jiLLiINOIS STATE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 



113 



for a paper on "What limitations, if 

 any, there should be on the work of the 

 National Bee -Keepers' Association for 

 its members," and I have a letter here 

 in reply, which I will read: 

 To the Members of the Chicago-North- 

 western Bee-Keepers' Association, 

 Assembled: 



Esteemed Members: 



It is with no little regret when I 

 say that it will be impossible for me 

 to be with you at your meeting the 

 l&th and 20th of the month (December, 

 1912), inasmuch as I would dike to 

 share in the good things that are sure 

 to develop in such an august body as 

 the Chicago-Northwestern Association 

 is composed of. As it will be impos- 

 sible to meet with you at this time I 

 hope you will all meet me at the National 

 meeting in Cincinnati, February 12-13, 

 1913, and I extend to you an invitation. 



Your efficient Secretary, Mr. Dadant, 

 would like me to tell you of the future 

 plans of the National Association, inas- 

 niiuch as he asks — "What limitations, 

 if any, should there be on the work of 

 the National Bee-Keepers' Association 

 for its members. 



It is usually the better way, in carry- 

 ing on a discussion, to leave the main 

 or most important points of our argu- 

 ment until the last, but I am going to 

 tell you at the very start that the limi- 

 tations of the national to itsi members 

 will be determined almost wholly by the 

 number we have from year to year; or, 

 in other words, the support we get in 

 number of members will determine the 

 amount of good that can be done the 

 members. It is a self-evident fact that 

 the larger the membership, the more 

 each individual may expect from the 

 association. 



To illustrate: A branch of the Na- 

 tional asked us for a price on a car of 

 supplies for their individual members, 

 and we are "turned down" because we 

 are not strong enough to be considered 

 a "factor." Had we been ten thousand 

 strong, manufacturers of bee supplies 

 would have "tumbled over themselves" 

 in their haste to serve us. As it is we 

 will have to do the best we can until 

 such a time as our request will be 

 honored. We will offer the members 

 a few more articles during next than 

 this year, at a less price than outsiders 

 have to pay. Enough so that every 

 member ought to get his money's worth, 

 and some more, during next year, if he 

 ■needs anything in the line we can get 

 — -S ^ 



for him. It is not our policy to make 

 promises, but I think none will be sorry 

 they are members during 1913, for we 

 are going to make a special effort to 

 "make good" during next year. 



Let us retrospect a little lest we 

 forget what the National has already 

 done for us. My memory goes back 

 over several j^ears when the National 

 helped its members fight their^ rightful 

 legal battles in a financial way. Liikely 

 the greatest victory won was what is 

 known as the Arkadelphia case (52 

 Ark., 23), where a case was carried to 

 the Supreme Court by the National, and 

 won, declaring bees not a nuisance and 

 placing them on an equal with domestic 

 animals, or other personal property. At 

 the present time this feature of the 

 National (although there may not be 

 (anything to hinder) has not been 

 pushed as in previous years, although 

 a considerable moral weight has been 

 brought to bear upon a few cases, and 

 we are pleased to say that this has had 

 the desirable effect in several cases. 



By the inquiries we are receiving, it 

 is evident that this protection feature 

 of the National was well taken by a 

 considerable number of our members, 

 while a considerable number would 

 not care fdr this feature. 



Knowing the sentiment of many of 

 our members, I would encourage and 

 recommend that an auxiliary to the 

 National be formed for the purpose of 

 protecting its members in their right- 

 ful, legal bee suits in their respective 

 individual locations. To the best of 

 my judgment, not more than half of 

 the members of the National Associa- 

 tion would care for this protection 

 feature, so why ask these members to 

 help support something they care 

 nothing about and do not want? 



The National has all the machinery 

 necessary to carry oh this work and I 

 assure you that the officers are very 

 willing to do anything to benefit the 

 members within their power. As the 

 amount of money necessary to prose- 

 cute this work would be indefinite, and 

 an annual due might amount to too 

 much, or might not be sufficient in 

 amount, as the demands will deter- 

 mine, I would suggest that the better 

 way for raising funds for this pur- 

 pose would be by the assessment plan. 



To illustrate my idea: We will sup- 

 pose that eight hundred would respond 

 to the first call for members; they 

 each paying in a dollar for defense 



