The Monmouth inquirer., 1922-07-20
County Farmers
Enjoy Fete Day

! Inc I1lrQ annual monmouth lhIiA
er's picnic was held in Holmdel Sat
urday at the farm of Henry Cross with
fully 1000 persons in attendance, in
! cluding the farmers and their families,
guests and officials of state and coun-
! ty. Governor Edward |. Edwards ad-
dressed the gathering, arriving with Mrs.
Edwards and his secretary, }. Harry
Foley and William L. Griffin of his per-
sonal staff, in the middle of the after
noon. The governor emphasized the
necessity of organization among the
farmers and said that the farmers
prosperity was the country's prosper
ity that the two were synonymous and
could not be separated.
The weather was most considerate
for this day of all days in the farmers
calendar and the sun was bright but
not too hot. In the morning the sports
were run off from 10 O'Clock until
noon. Albert Bennett and Lillian
Grellir of II olmdel. won the boys and
girls hopping contest respectively
In the mems basketball throw Thomas
Ketcham ofFarmingdale took the hon
ors while Miss H ellwig of Middle town,
captured the title for the women and
Miss Mabel Willett of Colts Neck, for
the girls. Mrs. Frank Potter won the
women's potato race. There were
many other novel contests.
After the basket lunches had been
enjoyed the picnickers were royalty en-
tertained with music and community
singing, the music being furnished by
the band of % pieces of the state home
for boys. The community singing was
led by q song committee consisting of
well-k local singers.
After the music DR.. f. Fl. Green,
headmaster of Pennington seminary,
| we known to Mon outh county farm
| ers as highly interesting and edu-
cational speaker, gave an address on
Gro wing'' and the significance of the
word. AS usual he completely capti-
waited his audience, who applauded his
Offering loudly.
Col Schwartskopfz, head of New
Jersey State Police, followed DR.. Green
and gave most interesting talk on
that organization, its inception: the
development of the work the require
ers and the method of protecting by
their services, rural and city districts
alike.
Governor Edwards then spoke and
was warmly applauded when he told
those present that they lived in the fin
est county in the United States Mon
mout'>
AT II the governors speech the ball
.ame between Farmingdale and Eng
lishtown oranges was started but, on
account of darkness, this contest had
: to be called at the end of the sixth inning
when Far1ningdale led with the score
of 16-2 The Englishtown organization
was weak owing to the fact that the
team had been hastily gotien togeth-
er to meet the Farmingdale lads.
Holmdelfarmersj just now are IN arms
about their tax rate, which they claim
1 is too high. They vented their griev-
ances at meeting Held Friday night
at Holmdel at which Theron Camp
| bell single tax advocate presided,
and addresses were made by Howard
w. Roberts Of Atlantic Highlands. the
county auditor, who gave in detail the
moneys paid into the county and the
amounts paid back in bridges and
| r ads. Senator William a. Stevens of
Long Branch, who spoke on the state
! taxing question in general; Assembly
man Edward A. Sexsmith, Belmar;
Assemblyman Jacob G. Campbell of
Allenhurst, and Chairman Campbell.
There were a number of single tax
advocates present at the meeting
among them Editor John HI. Cook, of
the Red Bank Register.
Chairman Campbell said there were
! 90 farms in Holmdel township whose
owners paid on the rate of $23.70 for
school purposes alone. He said that
the average acreage tax was "a, and it
i is said that one of the farmers pays as
high as So, 800 in taxes. He declared
that the valuation placed on farm lands
was entirely too high for the return,
making it impossible for Monmouth
| farmers to compete with the Western
agriculturalists He said that unless
/ there is let-up the Monmouth farmer
eventually would be driven out of
business.
Auditor Roberts was armed with
statistics. He had Holmdeps budget
at his finger tips. 1t was shown in fig
ures that Holmdel township will pay
into the county taeasury this year
IS. 900. and in return will receive in
good roads and bridges $4,000, the re-
| by carrying out the old saying, ''the
shore folks pay the taxes.