of persons who would attend it, and above all, I should like 

 to have Mr. Burnham write it up under the head of the 



Standard Fever, and show up its humbuggery, as he once 

 did the questionable transactions of the old-time fanciers. 

 Mr. Burnham would certainly find a -fine field at that con- 

 vention for the flow of his genial humor. 



I am glad to see the call from the Secretary of the Ameri- 

 can Association for corrections, and to learn that those who 

 have found omissions and errors are promptly notifying 

 him of the same, as the officers evidently intend to correct 

 the standard at once. 



The prospects for the best exhibition ever held in this 

 State are very flattering for next fall. 



Mr. Andrew Sugden, of Hartford, has imported a fine 

 flock of Crevecoeurs. 



A FEW WORDS OF EXPLANATION. 



It seems to be scarcely appreciated by our Hartford cor- 

 respondent, this week, that the Fanciers' Journal is not in 

 the habit of indulging in " throwing mud," etc. "We must 

 insist that our friends also must not, in these columns, com- 

 mit this folly. 



We have patiently heard and given in our paper space to 

 both sides, upon this standard question. Our writers have 

 accompanied their strictures with their proper signatures, 

 or we know them all. And we have, -editorially and other- 

 wise, contended that the American Poultry Association is 

 the only proper authority to call a new convention, if one be 

 held, and through its auspices that the standard should be 

 revised — as that Association proposes to do. 



The resolution passed by the Connecticut Poultry Society, 

 May 12, 1874, is perfectly proper, but we do not opine that 

 the A. P. A. needs any such indorsement. No body, that 

 we remember, has said aught against this national organi- 

 zation (certainly not in our columns), but the comments 

 published, generally, have rather pointed in the main to the 

 hurried action of some of the " Committees of the Buffalo 

 Convention," etc. That faults exist in the standard is evi- 

 dent, since- the officers of the A. P. A. have already an- 

 nounced that they desire communications from all our 

 fanciers, with a view to correcting the errors, omissions, etc., 

 which may be fairly pointed out. This is as it should be, 

 and no one can reasonably object to it. 



Our Hartford correspondent's idea that Mr. G. P. Burn- 

 ham, who twenty years ago wrote such a lively, humorous 

 record of the "hen fever" of that time, might, under the 

 head of the " 'standard fever,' to-day, show up its humbug- 

 gery, as he formerly did the questionable transactions of the 

 old-time fanciers," is not a bad one. We agree with our 

 Hartford friend, that " Mr. B. would certainly find a fine 

 field at the Convention for the flow of his genial humor." 



As to the American Poultry Association, itself, however, 

 we yield to none in our estimation of the high-minded and 

 honorable character of the gentlemen composing it. And, 

 since our Hartford correspondent finds that " the A. P. A. 

 can very easily make such corrections as will render the new 

 standard generally acceptable," we trust that what they pro- 

 pose to do, in this direction, will end further controversy, as 

 it ought to. But we fail to see where the "billingsgate," 

 the "contemptible personalities," or the "mud and rotten- 

 egg throwing" comes in, as yet. We repeat it, in these 

 columns, while we shall continuously contend for courtesv 

 and civility with all our correspondents, we shall not forget 

 the requirements of fair play, in all legitimate discussions, 

 and shall insist in such matters upon the adoption of " the 

 golden rule." 



