60 



MORNING SESSION, SEPTEMBER 8th, 1923 



The Convention was called to order by the President at 9 :30 

 o'clock A. M. 



The President: After a night of good rest we are ready to 

 proceed with our deliberations and as we have a lot to do we are 

 going to try to push things along fast this morning. 



Some of the papers have not arrived and some of the speakers 

 will not be here. Senator Penney of Michigan wrote me that he was 

 not only in rather poor health but he was in the midst of an election 

 primary and that it would be impossible for him to be here but that 

 he would endeavor to send a paper. I am sorry to say that it has 

 not arrived. 



I was pretty sure that ex-President Linton would be here. But 

 I have a telegram from him this morning saying it is absolutely 

 impossible and that he, too, hasn't had any time to prepare a paper. 

 Mr. Linton is a very busy man and about the only way to get a rise 

 out of him is by wire. I have written him three times and wired him 

 five times. Finally I succeeded in getting a telegram from him this 

 morning. I was particularly anxious that he and Senator Penney 

 be here to discuss the roadside planting of nut trees and the legisla- 

 tion of Michigan in that regard, believing that such aid would 

 materially help us in getting other states interested along the same 

 line. I'm sorry, therefore, that they are not here. 



This telegram from Mr. Linton, received this morning, reads 

 as follows : 



" Expected until yesterday that I would get to Rochester con- 

 vention but am bitterly disappointed in being unable to do so owing 

 to fatal illness of chairman of our state commission, whose called 

 meetings and pendent duties have fallen upon me. Senator Penney 

 is in midst of strenuous primary campaign closing Monday and can 

 not leave and Mr. Beck is in hospital recovering from operation. So 

 your Saginaw trio, positively with you in spirit and good wishes, is 

 held here this time absolutely and all regret the situation beyond 

 measure. I expressed to you yesterday, prepaid, the Washington 

 walnuts, fine young trees only eighteen months old, and will replace 

 them next spring if necessary. Penney and Beck join me in sin- 

 cerely desiring the success of your convention and extending kind 

 regards to you and those present, all of whom we hope to meet 

 another year. 



Wm. S. Linton. 



The trees we are going to plant tomorrow morning, if these 

 seedlings get here, are grown from nuts furnished Mr. Linton by the 

 superintendent of Mount Vernon. Last year we planted some in one 

 of the parks at Lancaster. 



I will ask Mr. Vollertsen to read his paper now. 



