ILLINOIS STATE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 



165 



many less mistakes than we will 

 make by voting en masse. 



I would like to hear from Mr. 

 France. 



■Mr. France — In regard to the old 

 system of voting, I was certainly tired 

 of it. I received many, many blanks to 

 this effect: "I don't know; you vote 

 for me." 



The delegate system, if properly 

 conducted — by which you have the one 

 right before you, who you know will 

 use his best judgment to act in your 

 place — is certainly proper; but there is 

 one feature of it that I do not exactly 

 approve of: That these National 

 meetings almost bar out the idea of a 

 national gathering of bee-keepers. It 

 has broken up that brotherhood among 

 whole masses of bee-keepers that I do 

 not like. 



I remember when I was in the east- 

 ern states, especially in New York, a 

 committee retired from the convention 

 and did all the business while we were 

 talknig bees — but, when it comes to the 

 National convention, we all that are 

 there are delegates; and it bars you 

 and me, unless we are delegates, from 

 taking part. 



Mr. Burnett — I quite agree with th^ 

 sentiments of Mr. France in this mat- 

 ter but, as he says, this organization 

 is a National one. We are a mighty 

 big country and 90 per cent of the at- 

 tendance at the convention in Denver, 

 we will say 75 per cent at least, will 

 be delegates and all interested in the 

 convention having a vote. 



The other feature of it is that those 

 who wish to take part in the proceed- 

 ings of the convention may not do so 

 onlv by courtesy, but are often heard 

 if they make a special request to be so 

 heard. 



Mr. Burnett — I move you that the 

 organization be conducted on the prin- 

 ciple of a delegate. 



Motion seconded and carried. 



Pres. Kannenberg — Is there any- 

 thing else that the delegates want 

 instructions on? 



Mr. Hawkins — What about voting 

 on the National dues? 



Pres. Kannenberg — It was to be left 

 more to the delegates than anything 

 else. 



Mr. Wheeler — I think the delegates 

 that are interested will understand 

 that Constitution before any of the 

 rest of us. If they want to know what 



we want on certain subjects why 

 don't they ask us? 



Mr. Hawkins — I made a motion a 

 while ago that the delegates be in- 

 structed to vote against increasing the 

 dues in the National Bee-Keepers' 

 Associataion. 



Mr. Sylvester — I think we are put- 

 ting the burden on our delegates here 

 that it would be pretty hard for them 

 to carry out. When they get down 

 there and find all the other delegates 

 are against them, if we make them 

 pledge themselves to uphold our reso- 

 lution they might possibly just as well 

 stay away. I think that the delegates 

 we have chosen have intelligence 

 enough to advocate such matters as 

 best for the Association and will be 

 governed in their actions as to what 

 matters come up there. 



I think they will find other delegates 

 there who are just as much opposed 

 to high dues as probably this Associ- 

 ation is. For my part I think the 

 delegates are capable of taking care 

 of the matter. 



Mr. Hawkins — I do not want my mo- 

 tion to be misunderstood as question- 

 ing the intelligence of the delegates. 

 If this Association wants to vote 

 against an increase in fees the dele- 

 gates want to know what we want 

 them to do. 



Mr. Burnett — I would like to ask Mr. 

 Bull what he had any doubt about as 

 to the sentiment of this meeting.- 



Mr. Bull — It is pretty hard to tell. 



A member — I second Mr. Hawkins' 

 motion not to increase the dues of the 

 National. 



Pres. Kannenberg — You have all 

 heard the motion, not to increase the 

 dues of the National; all in favor say 

 aye; contrary, no. 



Motion carried 10 to 1. 



Mr. Burnett — The fact is if our dele- 

 gates make a protest there they are 

 not going to be alone. I am sure that 

 the presence of such men as we send 

 to the Denver convention is going to 

 be felt; and if they cite, as we have 

 here, our reasons for favoring a low 

 fee and a large membership, I think 

 they will stand a big chance of carry- 

 irg the day, and if they do not do it 

 now they will some day. 



Mr. Kildow — If the state of Illinois 

 drops out of this Association it will 

 take out about four-fifths of the 

 members. 



Mr. France — It is drawing towards 



