150 



TWELFTH ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE 



ing these names as National Branches, 

 but rather a desire to assist them and 

 maintain the National members 

 through their Branches to their own 

 financial benefit of these local Asso- 

 ciations. These rules were all pub- 

 lished in the July Review on page 267. 

 For the future I wish to say that, to 

 me at least, the outlook is bright. 

 Members everywhere are beginning to 

 understand better the work of the As- 

 sociation under the new laws, and 

 many new ones are sending in their 

 support in the way of subscriptions. 

 The subscription income to the Review 

 was almost doubled during January of 

 1913 to what it was in January, 1912. 

 Our subscription list also is in a great 

 deal better condition, for since pur- 

 chasing the Review I have been 

 gradually weeking out all subscriptions 

 past due, until now my list is strictly 

 a paid-in-advance subscription list, 

 with the exception of those who have 

 written in asking that the Review be 

 continued and that they would send 

 their subscription remittance later. 



Considering the amount of packages 

 we have sold to our members in a local 

 way last year and remembering that 

 not a single shipment, excepting a 

 local shipment, was made, and realiz- 

 ing that all of these customers were 

 pleased with the goods sent them, 

 many having written me words of ap- 

 proval, and stating what they had 

 made by purchasing from the National, 

 it is reasonable to expect a much 

 larger business along this one line 

 during 1913; besides I have received a 

 niimber of letters asking for prices on 

 carlots, which shows an awakening in- 

 terest along this line. In the sale of 

 honey I did not succeed in establishing 

 the plan I desired, but inj order to do 

 something I did the best I could and 

 tried to bring buyer and consumer 

 closer together through correspondence. 

 I have letters stating where this effort 

 has been instrumental in selling sev- 

 eral carloads of honey, and when we 

 can get selling agencies established 

 there is no reason why we cannot 

 direct the shipment of a good many 

 cars annually. This should be done 

 not with an idea of getting into the 

 honey business from a business stand- 

 point, but with the idea of establishing 

 agencies which will be under the direct 

 control of the Association. To do this 

 we must Incorporate, and I have advice 

 from a prominent Detroit attorney. 



stating that we can incorporate as a 

 Co-Operative Association without cap- 

 ital if we wish, and still be enabled 

 to do business along the lines we are 

 attempting. 



With reference to the sale of bee 

 supplies, I am frank to say that I do 

 not feel this should be undertaken to 

 any extent, excepting by the estab- 

 lishment of co-operative agencies 

 through the different National 

 Branches, wherever a Branch is in- 

 corporated or is in a position to finance 

 its purchases. Then if it will turn over 

 its purchasing to the National Associa- 

 tion, and this is done by a number 

 of Branches, the added power placed 

 in the hands of the ^National in this 

 way should enable it to get the very 

 best prices and the very best service. 

 This should be done without thought 

 ot profit, but with the desire to serve, 

 and I feel that the only true co-oper- 

 ative plan to handle this business is 

 for these local Branches to charge the 

 regular retail price, go out after the 

 business the same as a profit concern, 

 and then distribute the profits back to 

 the stockholders or members after 

 paying a reasonable interest on the 

 capital stock, these profits to be dis- 

 tributed according to the amount of 

 business done by the member with the 

 Association. One of the dangers which 

 faces the National, at this time is the 

 possible attempt it may make to do too 

 many things, and to accomplish too 

 much with the means it has. The 

 members should be patient as long as 

 we are making growth and advance- 

 ment, for the more members we have 

 the greater good can we accomplish 

 for each member, and it seems to me 

 that the best method of obtaining this 

 growth is by assisting every National 

 Branch and striving all together to 

 build up the membership through the 

 circulation of the Bee-Keepers' Re- 

 view, the National's official organ. 



Please remember when I say this 

 that I am not talking from a personal 

 motive, because the Review belongs to 

 you, and you, as delegates representing 

 your members who have sent you here, 

 have absolute power to say who rules 

 the Review, who shall be your officers, 

 and what your policy shall be. In no 

 other way with our membership so 

 scattered can each individual member 

 be so truly represented as by the plan 

 of having you come here with full 

 power to vote on these questions for 



