1900 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
95 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—Since 1892 South Carolina has made 
11,706,000 by the sale of liquor through Its State dispen¬ 
saries .January 25 a fearful dynamite explosion 
occurred at Ashley, Pa., killing three men and in¬ 
juring two others. It was caused by a runaway train, 
which dashed down a mountain slope into the railroad 
yard, in which a carload of dynamite was standing. The 
scene of the accident looked like the track of a tornado; 
the roundhouse was badly damaged, 10 locomotives 
wrecked, and an immense tank torn to pieces. Nearly 
every window in the town was broken.The 
smallpox epidemic in Oklahoma is causing great alarm. 
It has spread to Indian territory and southern Kansas. 
.... Six Americans were reported to be shot by Mex¬ 
ican troops in Sonora, during the recent expedition 
against the Yaqui Indians. American cowboys talk of 
Invading Sonora and aiding the Yaquis.Small¬ 
pox is raging in 35 counties in Kentucky, and the State 
Board of Health has no money with which to fight the 
epidemic. Princeton and Paducah are said to have the 
largest percentage of cases.A fire in a New 
York chair factory January 29, caused damage amounting 
to $350,000; two firemen seriously hurt.A battery 
of four boilers in a Pittsburg, Pa., rolling mill blew up 
January 29, killing one man and seriously injuring sev¬ 
eral others.William Goebel, Democratic Gov¬ 
ernor-elect of Kentucky, was shot by an assassin con¬ 
cealed in the Court House at Frankfort, January 30, and 
will, probably, die. This is the result of the feud over the 
contested election, which has led to intense bitterness and 
various acts of violence. Militia were on guard, and all 
the forces of the State are called upon.St. 
Louis is looking forward to a typhoid epidemic, the re¬ 
sult of contamination of Mississippi water by the Chicago 
Drainage Canal. The water is strongly impregnated with 
sewage filth.It is reported that there are 4,000 
cases of smallpox in Mississippi; the disease exists all 
over the State.San Francisco authorities de¬ 
cide that passengers on steamers from Japan, New South 
Wales and Honolulu will be forced to undergo two weeks’ 
detention in quarantine. This will be hard on passengers 
from Honolulu, who are also detained 10 days at that 
place. San Francisco fears the entrance of plague from 
Oriental ports.A dynamite explosion in a 
quarry near Detroit, Mich., January 30. killed one man, 
and shook the country for miles around. 
CONGRESS.—The House decided to exclude Roberts by 
a vote of 268 to 50. On the question to admit him first 
and expel him afterwards the vote was 81 to 244. De 
Armond, of Missouri, denounced the proposed action as 
lynch law, establishing a dangerous precedent. He held 
that Roberts should be seated and then expelled. 
January 26 the Administration made an Important modifi¬ 
cation of its Porto Rican policy, deciding to recede from 
its recommendation of absolute free trade with the United 
States. It is expected that a rate of 25 per cent of the 
Dingley tariff will be imposed on Porto Rican products. 
The question arises whether the Island may be regarded 
as a part of the United States.Representative 
Clayton, of Alabama, introduced a resolution in the House 
January 29, fixing upon July 4 next as the date for with¬ 
drawing the troops from Cuba.Secretary Gage 
replied to the Senate resolution of January 23, asking for 
Information as to his dealings with the City National 
Bank. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The New York State Fair will 
be held at Syracuse September 24-29. 
Reports from central Indiana state that the protracted 
warm weather has caused fruit buds to swell so much 
that the crop is likely to suffer severely. January 22 nu¬ 
merous sugar camps had been opened, and the sap was 
flowing freely. 
January 27, transmitting to the House of Representa¬ 
tives at Washington a statement of the amount of oleo¬ 
margarine shipped from different States during the past 
year, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue took occasion 
to say that he was compelled to call for volunteers to pre¬ 
pare the table. One hundred clerks volunteered, who 
worked a total of 500 hours’ overtime. The table shows 
that there were 17 manufactories, 163 wholesale and 6,875 
retail dealers, and that 79,665,744 pounds were shipped from 
one State to another. 
Senator J. C. Alexander, president of the South Carolina 
State Farmers’ AlMance, issued January 29 a call to all of 
the Alliances in the State to meet and decide upon a plan 
of fighting the so-called fertilizer trust. 
Two Chicago men, John R. Rooney and Walter H. But¬ 
ler, are charged with extensive violations of law, In sell¬ 
ing butterine as genuine butter. They have been remov¬ 
ing the labels from the packages, and selling the stuff as 
butter to grocers and other retailers In various sections. 
They carried on the business extensively, without having 
an oleo dealer’s license. A number of retailers, especially 
in New York, have sent in complaints during the last few 
months, asserting that the Aurora Produce Company, of 
Chicago, filled orders for genuine butter with oleo. 
The regular annual meeting of the Western Pennsyl¬ 
vania Association of Fairs and the first annual meeting 
of the Pennsylvania State Breeders’ Association were held 
at Pittsburg January 29. At both meetings movements 
were inaugurated to secure legislation repealing the act 
establishing the present State Fair Association and ap¬ 
propriating $2,000 per year for its maintenance, and to 
secure legislation that will establish a new State Fa,ir 
Association and an annual appropriation for carrying 
it on. 
The Northwest Fruit Growers’ Association, In conven¬ 
tion at Tacoma, Wash., adopted the California standard 
apple box, 10x11x12 inches, in place of the Washington box, 
which holds more. 
The Pennsylvania State Horticultural Society has elect¬ 
ed the following officers for 1900: President, Howard A. 
Chase, Philadelphia; vice-presidents, Calvin Cooper, Bird- 
in-Hand; Daniel K. Herr, Lancaster; M. C. Dunlevy; re¬ 
cording secretary, E. B. Engle, Waynesboro; correspond¬ 
ing secretary, William P. Brinton, Christiana; treasurer, 
Samuel C. Moon, Morrisville. 
At the annual meeting of the Nebraska State Horticul¬ 
tural Society the following officers were elected: G. A. 
Marshall, Arlington, president; J. H. Hadklnson, Omaha, 
first vice-president; W. J. Hesser, Plattsmouth, second 
vice-president; C. H. Barnard, Table Rock, secretary; 
Peter Youngers, Geneva, treasurer; L. M. Russell, of 
Wymore; G. S. Christy, of Johnson; Louis Henderson, of 
Omaha, board of directors. 
The Harvard faculty has voted to give from the. Law¬ 
rence Scientific School a new degree in landscape archi¬ 
tecture. The course is to require the taking up of a 
series of studies in landscape gardening and architecture, 
and is offered in response to many recent demands for 
men versed in this line of study. 
The Connecticut Pomological Society will meet at Hart¬ 
ford February 14. This is one of the best societies in 
the country. 
An outbreak of rabies among cattle is reported in 
Center County, Pa. The State Live Stock Sanitary Board 
has quarantined many farms, and a number of cattle have 
been killed. 
THEN. r. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 
SHALL ITS CHARTER BE GIVEN UP ? 
What Shall Be Done With the Fair? 
Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that the 
New York State Agricultural Society, which was incor¬ 
porated in 1832, and which has ever since exerted a wide 
influence in this great Empire State, be continued as said 
organization; but that if it seems expedient and wise by 
the Society that the future direction of its affairs be 
placed under State management that this action be taken 
by our organization, but that in case such a change of 
management does occur that the present membership of 
our Society retain and enjoy the privileges of such mem¬ 
bership as has been our privilege to enjoy up to the pres¬ 
ent period of our history, and that the charter of the said 
organization should not be repealed. 
WHAT LIFE MEMBERS SAY.—Shortly after the 
meeting of tne New York State Agricultural Society 
The R. N.-Y. sent a copy of the above resolution to 
several hundreds of the life members. We asked them 
to tell us which course they preferred, and whether 
they are in favor of surrendering the charter of the 
old Society. If anyone thinks that the members of the 
Society have lost interest in it, he should read the vast 
number of replies which have come to hand. To 
print all that has been said would require several 
complete issues of The R. N.-Y., but we give below a 
fair statement of what these life members say. We 
regret our inability to print more of these letters, but 
it is enough to say that the majority of our corres¬ 
pondents object vigorously to giving up the charter 
of the old Society. One man says that he has made 
his sons and his grandsons life members of the So¬ 
ciety, that they believe in its possibilities, and want 
it kept up. The great majority of our correspondents 
regret the deplorable condition into which the So¬ 
ciety’s affairs have fallen. Some of them have lost 
hope that the Society can reform itself. They there¬ 
fore favor State control of the Fair. A few people 
think that a commission appointed by the Governor 
could handle the Fair properly, but at least 90 per cent 
are outspoken against such a commission. There 
seems to be an evident desire with many to place the 
Fair under the charge of the State Agricultural De¬ 
partment, but many of those who advocate this plan 
seriously object to giving up the charter. They think 
that the Society can enlarge its sphere of action, and 
find useful work even after the Fair management has 
been given up. It has been suggested that the com¬ 
mission to be appointed by the Governor be selected 
from the life members of the Society, or that while 
the Fair be nominally In charge of the State Depart¬ 
ment, the directors and officers be selected from the 
Society’s ranks. It is evident that a crisis has come 
in the affairs of the Society. It has deeded to the 
State its right, title and interest in the real estate 
owned or controlled by it near the City of Syracuse. 
The grounds now belong to the State, and the argu¬ 
ment is that the State should take charge of its own 
property. A number of our correspondents state what 
many people believe, that it was a mistake ever to 
give the Fair a permanent location. It is, of course, 
too late now to talk about that but all these mat¬ 
ters are sure to receive a complete airing before the 
matter is definitely closed up. 
“TALLY-HO” MANAGEMENT!—I am decidedly 
in favor of making a change in the present taliy-ho 
management of our State Fair, and I can see no better 
plan than to place it temporarily, if not permanently, 
in the hands of the State Department. The present 
life members, who paid their money for the privilege 
of being such, however, should be protected in their 
rights, as guaranteed to them by the present Society. 
M. AUER. 
NO COMMISSION WANTED—The present condi¬ 
tion of the State Agricultural Society is deplorable 
indeed, and from its existing status it would seem a 
difficult matter to formulate a plan that would meet 
all conditions successfully. In whatever action is 
taken the charter should be retained and the life 
members be given some voice in its management, and 
enjoy the same privileges which have heretofore been 
theirs. I would prevent, so far as I could, its being 
used as another spoke in the political wheel, and 
would protest most strongly against its going into the 
hands of a commission, for we are overburdened al¬ 
ready with those money-spending unnecessary politi¬ 
cal hospitals. Make no more fat places for slim men. 
A. R. EASTMAN. 
THE STATE DEPARTMENT.—I am in favor of 
placing the absolute control of the State Agricultural 
Society in the hands of the Department of Agriculture, 
with new blood of the get-there order to run the Fair, 
with a generous recognition of all the interests com¬ 
ing within the scope of such a society, with favor¬ 
itism for none. None of your kid-gloved gentry in 
the management, but men in touch with the agricul¬ 
turists and breeders of the State, and men who can 
work, and know how to manage a fair. To make any 
fair a success three things are necessary: Liberal 
classes and generous premiums, kind and courteous 
treatment of exhibitors, intelligent and honest awards 
by expert and qualified judges; merit, not ownership, 
to count in making awards. john p. ray. 
A COMMISSION WANTED.—If the fairs are to be 
continued, and with success, there must be a change 
in the management. If politics can be eliminated, it 
would seem to me that a special commission appoint¬ 
ed by the Governor can do more effective work and 
work more harmoniously than under any other 
method. I see no reason for surrendering the charter, 
but if the State of New York is to furnish funds to 
support and carry on the Fair, maintain the buildings, 
grounds, etc., it is right and proper that the State 
should say how the funds should be expended, and 
how can it be done better than by a commission sub¬ 
ject to the higher authorities? This commission 
should be made up of persons who are members of 
the Society at present, or expect to become such. 
ISAAC c. OTIS. 
GIVE UP THE FAIR.—Personally I should regret 
very much to see the management of the State Fair 
taken by the State. State management, under the 
present condition of things, means politics, and poli¬ 
tics means corruption, and I should be loath to add 
another political scandal of the kind that this would, 
I fear, almost inevitably turn out to be. If there is 
not enough private interest in the State to run a suc¬ 
cessful Fair, I do not see how State management 
would improve it. I believe it to be a false principle 
which throws upon the State whatever we are too 
inert to accomplish successfully by ourselves. If the 
State Agricultural Society is not able to run a success¬ 
ful Fair, then let the Fair be given up. Do not let 
us try to galvanize the thing into life by throwing it 
into politics. t. m. osborne. 
GIVE UP THE CHARTER.—I favor surrendering 
the charter of tne Society. No matter what manage¬ 
ment it is under, it cannot be made to pay expenses. 
It will simply be a burden to the taxpayers of the 
State. The local societies are making such attractive 
exhibits that the State Fair fails to attract the atten¬ 
tion that it did in past years. The premiums offered 
are very liberal. But who takes them? A few travel¬ 
ing professionals, with a class of stock that is of very 
little educational value to the average farmer. This 
stock is of no use except for the purpose that it is 
fitted up for—gathering money. Anyone who invests 
money in this over-fitted stock is almost sure to re¬ 
gret it. But if it is not thought best to surrender the 
charter of the Society, place it under the control of 
the State Agricultural Department, and not under the 
control of a special commission appointed by the 
Governor. The Lord knows that we have State offic¬ 
ials enough now. jared van wagenen. 
GIVE UP THE CHARTER.—It may be said that 
there are technical legal questions which will have to 
be settled by a competent lawyer. It is probable that 
the charter can be surrendered legally, and yet the 
rights of the life members preserved. If so, I believe 
it would be best to place the Society fully in the 
charge of the State. A commission of seven persons, 
one of whom should be the Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture, who should act as chairman, might be ap¬ 
pointed by the Governor to hold office for six years, 
provided, however, that the first commissioners should 
hold office for one, two, three, four, five and six years 
respectively, and that each year one commissioner 
should go out of office and a new one be appointed 
to fill the vacated place. This would make a perma¬ 
nent board, and yet preclude, as I think, the possibili¬ 
ty of the board ever becoming a political machine. It 
may seem wise to require that the first board shall be 
strictly non-partisan, but I would not insist upon 
this, as any Governor whom we may elect would, 
without doubt, select the best men, without reference 
to their political affinities. The Commissioner of Ag¬ 
riculture would act as a balance wheel, although prob¬ 
ably he would not be called upon to do much work. 
Since the Commonwealth now owns the real estate 
it follows logically that the State should manage the 
Fair. I think the people would be better satisfied with 
this arrangement than with the present one, and that 
it would tend to make them feel that they had a more 
intimate connection with the Society than they now 
have. I. P. ROBERTS. 
FATHERED THE RESOLUTION.—It was my 
privilege to formulate and present the resolution at 
the State meeting. While I am in perfect sympathy 
with the present management and the president of our 
society, still I earnestly feel that if it is possible for 
the organization to continue and share the responsi¬ 
bilities of carrying on its work, the best interests of 
the Society and the State which it represents will be 
conserved. I think if the Association is privileged to 
cooperate with the State Department in the manage¬ 
ment of the State Fair, it will be for the best interests 
of all concerned. I trust that an amicable way may 
be found whereby State management may be secured, 
and the New York State Agricultural Society also 
continue as such for many years to come. With its 
membership of about 1,500, it does seem to me 
that in this manner the agricultural interests could 
be more largely established throughout the State, 
than if the Society were dissolved, and its membership 
allowed to drop out entirely. Why not use the mem¬ 
bers, who reside in almost every county, city, town 
or village, in furthering the influence and usefulness 
of the Society? This may possibly best be done by the 
appointment of one or more influential members of the 
Society, “without compensation,” in each county of 
the State, by the State Department, to represent its 
interests in the various sections of the State. If tb* 
mission of the New York State Agricultural Socie 
has been performed, and it has no further cause »- 
existence, then perhaps it is time for a disbandment 
of the organization. But if the Society has still a mis¬ 
sion to perform, which I believe is the case, then new 
life should be infused into the organization, and 
work accomplished. s, t. bett*. 
