The courier-index., 1917-10-26

Rut for the Splenul0 WOrk done by
r. Daggett, president of the Ma
r,anna Commercial Club, and DR.. o.
T. Williamson, one of the county's
most public-spirited citizens, before
the quorum court on Wednesday af-
ternoon. Lee county would have been
subjected to the humiliation of put
ting its stamp of disapproval on the
farm demonstration and canning
club work. Through the activities of
Esq Vondrain of Oak Forrest town
shin who has been a consistent en-
.emv of farm demonstration work
from the time the matter first came
before the quorum court several
wears ago, it was apparent enough
members of the court Wednesday had
been turned against the work to in
sure the defeat of the usual appro-
nriations. AS soon as Judge Plum
mer brought the matter to the at
tention of the court Esq. Vondrain
was on his feet with motion to
turn down the appropriation OF $1,000
for the demonstrator and $3.50 for the
canning club agent. He argued it
was a waste of funds, that the
demonstration and agent had done no
good and that the fruits and vege-
fables canned in Oak Forrest town
ship under the direction of the can
ming club agent had all spoiled, and
besides, he intimated the farmers of
Lee county already know more about
modern scientific farming than the
government agents.
Mr.. Daggett Immediately accepted
the challenge thrown down by Esq
vondrain and in reply he effectively
answered the spurious arguments
made by the magistrate, defended the
work of the demonstration agent
and the canning club agent, briefly
reviewed the constructive program
that had been carried out by the
Commercial Club and other forces at
work to improve conditions here,
and concluded by asking, not only
for the usual appropriations for the
demonstration and canning club
agents, but insisted the quorum court
should appropriate $500 for a negro
demonstration and canning club
agent He was followed by DIR. Will
hanson in vigorous address in
which the speaker stated there were
not one hundred successful farmers
in Lee county; that it was folly for
men who had made a miserable fail
ure Of their life work to set their
judgment in opposition to the presi
dent of the United States and the
secretary of agriculture, who are now
urging that demonstration agents be
provided for every agricultural coun.
ty in the nation. He declared ninety
nine per cent of the farmers in Lee
county who are doing tnything worth
while are heartily in favor of this
work. He said Esq. Vondrain had
no right to state the majority of the
people were opposed to demonstra
tion because the magistrate had not
been over the county. ''In fact" de
clared DIR. Williamson, II doubt II
ESQ., Vondrain has been twenty-five
miles from his home in Oak Forrest
township in many years. 1t is rather
remarkable that all the fruit and
canned vegetables in Oak Forrest
township spoiled. while in every
other section of the county it did not
spoil"
So effectively did Mr. Daggett and
Dr. Williamson answer the objections
raised by Esq. Vondrain that wher
vote was taken the magistrate from
YAK Forrest township was the only
member of the court voting in the
negative. Not only did the court
appropriate 81. 200 for the white dem
onstrator. and $3.50 for the white