Thursday, May 22, 1890. 
XCV 
engineers of the country towards the 
funds of the Society, he did not 
think that they had been met in a fair 
or reasonable way. They had been 
treated with rather scant courtesy. 
A larger representation upon the 
Council would be an advantage to the 
Society, the community in general, 
and, he thought, to the engineers as 
well. Their representation had been 
very inadequate for many years past. 
Mr. W. E. Bear said he had for 
many years advocated more attention 
on the part of the Society to the 
encouragement of new inventions, 
and also to the improvement of the 
plants of the farm. The live stock 
department monopolised too much of 
the attention and money of the 
Society. He was glad to think that 
the Society proposed to go back to 
its good old practice of former days. 
But they saw that whilst the Society 
piped to the implement makers, the 
implement makers had declined to 
dance. He was very glad to see that 
the Council adhered to their plan of 
having the trials of threshing machines 
at Doncaster, in spite of the attempts 
made to boycott them. The New- 
castle engine trials — when the same 
action was taken — brought out some 
excellent results, and when some of 
them saw these results, they were dis- 
posed to think that those who declined 
to enter had shown that discretion 
which they were told was the better 
part of valour. Upon the present 
occasion they perhaps saw looming 
in the distance some redoubtable 
David whom these Goliaths had 
reason to fear. Those who occupied 
high niches in the Temple of Fame 
were naturally anxious to keep new 
men from climbing up the stairs. In 
this connection the interests of the 
farmer were not at one with those of 
the great implement makers. They 
saw at the shows certificates and 
medals displayed as having been 
awarded in the past to machines 
now of an antiquated type, which 
were best suited for agricultural 
museums. These signs were con- 
spicuously displayed, and the makers 
got credit to which they were not 
now entitled. There ought to be 
more frequent competitive trials in 
connection, with implements. He 
wanted to say this too : That the 
examination and trials of novelties 
for the few medals given by the 
Society were carried out in a very 
perfunctory manner. There was 
scarcely time for the judges to get 
round and seethe entries. He might 
have offered other criticisms ; but 
there had been, if not too much 
criticism of the Society lately, 
too much of the wrong kind. 
It was of a character to make all 
persons who respected themselves feel 
particularly friendly towards the 
Society. In a certain quarter the 
Society had been criticised in what 
he could only call a vulgar and 
bumptious manner, reminding them 
of the fable of the donkey in the 
lion's skin, trying to imitate the lion's 
roar, but only succeeding in emitting 
a feeble bray, which the Society could 
afford to treat with contempt. 
Mr. John Richardson said he 
would like to confirm what had been 
stated by Mr. Marshall, of Gains- 
borough. Implement makers, whose 
exhibits formed so large a fraction of 
the Society's Show, ought to be much 
better represented. There were now 
only two representatives of imple- 
ments upon the Council, instead of 
six, as formerly. Considering that 
the Council consisted of about eighty 
members, he thought that a quarter 
of the total number should consist of 
agricultural implement makers. 
Mr. Clare Sewell Read moved 
a vote of thanks to the Chairman for 
presiding, and for the distinguished 
s^vices which he had rendered to the 
great national Society. He was quite 
sure that it was a very great pleasure 
to those who were old men to see the 
young ones coming forward in the 
cause of agriculture, and it was 
particularly gratifying when they 
found an honourable representative 
of one of the first founders of the 
Society in the chair on the j resent 
occasion. 
Mr. Samuel Kingston seconded, 
remarking upon the business-like 
manner in which the proceedings had 
been conducted by the noble Chair- 
man. 
Lord Moreton in a few words 
acknowledged the vote of thanks, and 
the proceedings terminated. 
