28 EIGHTEENTH AlfXUAL REPORT OF THE 



US, and to that end I call upon the Hon. John A. Barber, first vice 

 president of the Springfield Commercial Association. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



Mr. Barber.^ — Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: At the 

 risk of becoming a chestnut, I again have the privilege and the pleasure 

 of welcoming you to this city. , 



It was said by the late James J. Hill, the great railroad magnate 

 that it was not the great poets, orators, statesmen or warriors whd 

 were the real benefactors of the human race, but, in his opinion, it is 

 the man who can make two stalks of wheat grow where one had grown 

 before, and so, if this Society or Association will enable its members 

 to make a bee-hive produce two pounds of honey where it used to 

 produce one, you will also be entitled to be called benefactors. 



At the close of this terrible war, which has tested the resources of 

 the nations, we have been brought to realize more than ever before 

 the importance of the food producers of the world. We have learned 

 that it is not so much the man behind the gun, as the man behind the 

 man behind the gun that brought this war to a successful close. We 

 were taught during the last few jmonths to conserve, to save food, 

 especially to save sugar, "save to "^^ the war" was the common ex- 

 pression, "win the war by saving sugar." Thus being forced to^eny 

 ourselves sweets, the people more than ever before began to re^hze 

 the importance of honey in the human diet. It has been stated by our 

 doctor here in one of his addresses, that honey is a pre-digested food. 

 In my opinion, it has more energizing qualities as a pre-digested food 

 than ever did that well-advertised pre-digested grape nuts that was 

 boasted of all over the world. 



Honey is an important diet, and the bee-keepers have done an 

 important work during these strenuous times in producing honey and 

 relieving the shortage on sugar. We have found that honey in a great 

 many ways takes the place of sugar and in fact is a better article of 

 diet than sugar itself. 



The bee-hive and the bee have long been known as emblems of 

 industry and I think the man is fortunate who makes his life-work 

 that of the care of bees and who labors among bees. 



I want to call the attention of you now here to the December 

 number of the American Magazine, which runs an important line of 

 articles as inspirational themes to inspire others to do better things 

 in their work. In this December issue you will find an article the 

 subject of which is Dr. V. C. Miller, of Marengo, IlUnois, an honorary 

 member, I notice, of this Association. Dr. Miller is 88 years of age, 

 and has been a successful bee-keeper, I think for 57 years. He holds 

 the record for the production of section comb honey. The doctor, 

 i;n his interview, utters a great many words of w^isdom which may well 

 be taken by any man in any business. One thing he says: "If you 

 have no other interest in bees than the money to be made out of them, 

 let them alone; but if you are so built as to love bees, to think bees, 

 to dream bees, go to it; your chance to-day is better than when I 

 began." He brings out the fact that a man must love his work, must 

 be in love with his business to make a success. As has been well said 



