792 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1 



of the quotation which Mr. Newman gives does 

 not fairly set forth my opinion, or, rather, he 

 leaves out the proviso upon which the proposi- 

 tion, to which he lakes exception, hinges. All 

 through the editorial I expressed myself as in 

 favor of amalgamation; but I was afraid that, 

 if we tried to force it, we should accomplish 

 nothing. The point I desired to mal<e was 

 that I was in favor of something that would 

 take hold of the matter of adulteration and dis- 

 honest commission men; and I thought that 

 something ought to embody the features of 

 the two existing organizations, whether amal- 

 gamation were effected or not. When we got 

 down to business, there were "no disagreeable 

 complications," as I at first feared; neither 

 were there "two distinct parties arrayed 

 against each other," as Mr. Newman seemed to 

 feel that there was; and as I had all along 

 been in favor of amalgamation, p'rovitZi?!;; there 

 were no "disagreeable complications," it was 

 not at all inconsistent in me to help it along all 

 I could, which I did in the capacity of the com- 

 mittee which was appointed — made up of Dr. 

 Mason, Mr. York, and rnyself. 



Mr. Newman implies that I called the Union 

 a " poor fizzle;" but I can not see that I any- 

 where so styled it. I have all along insisted 

 that the Union was .more national than any 

 thing else; and 'when I used the term "poor 

 fizzle"— see last sentence of first paragraph of 

 the editorial in question— I referred to rniy or- 

 ganization c that was [trying to cover one or 

 more countries,''and making a failure of it. 

 I!did not have in mind the Union at all, because 

 elsewherei;i referred^ to it (the Union) as a 

 grand;[success, except that I thought it ought 

 to enlarge its field;' of operations by taking in 

 the questions of adulteration and dishonest 

 honey-buyers, which it could do under its con- 

 stitution, f 



The constitution formulated by the commit- 

 tee above mentioned, as stated in our last issue, 

 was read and adopted article by article, some 

 being changed by the convention after discus- 

 sion. I am sure the General Manager will 

 indorse it, and the Union will adopt it with lit- 

 tle if any change. When so adopted by this 

 latter organization the new Union will be prac- 

 tically the same as the old, with the additional 

 feature of having annual meetings, the presi- 

 dent and other officers of the old North Amer- 

 ican being elected by the members present, and 

 the General Manager by the vote of all the 

 members, whether present or not, this latter 

 vote being taken by ballots received by mail. 

 EThe!.; following is the constitution as it was 

 read 'and*|adopted by the North American, and 

 which that body now submits to the Union: n 



The committee on union and amalgamation re- 

 ported as follows, through Dr. A. B. Mason: 



1. This organization shall be known as the [Jnited 

 States Bee- Keepers' Union. 



3. Its objects shall be to promote and protect the 

 interests of its members, to defend them in their 



lawful rights, to prosecute dishonest honey commis- 

 sion-men, to enforce laws against adulteration of 

 honey, and to advance the interests of bee culture 

 in general. 



3 Any person can become a member by payment 

 of membership fee of $1 annually on or before Feb- 

 ruary ], to Secretary or General Manager, except as 

 provided in section 8 of article "VI. 



Those who are uipmbers of the N. A. B. K. A. and 

 N. B. K. U. when this constitution is adopted by 

 each organization, shall be members of this Union. 



4 The officers of this Union shall be a president, 

 vice-president, secretary, and a board of directors, 

 which shall consist of a general manager and six 

 directors, whose term of oflBce shall be for one year, 

 or until their successors are elected and qualified; 

 and the director receiving the largest number of 

 votes shall be chairman of the board of directors. 

 Those who are officers of the National Bee-keepers' 

 Union, when this constitution is adopted by said 

 Union, shall constitute the board of directors of 

 this Union until their successors are elected and 

 qualified. 



.5. The President. Vice-president, and Secretary 

 shall be elected by ballot by a majority of the mem- 

 bers pi'esent at f ach annual njeeting of the Union, 

 and shall constitute the executive committee. The 

 board of directors and General Manager shall be 

 elected by ballot during the month of December, of 

 a majority of the members voting; blank ballots for 

 this purpose, accomimnied by a full list of the mem- 

 bership, which shall be mailed to each member by 

 the General Manager; and said ballots shall be re- 

 turned to a committee of two members who shall 

 be appointed by the executive committee, whose 

 names and postoffice address shall be sent to the 

 General Manager by said executive committee on 

 or before the 15th of November, preceding the elec- 

 tion. Said committee of two shall count the bal- 

 lots and certify the result to the General Manager 

 during the first week in January. 



6. It shall be the duty of the President to preside 

 at the aiuiual meeting of the Union, and perform 

 such other duties as may devolve upon the presid- 

 ing officer. 



The Vice-president, in the absence of the Presi- 

 dent, shall perform his duties. 



The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceed- 

 ings of the annual meeting; receive membership- 

 fees, furnish General Manager with names and 

 postoffice address of those who become members at 

 the annual meeting; pay the treasurer all moneys 

 left in his hands after paying expenses of the annu- 

 al meeting, and perform such other duties as may 

 be requested of him. He shall receiA'e such sum for 

 his services as maybe granted by the board of di- 

 rectors, not exceeding $~5. 



The General Manager shall be secretary of the 

 board of directors, and keep list of names of mem- 

 bers and addresses, receive membership fees, and 

 be treasurer of the Union. He shall give bond in 

 sucli amount and with such conditions as maybe 

 required and approved by the board of directors. 

 He shall also send each loember a statement of the 

 flnanr-ial condition and report of work done by the 

 board. 



The board of directors shall determine what 

 course shall be taken by the Union upon any mat- 

 ter presented to it for consideration and does not 

 conflict with this constitution, and cause such ex" 

 tra but equfil assessment to be made on each mem- 

 ber as may bet'ome necessary, e-iving reasons to 

 each why such is required, providing that not more 

 than one such assessment be made in one year, and 

 to an amount not exceeding a membership fee, 

 without a majority vote of the members. 



Any member neglecting or refusing to pay said 

 assessment as required by the board shall forfeit 

 his membership and right to become a member of 

 the Union for one year after said assessment be- 

 comes due 



The board of directors shall pay the Geuei-al Man- 

 ager such sum for his services as the board shall 

 deem proper, but not to exceed 20 per cent of the 

 receipts. Said board shall meet at such time and 

 place as it may decide upon.. 



7. Funds may be used for any purpose that the 

 board may consider for the interest of its members. 

 D8. Any vacancj' occui-ring in the board may be 

 filled by the executive committee, and any vacancy 

 in the committee may be filled bv the board. 



9. The Union shall hold an annual meeting at 

 such time and place as may be agreed upon by the 

 executive committee. 



