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QEOKOb W. YORK, Editor. 



• 





40th YEAR, 



CHICAGO, ILL,, AUGUST 2, 1900, 



No, 31. 



Benefits of Organization Among- Bee-Keepers. 



BY F. L. MURRAY. 

 {Head at the Wiacoiuibi Convention at ^fa(h'vo7i, Feb, 7 and 8, IDtKK) 



IN my opinion there is only one way to accomplish anj' 

 purpose for the benefit of a community, and that is to 

 combine our forces and work together. No matter to 

 what industry we belong it is up-hill work for any indi- 

 vidual to reach the top of the ladder without the help and 

 co-operation of his fellow laborers. And it is just as essen- 

 tial for bee-keepers to unite their forces, that is, join a good 

 society or societies, both local and national, as it is for any 

 other industry' to combine. 



In this age of strife and competition (or " dog eat dog ") 

 the unorganized forces soon give up the day and are at the 

 mercy of the unscrupulous organized faction who live on 

 the fat of the land at our expense. 



A Chicago lady informed me that all during the last 

 two years when we were getting 10 or 12 cents for our fancy 

 comb honey, they had to pay 20 cents per pound for every 

 pound they bought in Chicago, 

 and a friend of mine informed 

 me that he went thru a whole- 

 sale grocery store in Chicago last 

 spring where they were making 

 more " honey " every month than 

 a good many of us bee-keepers 

 could produce with our bees, and 

 without a doubt there are a great 

 many such establishments in 

 every large city. 



Now, don't infer from what 

 I have said that I favor trusts 

 and monopolies, for I think they 

 are the curse of the present age ; 

 but I do believe in organization 

 to protect our own interests and 

 enforce laws for our benefit. 



For instance, would we ever 

 have had a foul brood law in the 

 State of Wisconsin if it were not 

 for the bee-societies in our State, 

 especially the Southwestern Bee- 

 Keepers' Association ? If it had 

 not been for that association it is 

 very doubtful if we would have 

 had the law yet. I joined this 

 association at Montfort, 'Wis., in 

 1894, and have attended every 

 meeting since. At Wauzeka, in 

 1896, our present foul brood law 



was framed and adopted, and by the iiard work and hearty 

 co-operation of its members — especially our present foul 

 brood inspector, Mr. N. E. France, who is a whole society 

 in himself in his unbounded enthusiasm and untiring zeal 

 for the bee-keepers at large — it was put thru. Of course, 

 we will have to give the State society the credit of having 

 the winning name which we had to use to get the State law 

 thru, but outside of the name the Southwestern Bee-Keep- 

 ers' Association has done almost everything that has been 

 done so far for the benefit of .the bee-keepers in the State of 

 Wisconsin. 



The present convention is one of the largest and most 

 interesting I have attended in the State, and as a member 

 of the State association I am pleased to note that thru the 

 energy of its present officers it has again been "resur- 

 rected," as it were, and thru it and co operation with the 

 Southwestern and the other local societies of the State we 

 should be able to accomplish a great deal more in the future 

 than we have in the past. 



There are a great many things that could be accom- 

 plisht by thoro organization. The first duty of a bee- 

 keeper is to get his or her bee-keeping friends interested in 

 the local or State societies, for in this way it is easier to get 

 them interested in the National society, and it is to the 

 National Bee-Keepers' Association that we can look for as- 

 sistance and support in the greatest evil our fraternity has 

 to contend with — adulteration. I think it is of vital im- 

 portance that every bee-keeper here today should join the 

 National Bee-Keepers' Association, and whether we fight 

 adulteration thru that society direct, or thru legislation for 



J\Ir. ami ji is. J- . I', li iiite and Apiary, oj i.ajayeite Co., His. 



