The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-12-02
The American Baby Convention.

The London Times ofOcloter, 2jtl, play
fully, yet with some spice Of philosophy,
"Goids yor!A,' On the Bady Convention re-
Gently held in Ohio, as follows:
To be born "with silver spoon in ones
mouth has hitherto been considered III
this old world Of ours as Il kind Of mark be-
longing 10 a few elevated individuals, whose
claims to distinction arose, not from their
merits, but from their position. Young Am
erica has made the silver spoon as BELTS
a great rcpublic-a prize open to the compc-
tition Of the whole people. The Republic
claims the right of inserting into the mouth
Of the most worthy claimant the silver
spoon which is TO tipi(y his future destiny.
England gives, under the auspices Of the
Protcctionists and Dsracli, prizes to de-
crebid laborers who have worn out their
constitutions by labor without appealing TO
the public purse TO help them in bringing
up their progeny. The late Chancellor Of
the Exchcqucr and his Buckingharnshirc
friends evidently looked upon laborers
family as a something pregnant with all
/ kinds Of difficulties, and considered the man
( WHO kept his children from preying upon
/ the rates as prize animal who ought 70 be
cherished. Young America looks upon the
/ family OF the laboryr as the blood aud bones
Of the country, and wishes 10 cherish it ac-
Cordinglv The farmers, with Dis:aCli 1t
I their hoal, look uelully upon large IN
faut family in lalOrcI cottage as certain
/ to increase the rate. America locks upon
well developed babies as the proper means
Of making the mos, Of those resources out or
which ratcs-ii America suffered under the
. ,,G ..F 10 la. r,aiI Il.n- "a a..
t!atwc viyc money % labOryrs in EucGiug-
hamshigc, a. a reward for preserving Us from
4 the mischief which dolugc Of babies might
inhct upon Us, while in America Baby
Convention" Is held to rccompcuse mothers
for bringing citizens ofiirst rate promise in
10 the world in America the finest looking
baby will hcncclorth be born, not only with
a silver spoon but wAol. service Of plate
in Lis mouth.
This is no Joke, but a sober reality \
I National Baby Couyentiou-as our reports
rom America have already made known
was lately held at Springfield, in Ohio. The
projectors may have entered into the plan
either in fun or in earnest. The result
showed that the people took the matter seii-
ously to heart. There was 10 want Of can
dilatcs for the prizes Of silver plate which
were advertised a. the rewards of successful
competitors. The Judges were astonishcd At
the concoursc. As sthcy were about to pro-
coed to their task Of settling the adjudica-
ton Of the prize telegraph requested thcm
to postpone the election, as another supply
Of babies was on the road. When all mate
rials were before them, the judges found
that they had to decide upon the conflicting
claims of 800 babies Such concoursc OF
candidates for the silver spoon typical Of the
future life was scarcely 10 be expected. The
number however, did not dauut the worthy
Judges. They set T. work manfullv to de-
eide which OF the l2J babies was fitted to
represent the vigorous childhood Of Young
America. Their choice fell upon the baby
of Mrs Romnc, Of Vienna, Ohio. This
promising baby was thoroupon invested with
the gigantic prize spoon %! the powerful re
tpublir. The reward came in the shape Of a
silver ten service, with large salvcr Of the
same metal. Other prizes were awarded
which nccdu be alluded to here. One Ia
dy cndenyorrd 10 found claim upon III,
face Of her baby being the seventeenth whicl
she had brought into the world, but TIL.
was not recognized Young America re
fused 10 recognize claim founded hot upor
quality but quantity
There is something remarkably strikiu.
in The dihcyrcc between the Old World anc
the New, as exhibited in this National Baby
Convention, which although bearing at first
sight the appearance Of good Joke, may
hereafter assume some very serious features
We at our cattle show give prizes to the
man vino produces the best food for the
peoples eating. The Americans give prizes
& 81. d.. 4 al.
which is so boUntilnlly prepared for them on
their vast continent The two nations typi
ly their difference in this manner. Uul
great desire is % Iud ample food for our pop
u'atiun. The Americans are only dcsirou,
oia large population to consume their food
And really the wish of the United States toT
a large aud energetic population seems to be
founded upon very good grounds They
are spreading oUt their arms 0 widcly-the,
are apprOpriating so CXtcnsivcly--they ar,
anneNing 80 constll tly, that citizens, to I'll
all the newly acquired territories, will scarce
~ be found. fthcy buy the Cars posses
sons in the north these will be useless with
ont citizens to cultivate them If they JON
the Sandwich Islands 10 the Federation thi
win call for fresh supply Of Jouathan's pro
gcny, Louisiana, aud Texas are ever calm,
for fresh in>talmcnts Of Yankee blood
Young Yankees, therefore, are at premium
aud the ondcavor TO encourage supply 0
the best specimens the article is founded
on reason. America cannot appropriate on,
half Of the world without having proper
number ofcitacuS TO make good the appro
priation. The institution, then of q conycn
ton for prize Yankees has its Serious u
well as It's amusing side