502 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



able for our needs, where we can have a good auditorium; we 

 also want a good exhibit room for our fruit. 



Don't be afraid of calling upon the state legislature for an 

 appropriation. As I have said before, and you know it, when the 

 legislature assembles, the cry goes up of retrenchment and de- 

 creasing taxes, etc. That is always the case when the legisla- 

 ture assembles. Bear in mind, gentlemen, that Minnesota is a 

 rich state, there is no getting around that. It is a very rich 

 state, and it is capable of building a hall for the State Horti- 

 cultural Society and never know it. It is capable of doing a 

 great many things. It is a wonderful state and I am proud to 

 be a citizen of it, and I am proud to be a member of the State 

 Horticultural Society. 



If you want a hall will you take a little pains to do a 

 little work in the different counties and towns where you live 

 to help us get a hall ? The only way to do this is by seeing your 

 representative and talking the matter over with him. Our peo- 

 ple made the proposition two years ago. They liked it, as a 

 general thing. Several of them asked me why I didn't bring 

 the bill right on the floor of the house. The bill was killed in 

 the committee. If it doesn't get out of committee at the proper 

 time this year, I would like to see a minority report come in 

 and placed before the senate and the house, and I think the 

 bill will pass with the proper amount of work, and the commit- 

 tee is willing to do all it can. I am willing to do all I possibly 

 can up to the first of February, when I expect to go away for a 

 month or six weeks, but up to that time I am more than willing 

 to do any work I can in connection with my own business. In 

 that way, by co-operating and working together, I think it is 

 very probable indeed that we may get an appropriation. When 

 we have a new hall we will be able to do our work much better 

 than we do now, and I certainly think we are entitled to it fair 

 and square. I thank you. (Applause.) 



The President: Mr. Underwood is also a member of the 

 committee. Have you a word for us? 



Mr. Underwood : It hardly seems necessary for me to say 

 anything. I think Mr. Crosby has put the matter in the very 

 best way for us, but I have been actively interested in this so- 

 ciety so long that perhaps I see our needs more than you do 

 who have not had the actual working of the society to be re- 

 sponsible for. I see more clearly what we need and how we can 

 improve our condition. 



I have visions of a larger society. We are fifty years old 

 now, and look at the progress we have made in that fifty years. 

 We only had a handful of people in attendance fifty years ago 

 and now look at the splendid audience we have out here this 

 past week. We should have an audience room built on scien- 

 tific principles, with comfortable seats and with such good 

 acoustic properties that every one could hear the speakers who 

 have not good carrying voices in the farther part of the room. 



