Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-03-26
ADDRESS BY HON. ABE JONES
Before Recent Meeting Of Winneshiek
Ceunty Horticultural Society.
March 13, 1902.

Sec. Horticultural Society,"
Your card of March 7th received ask
ing me to attend your meeting oi
March 7th and say something. Hav.
ing cancelled all my engagements te
meet and assist to entertain Prince
Henry, owing to private interests, such
as making fires in the morning, fur.
nishing fuel during the day and gather.
ing eggs at night, which by the way is
quite an item; my hens are just begin
ing to lay and on pleasant days I get
both hands full, that is three in each
hand. Eggs are out of sight now;
don't mean those my hens lay when
they steal their nests, but thoee we sell
to the stores. They are paying up
within a gun shot of what they
charge for goods SO that we can par
tally make one hand wash the other,
while heretofore they have skinned us
alive without any washing at all.
But what intended to do first was to
accept your invitation either in person
or send line. but got so mixed up
in eggs that hardly knew where I
was at and didn't know but / would
do to boil pretty soon. The eggs t. at
l am talking about may not be the
ones you are thinking about. have
no reference to the kind that are fire.
quently donated ia large quantities to
unpopular speakers but to the kind
that contains more life sustaining food
in proportion to quantity than any
other food in the world. The kind
that is one of the leaders il not the
leader of the cash received for products
in this gland old state of Iowa. The
kind that delicate men and women can
engage in the business and it be a
source of health, pleasure and profit.
AS horticulturalist may be said to
be back number and any suggestions
/ might make would probably not be
up to date. But having helped to or
ganize this society, the first of its kind
in the county and the first home of our
horticulturalists, / feel something like
a large number of our population who
Iisked the perils of three thousand
mile journey to breathe the free air of
heaven and become respected and pat
riotic citizens of this great republic.
No matter what distinction or wealth
they have attained-with their heart
in the right place they still have a
tender feeling for the rugged old home
of their childhood days across the sea.
The fact that organized society is a
good thing needs no more proof than
that all matters of interest of every
name and nature are under some sort
of organization. The officers and men,
bers of this society are entitled to great
credit for keeping up with the times,
In the meetings OF this society all
issues are barred except horticulturism.
We are band of brothers who learn
our bread by the sweat of our brow"
and "meet upon the level and part up
on the square" AT every meeting
some item of interest is gained, it may
not be apparent at the time, but it
should be remembered that tall oaks
from little acorns grow" Wishing
you abundant success not only in the
society but in the bread and butter
part, and hoping that when the Cuban
and Philippine matters are settled and
Prince Henry has returned home and
1 have reached more mature years l
may be able to give you something
more interesting. Thanking you for
your invitation 1 unconditionally sur
render to the next speaker.
ABE JONES.