February, '12] ENTOMOLOGISTS' PROCEEDINGS 7 



a copy of the bill and explanation of its scope to all parties whom we thought would 

 be interested in securing the legislation. 



It is the belief of your committee that the present bill offers the least features which 

 could possibly interfere with the proper conduct of any importing business, consistent 

 with the desire for any protection at all. Your committee disclaims any antagonism 

 on the part of its members to any legitimate interest and in fact has done its utmost 

 during the past five years to bring about an amicable understanding among all 

 parties concerning this legislation. 



The present bill has already been indorsed by many national and state organiza- 

 tions, and it is hoped to have as many individuals write their congi-essmen regarding 

 the bill as possible. We believe that the entomologists and horticultural inspectors 

 of the country should unite in a vigorous attempt to seciure this legislation, irrespective 

 of what petty affiliations may demand. It is a time when our influence and prestige 

 is at stake. 



The time has come when each of us should exert every effort to arouse the public 

 conscience in our respective states to the necessity of such legislation. Your com- 

 mittee recommends that a larger committee be appointed to take cai'e of this impor- 

 tant matter, so that the biu"den of the work can be distributed and a larger 

 representation appear at any hearings that may be announced. 



Your committee is indebted to the Bureau of Entomology and especially to Doctor 

 C. L. Marlatt, who has active charge of the legislation for the Bureau, for much 

 assistance in an endeavor to aid in promoting the measure to the present state. 

 Respectfully submitted, 



Thomas B. Symons, College Park, Md., 

 J. B. Smith, New Brunswick, N. /., 

 E. L. WoRSHAM, Atlanta, Ga., 

 Committee on National Legislation of the American 



Association of Economic Entomologists. 



T. B. Symons : I would like to say, Mr. President, that Mr. Marlatt 

 is present and I feel sure that he would be pleased to give the Association 

 the advantage of his views on the present status of affairs. 



Mr. Marlatt: The history of the effort to secure a national quar- 

 antine and inspection law covering imported plants is familiar to most 

 of you. A brief statement may, however, be made of the efforts in 

 this direction of the last year, — efforts which again were unsuccessful, 

 largely due to the opposition of the legislative committee of the na- 

 tional nurserymen's association. 



The bill submitted to the last Congress was, as you know, a com- 

 promise measure, in which the wishes of nurserymen were acceded 

 to wherever possible. At their instance, examination was provided 

 for at the point of destination on the premises of the importer instead 

 of at the port of entry, thus meeting the main objection which had 

 been raised to the bill in its earlier stage. A number of other important 

 changes were made at their instance, all, in fact, of moment except 

 the elimination of the power of establishing when necessary foreign 

 quarantine against particular plants to keep out diseases or insect 



