FANCIERS’ 
JOURNAL 
AND 
POULTRY EHXCHANGH. 
Vora 
PHILADELPHIA, JANUARY 29, 1874. 



AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 
PROCEEDINGS, 1874. 
In accordance with previous announcement, the second 
annual meeting of the American Poultry Association con- 
vened January 16th, at the office of the Western New York 
Poultry Society, temporarily situated in St. James Hall. 
The convention was called to order shortly after 2 o0’clock, 
P.M., by the President of the Association, Mr. W. H. 
Churchman, of Wilmington, Del., Mr. J. M. Wade, of 
Philadelphia, acting as Secretary. The attendance was 
composed principally of delegates from state and county 
associations, prominent breeders and fanciers from different 
parts of the United States and Canada, and others interested. 
After calling the convention to order, Mr. Churchman 
proceeded to make the following remarks : 
THE PRESIDENT’S REMARKS. 
Gentlemen and Brother Fanciers: 
It affords me much pleasure to see so many of the active 
breeders of this broad land assembled here to-day to demon- 
strate the fact that the work that lies before us is of no or- 
dinary character, but that it is a work of the greatest im- 
portance. 
I would impress upon you the fact that the action of this 
convention is watched, not only by this whole country, but 
that it is watched as earnestly by the fanciers of foreign 
countries. Has not the fact that we formed a national or- 
ganization for the benefit and protection of our American 
breeders been received in England, and inspired them with 
the idea that they must have a national organization? Are 
we not, then, entitled as Americans to the first honors, that 
we have taken the advanced step in this matter ? 
I hope that every gentleman in the room (who is not al- 
ready a member of this Association) will come forward at 
the proper time and enroll his name, and give this Associa- 
tion his active support. It is for your individual interest 
alone that I ask this of you. I extend to you this cordial 
invitation because it has been imagined that this Association 
was composed of a clique or ring, and that this clique or ring 
was going to revise the standard to suit themselves. Never 
was there such a preposterous idea entertained by any human 
mind that God Almighty gifted with the power of thought 
nd reason. . 
I hope that no man here present to-day entertains any 
such idea. Do you suppose for one moment that the gentle- 
men who represent officially this Association would sanction 
their names to any such proceeding? I answer for them— 
No, never! They are gentlemen of integrity and honor, 
whose reputation is above reproach. Iask you again to 
come forward and join us, and put your shoulder to our 
shoulders, and show to the world that we are a national or- 
ganization recognized by the highest authority in this coun- 
try—the Congress of the United States—and that we shall 
send forth our influence through every state in the land. . 

MR. CHARLES A. SWEET 
being called upon to express his opinion with regard to the 
falsehood above referred to, declared that the idea of the 
Association, being managed to the advantage of a particular 
clique or ring was a surprise to him. The notion, he thought, 
was such a one as no sensible man would entertain for a mo- 
ment. The affairs of the Association were directed with the 
utmost fairness and impartiality ; and, in conclusion, Mr. 
Sweet advised every breeder and fancier present who was 
not a member to come forward at once and attach his name 
to the rolls. 
At the close of Mr. Sweet’s remarks, it was moved and 
carried that a certificate of membership 
BE ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED, 
to entitle any person to a vote on the questions brought be- 
fore the convention. 
The calling of the roll was the next business in order, 
each man, as his name was pronounced, answering whether 
or not he was a member of the Association. Large numbers 
of those present, not previously connected with the Associa- 
tion, after the roll call had been concluded, paid the usual 
admission fee, and were forthwith enrolled as members. 
The real business of the day, that of establishing a standard 
of excellence, was then taken into consideration, and the 
delegates were invited to express their opinions as to the best 
means of founding such a standard. 
A motion of Mr. Williams, that the doings with respect 
to the standard be the exclusive property of the Association, 
was carried. 
It was moved that the President appoint’ 
A COMMITTEE OF FIVE PERSONS 
to divide the members of the convention into sub-commit- 
tees on the different varieties of fowl, and that the said sub- 
committees be empowered to make such amendments to the 
standard as they deem necessary—the said amendments to 
be afterwards adopted or rejected by the convention. This 
motion was carried, and the President appointed Messrs. J. 
M. Wade, Philadelphia, Pa., H. H. Stoddard, Hartford, Ct., 
and P. Williams, Taunton, Mass. 
While the committee were preparing their report, the 
convention was occupied with listening to the reading of a 
large amount of correspondence which had been received 
from the leading fanciers of the country, including the fol- 
lowing : 
OFFICE OF THE IOWA STATE PouLTRY ASSOCIATION, 
CEDAR RapPips, Jan. 14, 1874. 
Jos. M. WADE, Esq, 
See’y of the National American Poultry Association : 
DeAR Sir: Please give the officers and members of the 
American Association the assurances of the hearty co-opera- 
tion of the Iowa State Association in all their efforts to 
revise the standard, and in all other matters calculated to 
elevate the character and impress the importance of our 
specialties on the mind of the public. We intend to keep 
