STATE H0KTICT7LTURAL SOCIETY. 89 



good that we had this bill passed. It isn't to protect the nurserymen, 

 or the tree dealer, but to protect the people, who are being 

 swindled. 



Now, if there is an}'- possible way to protect the innocent, we ought 

 to do it. I have looked upon the methods practiced by some of these 

 tree agents with a good deal of disgust. I started in the nurserj' bus- 

 iness at one time, feeling that I could carry on the business honestly 

 and in a legitimate way, and feel that between my own conscience 

 and my customers that I was doing an honest, upright business. But 

 I soon found that if I put an agent in the field I had to thfow prin- 

 ciple away. There is no man that sends out a tree agent that can gov- 

 ern his agents, as a general thing. Where he is selling on commis- 

 sion he will sell that which he can sell to the best advantage, it makes 

 no difference whether it is a crab apple or a Rhododendron. 



It seems to me it is all boys' play for us to pass any resolution say- 

 ing that we will take back all that has been done in regard to this 

 tree bill. As Bro. Dartt says, it will amount to nothing to take any 

 action at present. 



Secretary of State Mattson is probably as well posted as any one as 

 to the working of the law. He has had considerable correspondence 

 with parties in regard to it, and it has added to his official duties in 

 having the oversight of this law. He says the workings of it are all 

 ri^ht. 



So far as the objection as to its constitutionality is concerned, we 

 had that passed upon by the attorney general, who gave us his opinion 

 that it was all right — that it was constitutional. What the judges 

 may decide when they get it into the courts is another question. But 

 until it is carried there I shall consider that it is just as constitutional 

 as any law we have. Furthermore, if we have no right to prevent 

 these men from coming in here to defraud and cheat and lie to us inno- 

 cent grangers, why is it we had an insurance law passed ? Outside 

 companies sent their agents here to do a dishonest business. Our 

 insurance law has been uphehl by the courts, I believe, and these for- 

 eign agents have been withdrawn from the State, and now insurance 

 men are doing a legitimate business. An insurance commissioner is 

 appointed to look after all the insurance business. Why should there 

 not be the same propriety in having a wholesome law to prevent nur- 

 serymen from defrauding the people? I think if we discuss the thing 

 in all its bearing we will find that we want to protect the innocent, 

 poor people, and that the men who are making their hundreds of 

 thousands of dollars here, selling their nursery stock, are the ones we 

 want to guard against. [Applause.] 



