The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-11-30
Friday, Nov. 80, 1883.
Public Spirit of the Fa, mers Club

The Cecil Farmers Club at its last
meeting laid aside for the nonce its
chronic reserve and it's native reluc-
lance to appear in anything resem.
bling public role and through its
stated essay claimed to have exerted
ia very decided influence in the
affairs of the county," through one of
its members supported by the club,
in working radical change in the
collection of taxes. The Farmers
Club can hardly be allowed to appro
pirate all the honors in effecting the
beneficial change in this matter, as
the public had become thoroughly
disguised with old methods and
were clamoring for the mode that
was. adopted. quite a good while be-
fore the Club made the advanced
movement referred to. The public
will not object, however, to the Clubs
appropriatiDg the honors if this
promises to encourage it in cultivat-
ing a public spirit, and in future TAX.
ing more aggressive movement in
public local matters. The Club
promises in future to be found on
the peoples side when the welfare Of
the public is involved, which we
may remark in passing is safe side
to be en- to escape responsibility.
But suppose the public or people
happen to be on the wrong side of
important questions through lack of
proper information, as they often
ale, would it be expecting too much
of the Club, representing body of
the most cultivated and best inform
ed gentlemen of the agricultural
class, to dare beard public opinion
in an effort to enlighten and direct
it to tue performance of public duty
by which public advantage might be
conserved?
The essay truthfully says the "wlde
field open to US, calls for renewed
efforts in equalizing some of the
burdens yet resting upon us, (farm-
ers) and if as farmers and represen-
tatives of farmers interests we are
true to ourselves, the welfare of the
whole people will be subserved, and
we will secure something more than
a name in The influence we exercise
for the public veal" These be brave
words and we hope to see the Club
striving strenuously towards their
fulfilment in the future.
With very decided symptoms of
contrition the essay approaches the
wrongs which the Club has inflicted
on it's "good wives" for these many
years, in fact twenty years, who have
enjoyed no port in the "social amen
tiles" which have been so potent in
cementing the Club, except in pre-
pairing the viands which conjured
the cohesive magic spell that has
made the Club brotherhood. 1t
was limited some time back that these
"good wives" whose good genius
alone could have wrought uron the
Club till it has become public in.
stitution promising to do much good
IN the future, deserved some recog-
milton other than compliment on
their good dinners; and an "excur-
eion'' was suggested. This sugges-
ton, however, does not appear to
have mattrialized so we'll as the
movement in the change of tax col
lection; and with the conjunction
comes the after thought that it would
have been a neat thing for the Club
to have had a Farmers Club Fair
day and the members to have taken
their wives and shown them the
manifold attractions of the Fair.
There is no question but that would
have been a neat thing to have done.
But alas! What did Whittier make
the Judge say or sigh, who neglected
his opportunity to pop the question
to Maud when 'the barefoot maiden
raked the hay"
"For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: lit might have BEEN /"
But never too late to mend the old
adage says, and wives have pro-
verbal long memories.