Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-02

The long roll of members was called
and every member answered present"
The morning session, as has been
heretofore the custom, was devoted to
discussion of the most important sub
jects concerning the welfare of the
farming community. Five minute
speeches were the rule, and the sub
jects discussed were Automobiles and
Their Uses, if Any THE Protective
Tariff as 1t Affects the Farmer" ''The
Orders of Elks, Moose, Buffalo and
Hyena as Offshoots of the Ground
Hog Society,""
And it may be truthfully said that
there was more valuable information
CLEANED from some of these five minute
talks than could be gotten from a
whole weeks issue of a Chicago daily
newspaper The president made a few
remarks on the high price of food
stuffs. He said among other valuable
suggestions that "he hoped that meat
would never get so scarce or dear that
the people would be compelled to eat
ground hogs" Adjournment was then
taken for dinner.
President Delivers Address.
At the afternoon session the presi-
dents annual address was the main
topic. and is verbatim as follows:
Brother Ground Hogs: Another
year has passed. With some of us it
has been year of prosperity, peace
and happiness. Again has it been
made manifest to US of the true faith,
the wonderful power of prophecy Of
our patron saint. Look around you,
all over this beautiful section of coun-
try, it's wealth and refinement, not
only great farms and grand homes,
but homes of great and grand men
and women. From these homes have
gone forth the brains that supply
the cities with material TO conduct all
our political. legal and religious af-
fairs, and prevent our whole social
system from decay and dry rot.
"The science OF Ground Hogology,
properly understood and faithfully fol-
lowed will increase the material in
terest of the farmer to an extent that
the Iaymen never dreamed Of Faith
in the ground hog and his wonderful
powers of prophecy should be the slo-
gan of every farmer.
'It is becoming quite popular of
late years to form organizations in the
cities and name them for some fool
wild animal that doesn't have sense
enough to get in out of a shower of
rain. and that has no power of proph-
ecy nor ability to instruct
Order of Pole Cat Next.
MY brother ground hogs, it is too
much even to guess at to what lengths
men will go to for mere entertainment.
1 wouldn't be surprised to hear of an
order of the Grand and Odoriferous
Order of the Long Tailed Pole Cat
However many of these side issues
may appear they cannot affect our
ancient Ground Hog society.
There is a very general erroneous
belief in regard to the ground hog
coming out of his hole during the
winter months. 1t is said by many
and truly, too, that the ground hog
comes out of his hole every fine day.
To you who are initiated it is I'M
necessary to make explanation, but
for the benefit of the unbeliever will
say that ground hogs have an organiza-
tion among themselves. As bees have
their queens, and ants have their
rulers. so the ground hogs have their
kings and prophets. On the I'd day OF
February of each year at sun up these
prophets come out, and by certain
signs and movements Ineligible only
to those we'll versed in the science OF
ground hogology, make known the
condition of the weather we shall have
for the following six weeks. You, my
brethren of the true faith, know the
prophecies of our patron saint have
never failed of fulfllment-cannot fail
any more than the sun can fail in its
daily revolution.
Marks of Progress.
do you realize the progress we
have made since our society was or
gained? 1 can point out several in
the audience whom have seen driving
a yoke of streers to bull plow. l re-
member your dress too-we will call
it dress for politeness sake. A wolf
skin cap with the hair most all gone,
a hickory shirt slit down the back,
one half hanging out over a pair Of
one legged overalls supported by one
gallows and barefooted.
"a common remark in those days
was: on! the worst side of him is
out. Heaven help him if it wasn't
"But look at you now. You are all
right and 1 am mighty glad to see you
logged out with derby hat, starched
linen collar, ditto shirt, four-in-hand
necktie, Prince Albert suit with
creased pants, silk socks and patent
leather shoes, and a gold headed cane.
YesI and l counted 43 automobiles in
the garage out there this morning
and the boss told me they all belonged
to the farmers.
Recalls First Meeting.
my brothers 1 have a pretty good
memory. 1t is a good many years
since our first meeting. When we or
ganized our society some of you came