The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-12-28
CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
The Regular December Meeting at Mr..
Alfred Kinks, Near Pennington.

Farmers Club was held en- Wednesday, the
18th inst. at Mr.. Alfred Kinks Promptly at
10 80 a. m. the president directed the call of
the roll of members, when the following re-
sponded to their names: Aaron J. Michcner.
Henry S. Coudon, John p. Wilson. Thomas
C. Bond. James H. Maxwell. r. T. Waters,
L. L. Duyckinck, Wm. f.. Gillespie. Alfred
Kirk, George W. Clifford and II. K. Torbert
The visitors present by invitation were Rev
A. z. prettyman Of Zion. T.. L. Ewing Of the
Miho,,d Jo"1woi. Mr.. Abram Kirk and Daniel
Hawk.
The minutes of the last meeting having
been read AMI approved. Il letter was read
from Jos Coulon (of Hy) rendering the rcsig-
nation OF his membership, on account of his
inability to attend with any regularity the
meetings of the club. ON motion, Mr..
Cuudon's resignation was accepted by the
club.
On motion OF Mr.. Thomas c. Bond the fol
lowing resolution was unanimously AIoptad
RrSoircr That Mr.. II. s. Coudon be ap-
pointed a committee 10 draft resolutions eX-
prcssfve oi the sentiment of the club in oppo-
sition to the present existing condition OF the
sc-oacd Agricultural Society located in
Elkton Md. in leasing the grounds of the
said society for racing purposes.
On motto. Col Noycs was requested to
defer the presentation of his financial paper,
which 1T the las! meeting of the club h. was
instructed TO prepare, until after the roadin.;
-, I,t.. I,.
There being 10 reports of experiments. Mr..
Kirk presented the following short pnpe"
'Since nave been member Of the Cecil
Farmers Club have heard many subjects
discussed A., to planting and cultivation oi
the different crops grown ON our farms. Also
tine kind oi seed and fertilizer to Ln used to
produce these crops have come in for IA good
share Of argument at our meetings, and at
the closing of the year | think we can say to
each Other that our meetings have been profit
able H. far is the farm is concerned
AT the same time we have had assessment,
good roads and other subjects discussed and
resolutions passed setting forth our views on
them and then the matter drJppei. | am Of
the opinion if we ever make any progress in
the way of getting legislation passed ON ques-
tions that interest us rs farmers we must
stand together, work and act together for our
rights as farmers. If we do not the same
complaints will be made in the coming years
as in the ones gone by. Men who stand with
folded arms and sealed lips expecting the
mantle of Justice to fall on their shoulders in
the way of legislation will be- sadly disap-
pointed. The sooner we act the better.
There is one other matter to which | would
like to call the attention Of the club. That is
the marketing of our produce while all farm
products are lower than the oldest Of us can
recolect The consumer pays as much as he
did when prices We're fifty per cent. higher.
Innotictng the retail markets potatoes whiteJ
% cents per peck, while farmers sell them at
the same price per bushel and many other
products i'll about the same proportion
Comment Oh the essay being in order Mr..
Duyckinck said that the question of market
ing farm products had often occurred to him,
and the excessive retail prices charged for
farm products seemed to be an evil that mid
dlemen and commission men had absolutely
established, and were maintaining against
any protest or action of the farmer
Mr.. Gillespie said that he appreciated the
conditions referred to by Mr.. Duyckinck, but
could suggest no rene ly that seems available.
Mr.. Michener said the essay was short but
it suggested a great deal. As to marketing
farm produce, he said in earlier days the
fnrpnr norlI uSn thn ms RI OF in
any city without cost or charge. except the
tolls he paid on the turnpike. There was no
commission man, no middlemen to stand be-
tween the producer and the consumer. Now
the railroad company eXacts high rates of
freight, the city stall to sell in must be paid
for at high rental, and the producer is 50
absolutely at the mercy of the commission
wholesale men, the farmer could no longer
profltably market his own farm products.
He thought that farmers did not show suf-
ticent interest in organized effort
Mr. Henry s. Coudon did not see how the
farmers could get the advantage Of retail
prices unloss they themselves became retail
ers, which under existing trade conditions he
would be compelled to do.
Mr. Wilson thought as the essayist said
that the meetings of this club had in the past
proved advantageous to its members by com
PARSONS ofexperience and results. He thought
corporation necessary by farmers in all lines
of needed reforms. He thought the influence
of farmers could be directed to good results
in legislation if intelligently directed as a
body. He thought existing trade conditions
were against the farmers becoming retailers.
since the middlemen stood between the
farmer and the consumer.
Mr. Bond agreed with Mr.. Wilson that the
difficulty in farmers becoming retailers lay in
the fact that trading was a matter OF money,
and the wholesale commission men could
make it to the interest OF the retail men to
buy from them. He instanced tho fact that
the farmers OF Hartford had taken steps to
form an organization to market their own stock
and products. Possibly in this suggestion
lay the hope of remedy for future protection
OF their interests.
Mr.. Ewing thought the difficulty of farmers
lay in their failure to combine for mutual
protection. as in all other lines of trade
Mr.. Prettyman thought that the farmers
made a great mistake in not combining for
mutual protection. But the farmer seemed
to hesitate in Joining new combinations con-
%.nIlaJ I,- ia m an nc In tbn hand. -