on Mosquito Extermination. ii 



There is now a widespread demand for information. 

 Within a few days a letter was received from a friend of 

 President Diaz of Mexico, suggesting that the President be 

 furnished with some of the Hterature on the subject, and we 

 have already sent printed matter by request from Atlantic to 

 Pacific, and from all parts North to Cuba in the South. 



At the first Mosquito Luncheon, held last May at the 

 Sheepshead Bay Club House, Dr. Howard emphasized the fact 

 that then for the first there was shown a humane interest in 

 the brute creation as against the mosquito pest, and yet we 

 have no speaker assigned to that very important subject di- 

 rectly in our program. But that subject was thoroughly em- 

 phasized in three or four of the addresses at that luncheon, 

 and it cannot be too strongly emphasized. 



And so, addresses might have been provided on other points, 

 for as it is considered it is seen that the subject has a most 

 widespread bearing. 



But this little priming talk must not exceed the time limit 

 of six minutes in this convention of rapid firing. 



When the point was reached as to who should be asked to 

 preside at the Convention, attention centered on one who has 

 the unique honor of being the Governor of the first State to 

 take State action, and one who, when there was some infor- 

 mality in the action, personally saw to it that money enough 

 was forthcoming to go forward with the work last season. 



Governor Murphy is not present to-day. He writes that 

 he had before written of his prior engagement in the Court 

 of Pardons, but his letter has never reached us. It is now in- 

 cumbent on us to choose a Presiding Officer from among those 

 who have consented to act as Vice-Presidents, and I nominate 

 one whose range of work and interests are very broad, and yet 

 who will be known more by his work for the benefit of the less 

 favored class — Mr. Robert W. de Forest, the President of the 

 Charity Organization and the Tenement House Commissioner 

 of the City of New York. 



Mr. de Forest's nomination was duly seconded, and upon 

 being put to a vote he was unanimously elected. 



Mr. de Forest : I thank you for the honor which you have 

 conferred upon me. I saw in one of the daily papers, in con- 

 nection with the announcement that Governor Murphy of New 



