238 State Horti cultural Society. 



hcpc that the State would place at our disposal enough money to make 

 by far the greatest show ever attempted." But this was not done in 

 any sense in time "for use in 190 1 and '2, and early part of 1903. In 

 reality it was never "placed at our disposal," for as we have seen, 

 under the present law the money had to be spent, receipted bills 

 shown, and an itemized account made before a dollar could be drawn. 

 And in this case a great big Missouri Commission of able bodied and 

 careful men, stood between us and the State Auditor. What then was to 

 be done ? 



It took large amounts of ready cash through all these months of 

 getting ready for the show. We simply used the Society's funds, when 

 money was on hand, and repaid it when the State money could be drawn. 

 But if somebody had to advance money in getting ready for exhibitions 

 at Chicago, Buffalo and Omaha, how much more for the St. Louis 

 World's Fair? And it was done the same old way, $800 and more a 

 month. He will never ask for our thanks, but L. A. Goodman, as Super- 

 intendent of our Horticultural exhibit at St. Louis, deserves, and to him 

 is due, the lasting gratitude of every friend of Horticulture in Missouri. 

 The year 1902 closed with $240.96 in the treasury, and not one check 

 drawn against our Trust Co. fund ; but an order made for one or 

 more, to the amount of $200, December, 1903, at Columbia. 



It has long been the practice of our Society to defray the expenses 

 of its delegates to other State meetings. In December, 1902, our Sec- 

 retary, L. A. Goodman, received $72.00 in full of his expenses to the 

 Maryland meeting, the same as did Mr. Robnett, to the Illinois meet- 

 ing, and Mr. Gano to the Kansas meeting and Mr. J. M. Irvine to the 

 Boston meeting. In February, 1903, the Maryland Society paid Mr, 

 Goodman's expenses by sending him a draft for $72.00. Of course this 

 money belonged to the Society, and might have been forwarded to the 

 Treasurer at once. But we have shown above "that when by the opera- 

 tion of law, available money was not in the treasury the Secretary did 

 not hesitate to advance it for the Society." This was the case when the 

 $72.00 was received. Hence he used this money to further our interest 

 at the World's Fair, just as he had for two years, used other funds of the 

 Society, collected by himself, "keeping an accurate account of debits and 

 credits till funds were on hand." All these transactions were reported to 

 the Executive Committee from time to time, but not to the Treasurer as 

 such till State money "could be drawn, when both the Treasurer and the 

 Secretary himself would be reimbursed. 



Slightly irregular this may have been, but not hidden ; "for every 

 member of the Executive Committee was cognizant and had full knowl- 



