The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-06-19
The MerinO Sheep Exhibit at New
Orleans.

Orleans.
Editor Register and JOurndl:-I
have before me letters from breeders of
Spanish Merino sheep in the States of
New York and Vermont asking, in eff
feet, why Ohio sheep did not make
better showing i'll the matter of premi
ums at New Orleans. Now, while
Ohio breeders are perfectly willing to
be vanquished by merit, they object TO
being beaten by chicanery and trickery
of any kind, and by way of introduce
ton | want to say one thing-then 81
will tale unfold" that will show plain
ly why Ohio sheep did not come OIL
with more honors, and why every pre-
MUM, with one exception, taken by
Vermont, went to one man, or to ami
mails descended from his flock.
1t is not my purpose to underrate
Vermont sheep, for from her tlOcks
Ohio has drawn many a time and oft,
but no one will dispute that there are
as good sheep in OHIO as there are in
Vermont; tor when an Ohio breeder
goes to Vermont for sheep, if he is a
good Judge, he stops not for few dol
lars, aud generally gets the worth of
his money. Please stick pin here, for
[ want the reader to remember that
some of the best sheep ever bred in
Vermont have been bought by Ohio
men. Remembering this, it naturally
seems strange to good Judges like the
New York and Vermont men who
wrote the letters before me that Ohio
got so few Of the awards at New Or
leans; but when the facts are brought
out the mystery is cleared up and it be-
comes time for somebody to "rise up
and explain"
The Ohio Spanish Merino Sheep
Breeders association decided to make
an exhibit, and the late ). w. Thomas
and Mr. Dan Giddings were appointed
by the association to take char &c of this
exhibit. Mr.. Thomas got sick, and
Capt. J. &. Blue was appointed in his
place. Then 81 of the best Spanish
Merinos in Ohio were selected and TAX
ell to New Orleans by Messrs Giddings
and Blue. When they arrived they
found the Vermont exhibit there in
charge Of Mr.. ii. &. Burwell For a
few days things appeared to be going
all right, when John p. Ray of New
York appeared as one of the commit
tee on awards, and as the sequel showed
he was the only one who appeared for
this purpose. Then began interest
ed parties to talk of Judging exhibits by
one expert instead of a committee of
two and an umpire. This talk did not
suit all interested, and Mr. John a.
Cross, superintendent of the sheep de-
partment, called IA meeting of exhibit
tors to get their opinion on the matter
This meeting was attended by every
exhibitor of sheep | believe, and the
first motion vas one Dy ii. G. Burwell
that John p. Ray act as the committee
on awards without assistance. This
motion was promptly voted down, and
a motion that committee of three be
appointed prevailed. Mr.. Cross, who
acted as chairman of the meeting, then
announced that some names had been
handed him. These names were those
of John TAYLOR of Illinois, George w.
Robinson of Ohio and John p. Ray of
New York, and they were elected by
the meeting as the committee. A mo-
ton was then made aud carried that
Mr.. Ray act as umpire, and Immediate
ly trouble began. Mr.. Burwell an
nounced that he would have nothing
more to do with the eXhibHion-in fact
would not show his Sheppard left the
hall. In two minutes or less Burwell
and Ray, arn-in-arm, were seen maxi
ing Decline for the Government
building. The meeting then adjourned,
and few minutes aflerward Mr.. Raw
announced to some of the exhibitors
that he was going home; that he would
not act as umpire; he came there, he
said, to Judge the sheep, and if he could
not do it he was going home.
But he did not 90 that night, and
next morning Mr.. Cross called another
meeting, at which Mr.. Ray was made
one OF the committee, and Mr.. TAYLOR
umpire. This arrangement was con-
CURED in by majority of the breeders
and the making OF awards began. The
awards were made, and every dollar in
money premiums that went to Vermont
went to ii. C.. Burwell or his brother.
Pennsylvania showed in two classes
aud got one fourth premium, and with
drew from tine show, seeing that merit
had nothing to do with placing the
the awards. Missouri cot nothing
not because ii. V. Pugsley and 5.
Jewett have not got good sheep, but
because they were not fortunate enough
premium Oh ram lambs, first on year
ling ewes and sweepstakes for best ram
any age. Besides these they got few
minor premiums. DO you think they
got these premiums merely because
they happened to be the best sheep in
the show? Not at all. They were
given because Ohio made the largest
exhibit, and something must be done
TO give an appearance of fairness to the
thing. The fact that the premiums
given Ohio sheep were not in the opin.
ion of good judges placed on the best
sheep goes to support this conclusion.
Ohio got sweepstakes for ram any age,
but 1t is very probable that if exact jus.
tice had been done this premium would
have been given to yearing ram ex-
hibited by j. & e. Stickney of YER
mont, and | think majority of the
Ohio breeders would have been salts
fled if this had been done.