The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-01-06
MAPLE RIVER FARMERS CLUB.
Willow Dale Farm the Scene of the Holi-
day Meeting.

Willow Dale Farm the Scene of the Holi-
day Meeting.
The holiday meeting of the Maple River
Farmers Club was held Thursday, Decem.
Der 20, at the home of Mr.. and Mrs. G. "a.
II. Payne with large attendance. The
day was mild and clear and the roads,
which were good In the morning, did not
get tbswed out enough to make the mud
anything worse than disagreeable when the
time came for going home.
The various members of the club, per-
haps the most prominent of any farmers
club In the state. began assembling at the
handsome residence during the middle of
the forenoon, and had their horses we'll
cared for and themselves In readiness for
business some time before the noon hour
came with Its attendant joys.
The regular program was begun as usual
with the singing of america" by the as
sembled guests, after which devotional ex-
ercises were conducted by Mr.. e. j. Cook,
In the absence of the chaplain, Mrs. M. II.
Seeley. The usual secretary's report was
then given.
When Roy Seeley was called upon for a
report of the meeting Of the state associa-
ton of farmers clubs he seemed for some
reason to be In favor of rather short reports
or papers, and dismissed his subject with
the assurance that he could not improve up
on the very complete report given in the
Michigan Farmer. Incidentally he gave
sly dig at one of the other young gentlemen
who were present, accusing him of paying
more attention to young lady who attend
ed the meeting than he did to the program.
1t is only fair perhaps to the latter, who
was elected secretary of the state organiza-
ton, to say that he protests he could have
given more comprehensive report of the
meeting than did the above speaker, even
IL the report about himself was true.
Two or more different aspects of the mail
service occupied the attention of the club
for the, balance of the time before the noon
hour. The secretary, Miss Otie Cook, pre-
sented summary of the work done by Mr..
John Sprague, mail carrier up to the 2sth
Of December inclusive. In November he
had carried 5492 pieces of mail at a cost of
a fraction over four mills per piece. For
December. up to and including the 2sth, he
had carried 6096 pieces at an average cost
Of little less than four mills. Figures
we're also given showing just how these
totals were divided among different classes
Of mail matter. Mr.. Chas. McGillvra, one
Of Owosso's most reliable corps of letter
carriers and nephew of the host then
gave briet survey of Uncle Sans mail
service in OwOsso and on the great mail
trains of the country, particularly the SER
vice centering in Chicago.
An hour and half for dinner was then
and the menu placed before the
guests was as far superior to the kind OBJ
tanned where the cry Is twenty minutes
for dinner" as the time was longer. There
simply was an overwhelming abundance of
good things, while both cooking and ser.
vice were as near perfection as any hostess
Or any company could have desired.
After dinner the program was again be-
gun with q quartet by P. B. Reynolds, Miss
Otie Cook and Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Lewis
would the establishment of market
place in OwOssO be benefit to the farm
ers," was the next question taken up
Geo. <. Martin had not given the subject
much thought, but when called on ex-
pressed his opinion that the present feed
barns in Owosso with the use of the streets
In that vicinity answered the purpose quite
we'll. The idea of having covered market
place of sufficient size to allow all farmers
who we're in the city to drive their loads
of produce under cover seemed, however, to
meet with general favor, especially after the
OF such markets by Bert Cook
and Editor G. T. Campbell, of the Argus.
Following this short discussion the real
topic of the afternoon was taken up with a
thoughtful consideration by X. j. Cook, of
the question, "Should we have on anti. con.
vention law and elect nominees for county
offices by direct vote of the people?" Mr..
Cook spoke of the growing dissatisfaction
felt by the people In ST eing few men al
most invariably select their officers. The
political boss and the machine seemed to
get stronger and stronger, and incompetent
men impose themselves OH the people, since
10 do so they have only to get the help of
The professional politician. Thanks to the
Australian BALLOT, however, they OCCASION
ally fail In their attempts even after having
secured the nomination, for the people do
elect the officers, but they should nominate
hem as we'll. A system by which this is
lone is now in practice in some parts of
Pennsylvania, and quite generally In Ohio
In Kentucky, too, the people vote directly
Tor the candidates who are not put to the
rouble of getting delegates pledged to them.
He hoped that the first choice of candidates
would become free FROM the power of the
BOSS, as the final choice now is through the
Australian ballot.
Mr.. John Whelan expressed his hearty
approval of the matter of the direct choice
,f candidates, but went much farther by
L.. a -