The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-17
ANOTHER WORD FROM FAIR PLAY"

Mr.. Editor: / had no idea my Lit.
tie piece in behalf of fair play
would provoke such rafting among
the dry bones. The spirit and object
of it seems to have been entirely mis-
apprehended. Instead of being promp
ted by "malicious" "slanderous" and
selfish" motives, or for the purpose
of abusing the Horticultural society
just the opposite was true. I say lei
us have horticultural societies, agri
cultural societies, genealogical socie.
ties and every other kind of society
that has for its object the develop
ment of the resources of the country
Anything that will encourage the
production of any species of product
that adds comfort to the citizen,
wealth to the community, or in any
way tends to make the people more
happy or prosperous. But 1 do not be-
lieN e any of these ends can ever be at
tanned by society or numbers of socie-
ties unless they are conducted upon
principles of honesty and fair dealing.
These offerings had been going on
around Mrs. Briggs orchard and corn
field. did not know who the guilty
parties were. The renters on the
place spoke of it often. Not one party,
but several, at different times had
been there; and before the st. Louis
fair, too. had no idea in the. world
that any member of the society
was one. of the guilty parties. 1
had too much respect for the society to
think SO, but I did suppose that the
society was being played upon by par
ties they were not acquainted with
and had not questioned them as to
where their fruit came from. 1t was
to put them on their guard in regard
to it that I mentioned the matter. /
have no axe to grind. I have no Or
ehard or cornfield. I am nobody's at
torney in the matter and my commun-
nication was at the instance of no one
but myself. Mrs. Briggs had not the
least knowledge of it until it came out
in the paper. There wasn't a soul in
the world knew it except myself until
1 handed it to the REGISTER for publ
cation. But Mrs. Briggs is a widow
lady and takes great pride IN having
the best of everything, and generally
haa it, especially fruit, and I could not
see the fairness or honesty in the fruits
of her hard work being reaped by 9TH
ers who either lacked the brains or en-
ergy to do as she had and raise it.
Call it by any name you please, attrib-
ute it to malice, every or any other
name; right is right and fair play is
fair play; and Mr.. Pancost, instead of
getting so fiercely mad, ought to stop
such tricks himself and try and ferret
out and publish all others for STOPPING
to such tricks. He might then con-
sistently say we have Horticultural
society of which we are proud. It's
poor consolation to Mr.. Mcdonald, Mr..
Vaught and others, to work hard for
years nursing and raising fine fruit, to
see it all taken off to fairs, take the
premium, and others get all the credit
oft, while they get poor pitiful apol-
ogy weeks after everything is over un-
der the lash of newspaper article.
Mrs. Briggs doesn't want her fruit,
neither does she care for the money.
She can get along with the loss of
dozen apples some little time yet, but
she does deserve the credit of raising
them. Mr.. Pancoast has been living
here perhaps twenty years; Mrs.
Briggs has been here more than that.
they have known each other all the
time. She has owned that place over
six or eight years and Mr.. Pancoast
certainly knew who it belonged to.
and he ought to have had respect
enough for her, at least, to ask for his
fruit. More than that it has been
weeks. several of them, and he has
met and passed her on the street time
and again and she was none the wiser
Of his having her fruit to exhibit at
fairs. She would not only have given |
him dozen but that many bushels
had he asked for them for that pur-
pose, and been glad to have done SO.
Fair Play is more than satisfied with
the results of his enquiries. Mr.. Nc
Donald and Mr.. Vaught, at least, have
had the people informed of their abil-
ty to raise fine fruit, Though even the
Kind or quality is withheld yet,) and
may be classed among our public spir-
ted citizens. FAIR PLAY.
The editor has our full permission to
INFORM any one who feels interested
enough to enquire who Fair Play is. L