The Van Buren press., 1878-12-03
A Gard from Mr.. Williams,

J. 8. Durham
In the last issue Of your paper. noticed an
editorial article, In relation to the award OF
prizes. and the management of the cotton de-
partment OF the agricultural and mechanical
association of Crawford county which sur.
Pfised and mortified me. especially as 1t came
from the pen of stakeholder Of the associa.
tion. who is, doubtless. friend of the associ-
alton. and who would not. willingly do, or
say any thing concerning 1t that might tend
to impair the confidence of the community
in society which is working solely for the
public good
AS all the work of the cotton department
Was done first and last" under my direction
reply III any is made) should come from
me; and at the risk of imposing burden on
you greater, perhaps. than you may think
Tue occasion warrants, beg you to publish
this communication.
At the first fair held by the association, and
at every subsequent one l was honored by
being appointed cotton superintendent. In
the TWO years 1876 and 1877. no fair was held
Previous to that time all the Gotten grown in
Crawford county was shipped to market by
steamers. Being the principal shipping
point, and the only central town on the river
nearly all the cotton grown in the county
was brought to Van Buren,, and thus, one SUI
perlntendent. located here could sample all
the bales which the owners desired to enter
into competition for the prizes offered. 1t
thus became the practice OF the association tu
appoint but one. In consequence OF the ia
eilities offered tor transportation by rail it Is
no longer necessary to deliver cotton ut the
| river here. but to some convenient point Oh
Al NIL 1l,,t.i
large part of the crop HID transportation ut
points along the railroad. more con, enient
TO the owners; and. therefore In order that
the public might be accommodated, and the
true object Of county society acconp-
lisiied l was authorized to appoint deputy =
superintendent ut ALMA. To This office | ap-
pointed Mr.. James +. Smith, a gentleman
whose deserved reputation for strict integr-
ty Is admitted by all who know him. Now
save and except this appointment of depu-
ty at Alma, there has been no change in the
management OF cotton affairs. by the society
or by the superintendent differing rom the
unvary iEg practice OF former years.
| An impression prevailed, among some OF
the cotton growers, that the prizes offered,
this year. would be awarded during the week
| OF the fair; and Some who had cotton In read :
mess tor exhibition, ut that time, were disap-
pointed when they learned that the prizes
would not be awarded until the first Monday
| IN December. | regretted their disappont-
ment. but felt that the object of the society
would not be accomplished by such an ar
ranSement. Situated as we are In the north
ern edge of the cotton-belt, the season for
gathering is much later than in warmer latti
tudes. Ii prizes were offered. and awarded,
only on cotton which was gathered, ginned
and baled by the middle of October, the COM
pettors could be those. only. who eultivating
large fields of cotton. woull be able to gath
er enough. on large area. to make bale,
and possibly II rerg Jfe,c ia mers. living conve-
nient to gins. ana near to shipping points,
thus virtually excluding the bulk of small
| farmers. who did their own gathering, and
lived at distance, 1t Is true that the pres
ent season was unusually early one and more
cotton was in readiness BY fair week than per-
haDs ever before. But this was not forseen
WHEN the association offered its prizes. and |
have no reason to suppose that the association
because OF this circumstance, intended to al.
ter the old practice The object of the socie-
ty is. evidently. to encourage the growth OF
II good quality of cotton and the proper ham
ding OF it. by all cotton growers (large or
smalD; and to this end, the society must APP
point II day tor awards late! enough to give
every grover reasonable chance tor com De.
petiny, if he desires to do SO. ANY other
course would be destructive of the object
which Is = the greatest good to the greatest
number. On TINS point netu autl no more
than to say that every competitor for the late
award was told VIII, the awards would bt
made, paid his entrance tee der-tandingly
hence none of them enti,i;,,,, -.
I n,o ,l.;,,,aa !, SI ot We 'ok"e
h,ins r nr.,sa,,,a p', H., ."n.i "'1ii .',e
w RS sell ~ r. Gin III, n,t tnu y" Nv. Il "a.
tJ,at tI,r .,r, NV nar .nI ,ha lara n,.". ~
on an .,u,ii,, oe' "''N '''' '"'e 0""'' "'e
va In n' re n1 ~ ,he so,;nr d;e.ro,o ,o,,,o,
RI, ,,aris ,'I,, ~, ~ ;',5 u.'". .
hates w.rd hv tbn ,'an od thar WY
nnt :. "nnthnv 'hnn = ,r.n,, az, 'n,;. was
q, th. ,l.,, an 'nin,ed fnr az" 'Ho '. a.rhSs
h,,,r., ,l,, n,..i;n,, ~ 49,, ;,,a'. .'.;,'.,h
from nv dsmn,v =, ,,nn No. 49,;
ninv two s.im,,les withont INV az n,.nn,"r,
letter. One ~ th, S.mnl,.S "as sn,ppii.r ~ :. =
II shou,I h.vn haon I.n n,,oh ,ha 'nr.' a., Co.
thn own.rI and r. ,.wid"n,lu Id hao', ha W
died fstjll worse far th. ownsr1 Rnt !, ,'ns
~, aut,. ~ nrosant III sn',,ia. m ,'ti ~. ,h
,a.s wara Xiii to ,hs arh;,rn,m,nt ~ H., w.,
;uI,,os ,n, h,d ~, ,,,,, ~ ,,;...1;, ~ .n ..
Of nv dennt" Whan RI" snmnIa WV, .''1 l., iii ~
hatnre tho ;nJces Ma; Uol,'mal ona nt,h.
;udroSI nall.t ia ~ H., a Nd h.n,,,a 70 ~ wy
'nse1 frn,n snr,ir," as a ;rJrn hs,ons, Ia
s.;I Ln ra.nuniynl tho swaiI san,Ia .nd
Ln,v;n,, ,,hi ,.,,,s ,ha orour d;d ~, IL
~, n"'n ~ WV ""1 '"o E'9"e'' u'u noI tninA
no sn'.iu Nv iePi,eu 70 nllh' .lial t!lls
;a ~. q III H.. mo sa'e Nv ut'.n-
. VI ;ole ~ ",o y. ma. sa'ip'e. 'or II t''e
49, JI;Su,s u"v vi 'ou,' snou.u aM"ru "
., W of =; ;,s WA. .r;, NJ; a,,onS., evi
n 1,'. v, ts .ner,t: MA .ioloweli aostalhed
prizr, and said that If the sample had been an
| uuIlaudled one. they believe IL Would have