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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Nov. 5, 



The greeting wbich your speakers give is prized by us bee-men ; 

 We take most kindly to sweet things — perhaps we'll come again. 

 We'll not, I hope, inflict a sting for kindness you have shown — 

 Such honeyed words, such royal cheer, demand our love alone. 



We represent a brotherhood whose craft, for ages past, 

 Has been esteemed a worthy one, because their lot is cast 

 With those who in the field of toil create the world's great wealth. 

 And at the same time lessen not its pleasures or its health. 

 The sweets of lite we gather in ; we garner Nature's waste; 

 We horde the nectar from the flowers to cater to man's taste ; 

 We fructify, with busy elves, the orchard and the field; 

 The spoils we get is but the fee for making blossoms yield. 

 Without our winged wizard-priests that marry distant flowers. 

 This earth might be a desert waste where now are fruitful bowers. 

 Bespeak we, then, for these our aids, and keepers, too, as well. 

 The word of praise that worth demands— that worth their works 

 do tell. 



I notice that yon have a bee, quite common everywhere — 



At least in Uncle Sam's domains she is by no means rare ; 



And like the " busy bee " of song she buzzeth night and day 



(In bonnets mostly worn by men) in a most bewitching way. 



The " Presidential Bee " is here, as vanguard of our host. 



With silver bands instead of gold — the marks bee-men prize most. 



In this compaign 'twixt yellow and white, »r look with longing eye 



For some bright ray— some star of hope — from out the murky sky. 



For whether gold or silver wins, we want prospa-ittj, 



We need the factory's busy hum to stimulate the bee ; 



For people eat best when they work, and bees increase and thrive 



When some one buys the royal food found only in the hive. 



The city where now congregate the chosen of our clan. 

 Was named for one immortal in the heart of every man. 

 Immortal may the friendships be which on this spot we form. 

 That, like the granite hills of God, shall stand both time and storm. 

 And may the bond of union, between the West and East, 

 Grow stronger as the years go by, and each returning feast. 

 Pair city of this Western plain, the salted seas between — 

 Gem of mid-continent beauty, of prairie cities queen — 

 We bid thee prosper and grow strong, and, like thy giant name 

 Whose hallowed sound is Freedom's boast, be ever known to fame. 

 Eugene Seoou. 



Another song was sung, entitled, " Dot Happy Bee-Man ;" 

 Dr. Miller, the composer of the music, singing the solo part, 

 and the Lincoln quartet joining in the chorus. 



Dr. Miller being called on for another solo, responded by 

 singing "The rock that is higher than I." 



Pres. Root — Gov. Saunders, who was to address the Asso- 

 ciation could not be present. We will now have an address 

 by Rev. E. T. Abbott, of St. Joseph, Mo. 



IMr. Abbott's Address. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Oentlemen : — 



Your chairman has put a "handle" to my name that 

 would indicate that speaking was my profession. It is not so 

 at present, nor has It been for 15 years. I simply appear be- 

 fore you as an ordinary, every-day man — a common-place bee- 

 keeper. If there were more students here, I had thought of 

 some things that I might say. But notwithstanding there is 

 only a small representation of young people, perhaps what I 

 shall say to them will not be out of place to older people. It is 

 hard to tell what to say and what not to say under such cir- 

 cumstances. And when we have had such a flow of eloquence, 

 and poetry, and music, and been carried so high above the or- 

 dinary things of life, it is very hard to come down to every- 

 day, practical affairs. And after we have been up among the 

 stars, it is very hard for us again to place our feet on the soil, 

 and plod along in the mud and rain, the joys and mishaps and 

 sorrows of life. But this is the lot of all of us ; we sometimes 

 see visions and dream dreams, and look beyond the practical 

 realities of life, but the most of life is made up of every-day 

 affairs. Life is serious, earnest, practical. It means work, it 

 means constant exertion, it means continual effort, if we 

 would get the best out of It. 



In a great University like this, where young men and 

 women come to fill their minds with the practical wisdom of 

 the ages, and sometimes to investigate new things, and give to 

 the world new wisdom, there is one danger. These young 

 men and women come mostly from the farms, and I apprehend 

 that at least 90 per cent, of them are very apt to get the idea 

 that the attaining to success happens only in the professions 



or in commerce ; that, in order to succeed in life, to make 

 their mark and take their place among men of influence, they 

 must lose their respect for rural surroundings ; that they must 

 get beyond their fathers and mothers, and launch out into new 

 enterprises. If the country at large is making any serious 

 mistake, it is the tendency away from the farm, away from 

 rural surrounding's ; the tendency to concentrate itself in 

 cities. In these great avenues, it is true, men succeed and 

 commerce goes on, but, at the same time, vice stalks abroad 

 at noonday, and the unwary finds his feet slipping in the 

 downward path, and he has gone the way of despair and lost 

 hope, and his life is blighted. 



What I would do, if possible, is to impress upon the mind 

 of these young people that it is well to get an education ; to 

 learn all you can ; to grasp every science, know every lan- 

 guage, learn everything that is spread out before you in this 

 University. And while you are learning all that, it is well to 

 learn the character of the lives of these men who teach you 

 day by day. You can learn something in the study of their 

 lives, as well as from the books that you study. 



Yet at the same time I would advise Jou to keep near to 

 rural scenes. Don't forget the " old oaken bucket," the or- 

 chard, the meadow; don't forget the home where mother 

 uttered her last "God bless you," where she said, "Go, my 

 boy, and prepare yourself for life." Don't forget that sacred 

 home, the glorious spot where your eyes first saw the light of 

 day, and your feet first learned to tread the' pathway of life. 

 Don't forget the rural scenes. Don't get the idea that all the 

 glory, all the wealth, all the fame and success of life is within 

 the walls of a city. A citizen of your place said well upon one 

 occasion — and I am saying nothing about the political princi- 

 ples which he advocates— he said well, "You may destroy 

 your cities, and agriculture will raise prouder cities ; but take 

 away agriculture, and grass will grow in the streets of every 

 city in this land." And that is true ; all the wealth rests upon 

 agriculture. All the success of this world is dependent upon 

 the success of the plain, plodding, practical farmer that tills 

 the soil day by day. [Applause.] 



Because of the fact that a man is a farmer, it does not 

 follow that he should be ignorant and uneducated. The 

 theory is that any fool can farm. It is true that any fool can 

 stay on a farm, out any fool cannot make two blades of grass 

 grow where there is one now. There was a time when the 

 responsibility was all on the soil. Now you must go back and 

 learn the first principles, and come in contact with the soil in 

 an intelligent way. The farmer should have a knowledge of 

 chemistry ; should know something of entomology — what in- 

 sects are helpful and what destructive to the products of his 

 farm. Thus a great, wide field opens to the farmer. 



It is a grand thing to study the science of astronomy. But 

 there are just as many wonders under our feet when we tread 

 the soil of our farm, with our grass, and spiders, and bees, as 

 there are in the air with all the constellations that glisten and 

 sparkle in the heavens. 



In conclusion, keep near to rural scenes; keep in touch 

 with the tiller of the soil. Don't be afraid that you will soil 

 your hands or degrade your body by coming in contact with 

 your native soil. Stand near to the Creator of all things; 

 stand for right, justice, truth ; stand for intelligent agricul- 

 ture. [Applause.] Emerson T. Abbott. 



Chancellor MacLean — Mr. President, I see that you have 

 next on your program an address to the students, by Dr. 

 Miller. 'The students are not here to-night, but they will be 

 here to-morrow at chapel time. I would suggest that Dr. 

 Miller hold his fire until then. 



Dr. Miller — I am willing. If I don't burn up in the mean- 

 time ! 



Chancellor MacLean — Mr. President, allow me to suggest 

 that the Association make some provision to give us time for 

 an excursion through the University buildings and grounds, 

 at 2 o'clock to-morrow. 



Mr. York — Mr. President, I move that the generous sug- 

 gestion of the Chancellor be adopted. I suppose one hour will 

 be sufficient. 



Chancellor MacLean — Yes, sir ; we are in the West; we 

 can put you through the University in one hour. 



The motion of Mr. York was carried. 



Pres. Root — To accommodate those of us who must leave 

 to-morrow afternoon, our trip through the city will be made 

 at 11 o'clock, if there is no objection. 



Chancellor MacLean — May I say that to-morrow your ses- 

 sions will be held in Union Hall — a room which I think you 

 will find more comfortable than this. 



It being V o'clock, the convention adjourned to meet at 

 8:30 o'clock, Thursday morning. 



(Continued on page 721.) 



