236 State Horticultural Society. 



to draw upon the State appropriation by requisition on the State Auditor, 

 signed by the President and Secretary, and attested by the Society seal, 

 whenever funds were needed. But it was found that under the new 

 law no money could be drawn until it had been spent, receipted bills 

 shown, and an itemized account made to the State Auditor. The old 

 plan then had to be continued, at least in part. 



As often as it seemed necessary an itemized statement was sent to 

 the State Auditor, and requisition made upon him to cover the same. 

 Sometimes this requisition was made covering the expenses of the Society 

 for one, two or three months, as the case might be. All these bills were 

 paid from money belonging to the Society, and when the amount was 

 refunded by the State Treasurer, it all belonged to the Society Itself. In 

 reality the Society at no time has any State money in its hands. The 

 bills were paid as now, from our "savings fund," and the State simply 

 refunds the amounts previously paid out. It is impossible, therefore, for 

 us to squander one dollar of the State funds. 



This fund began now to increase from membership fees provided foi 

 by the act of incorporating and from premium awards taken by the Society 

 The wisdom of the Executive Committte in creating such a fund was 

 fully demonstrated by the operation of the new law, under which the 

 Society was reorganized in 1893. Had it not been for this fund, every 

 account would have been held up for at least one month or carried by the 

 Secretary and Treasurer, till a requisition on the State Treasurer could _ 

 be made. As it is the Treasurer always has enough of the Society funds 

 on hand to pay these bills as soon as the accounts are allowed and war- 

 rants drawn. This plan has been annually approved by the Executive 

 Committee, and the order renewed upon the organization of each new 

 Executive Committee. This the Board had a right to do, and in fact is 

 the only body with authority to so order. This arises not simply from 

 the fact that the business was intrusted by resolution to the President and 

 Secretary in 1859, and to the Executive Committee, composed of the elec- 

 tive officers, by an amendment to the constitution in 1883, but by the 

 articles of incorporation in 1893. By that enactment the State recog- 

 nized the Executive Board as now constituted, as the only agency in the 

 Society in all business transactions between the Society and itself. 



The cash balances for the next year, 1894, were low, for our money 

 was invested in the Chicago Fair exhibits. But in June the Secretary 

 said in his report, "The World's Fair matters have all been settled up, 

 and the commission has paid to the Society all the moneys expended 

 for the display made there. Money had been advanced all along through 

 the year by the Society to pay for fruits, express and expenses in col- 



