An Explanation

On Saturday, June i7th, '93, four of the board of Directors of the Farmer's Picnic Association of Wayne, Oakland, Livingston and Washtenaw counties met at the Clifton House, Whitmore Lake, for the purpose of making arrangements for their i5th annual picnic. The cali had been made several days previous to this date, according to custom, by the secretary each one of the 20 mernbers being notified by mail. A sense of discouragements on account of the apparent lack of interest, was feit, by the four members, who had sacrificed the day, and some money in the interest of the association. Af ter several minutes conversation, however, in which two or three gentlemen of Whitmore Lake took part the conclusión was drawn that it would be wise to go on with the work, as the smallness of attendance might possibly not be through lack of interest, but on the other hand, a disposition to let the "other fellow" do the work. Be it said to their credit there was public spirit enough among the four to undertake the thankless job. The committee on location, with the help of Tobias Holmes, made a canvass of the town to raise funds, and the few who happened to be at home responded nicely, ($23.00), yet not sufficiently to warrant holding it at the Lake. The Lake people some of them thought, however, that in a few days time they could raise enough to bear all expenses, so the committee on location promised to leave the matter open for a week that the anvas might be more thoroughly made. At the end of a week this gentlemen drove about 20 miles to ascertain the state of the finances and scarcely one half the needed amount ($20.00) was promised, and the idea of holding it at the Lake had to be abandoned. Ann Arbor then responded so generously that the Committee feit justified inlocating it at the fair grounds, as they had a big enough subscription to build an annex to the grand stand, shaded with enormous awnings, so thatjthe'seatingjaccommodations will be far superior to any that would be arranged in a grove. Thestreetcar line goes to the gates and the accommodations for teams is big. The buildings will all be thrown open and a good supply of drinking water has been assured. This explanation has been made, not alone to advertise the picnic, but that farmers and others interested might understand that the work has been regularly done by the proper authorities anc with unselfishness on the part of the workers. It might be well to further state that the committee on speaker com municated with the Chatauqua Lee ture Bureau seeking for a man o national reputation. Senator Stewart, of Nevada, was promised and and Saturday the ic)th of August was selected as the day. In the mean time congress wa called and the bureau withdrew Senator Steward's name, and of fered in his stead General James B Weaver, and Wednesday, Augus i6th, had to be substituted as the day tocomply with General Weaver' dates. The change of date was not made to frústrate the plans of the Farmer's Reunión, which had evidently purposely been billed to take place on the same day.