18 



other. It was because of Pennsylvania's realization of the im- 

 portance of this work that the Legislature, at its last session 

 enacted a bill creating a commission and defining the duties of 

 that commission, as well as appropriated an adequate amount to 

 carry on the work. Without reviewing that bill in its full text, 

 it might be said that the proposed Commission was given the 

 direction to seek out and destroy this disease. As Admiral 

 Dewey, you remember, at about the outset of our war with Spain 

 was directed by President McKinley and the Cabinet to seek out 

 the Spanish fleet and destroy it, so it might be said tliat tlie 

 only direction given this Commission was to find this dread 

 chestnut bark disease, and destroy it. 



That Commission has been organized, and this State is in- 

 deed fortunate in being able to command the services of such 

 splendid men, such capable men as Messrs. Sargent, Peirce, 

 Craig, Bodine and Ely, who have gone about their work with the 

 determination to do all that is possible to bring about the de- 

 sired results. 



Were the cause of this disease known, and did we know liow 

 to combat it and liow to destroy it, a meeting of this kind would 

 l)e unnecessary; but we do know something of its ravages, how 

 it attacks the trees, and noAv we are here to consider how we 

 shall blot it out; how we shall arrive at tlie source of it, if pos- 

 sible, and then blot out the disease completely. 



I am prepared now to consider a motion looking to a proper 

 organization of this convention for the carrying out of its work, 

 and for the proper recording of your deliberations to-day. 



MR. HAROLD PEIRCE: I would nominate, as permanent 

 chairman of the Conference, Dr. R. A. Pearson, former Commis- 

 sioner of Agriculture of the State of New York, and as secretar- 

 ies, Messrs. F. W. Besley, of Maryland, and Samuel B. Det- 

 wiler, of Pennsylvania. 



THE GOVERNOR: You have heard the motion. The ques- 

 tion is upon the election of Mr. R. A. Pearson, former Commis- 

 sioner of Agriculture of the State of New York, as chairman of 

 this Conference, and Messrs. E. W. Besley, of Maryland and S. B. 

 Detwiler, of Pennsylvania, to serve as secretaries of this Con- 

 ference. 



The motion was put and unanimously carried. 



