TWENTY FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING. 125 



it does those other things. They do it in other governments, though under 

 other governments the police is ^governmental, and the matter is put in 

 their hands and enforced. Now, I perhaps feel a little different over this 

 than most of you. I have spent eight years of my life at one end of a tel- 

 egraph wire, and when some one at the other end said "Go," I went, and I 

 am accustomed to doing those things — doing what I am sent to do, per- 

 fectly regardless of public opinion. My business was simply to do what I 

 was told to do, and with as little inconvenience and damage to the people 

 as possible, and it can be done; if one is not obliged to go into his own 

 immediate neighborhood, it is all right. Of course, if you can get your 

 neighbors to do things willingly, it is better, but those good neighbors are 

 not universal, I am sorry to say, and in the light in which I look at it, it is 

 really a public? nuisance. 1 believe the government could take it in 

 charge just as they do with reference to domestic animals. They can 

 stop Texas sending cattle across here, any time, and if it would apply to 

 domestic animals, why not to insect pests? 



Mr. I'ost: I think you will find the interest taken in this question is 

 increasing with the fruit interests. Two years ago, nothing had been 

 done in our township, but I think it would be diificult to find a black knot 

 there now. The men put in for yellows commissioners are men interested 

 in fruit. There are probably not more than a dozen in the township that 

 would take interest enough to do the work necessary, but we take pains 

 to put in meu for commissioners who are interested in their own orchards, 

 and they will use every means in their power to get rid of pests and dis- 

 eases. 



Mr. Morrill: The question raised by Dr. Thomas was, "Who will bell 

 the cat?" We agree perfectly on the necessity of belling the cat, but who 

 is going to do it? Who has done it in the past? Many of you are famil- 

 iar witb the manner in which some of these things have been worked up; 

 some are not. The yellows law has been spoken of. I don't know the 

 origin of the recent yellows law, but it proved faulty. There is a law now 

 in force, and that can be inforced, which was drawn up by three members 

 of the Michigan Horticultural Society. Two are in the room today and 

 the other is in Florida. I know that, and I know that the State Horticul- 

 tural Society, ever since I have been a member or acquainted with it, has 

 been of rather praall membership. I know, too, that, so far as we have 

 been able to learn, the people of the state have been with us in sentiment, 

 but not for work. I know that the Michigan State society is the only one 

 that sends its men to the halls of your legislature to work out these 

 things. They do it nearly every time the legislature meets. They put 

 men there foi a purpose, and that purpose is the advancement of the fruit 

 interests of the state of Michigan. How many of you stand with us and 

 say, "Go ahead and do these things"? Are you taking care of yourselves 

 as well as other indusrries take care of themselves? Every time you go 

 on tho floors of the legislature, to fight any measure, it has to be the mean- 

 est kind of swindle, or a pest of some kind, that you can successfully fight, 

 if some other man has a dollar at the other end, because every business 

 that conflicts with ours seems to put up the money and the best talent they 

 have, to whip us back home, and often they can do it. But this yellows 

 law is beiuir enforced; and now, at the last session, there was a compul- 

 sory spraying law passed, intended to cover the ground so far as this state 



