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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



the bee-keepers of Canada, consistent 

 with independence, self-respect, and 

 national dignity, is to retire from a posi- 

 tion which has become, through no fault 

 of theirs, anomalous, if not humiliating, 

 and therefore recommend that the 

 Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association do not 

 continue in affiliation with the so-called 

 North American Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion. 



Your committee has no hesitation in 

 expressing the belief that the bee-keep- 

 ers of Canada regret the circumstances 

 that compel the severance of ties which 

 have pleasantly existed for more than a 

 score of years, and in their name tender 

 to the great body of American bee-keep- 

 ers, which it believes are not responsible, 

 the assurance of our continued fraternal 

 good will, our high consideration and 

 cordial regards, and of our readiness at 

 all times to co-operate with them in any 

 enterprise calculated to further the in- 

 terests of the industry in.which we are 

 alike engaged. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 

 R. McKnight, 

 Wm: F. Clarke, 

 s. cobneil, 

 Allen Pringle. 



Mr. McKnight was a member of the 

 Committee on Incorporation (see page 

 45 of the report of the Keokuk conven- 

 tion), and every member of that com- 

 mittee voted that the Incorporators 

 should be selected from the Life-Mem- 

 bers— each selecting the 5 he preferred. 

 Mr. McKnight voted for 4 out of the 5 

 who signed the petition for incorpora- 

 tion. He then remarked that he sup- 

 posed, as it was voted at Keokuk that 

 the society should be incorporated in 

 Illinois, that Mr. D. A. Jones (the only 

 Canadian Life-Member) would not be 

 eligible. The " form " to be signed by 

 the Incorporators read: "We, the 

 undersigned, citizens of the United 

 States," etc. Therefore, no one, not a 

 citizen of the United States, could be 

 included— much a.s we would like to 

 have had friend Jones in that capacity. 



It is surprising that now, one of the; 

 committee of the Ontario society should 

 join in the foregoing report, which says 

 liiat the rest of the committee "cared 

 little for his opinion " — when in fact iiis 

 vote prevailed, and his opinion about the 



only Life-Member in Canada was in- 

 dorsed and acted upon ! 



It is well-known that it was our inten- 

 tion to be present at Albany until 

 shortly before the time for the conven- 

 tion to be held. Then, .while much 

 indisposed, we remembered that we 

 were chairman to two committees, and 

 must report. We wrote such and sent 

 them, not knowing whether any of the 

 other members would be present or not. 

 Now, in the above report, we are blamed 

 for not submitting our report to the rest 

 of the committees; as our statement was 

 simply a record of what had been done, 

 such was quite unnecessary. 



Then, again, complaint is made that 

 " not a word is said as to the probable 

 effect" of incorporation — but what had 

 the committee to do with that matter ? 

 The Association settled by vote what 

 was to be done, and appointed a com- 

 mittee to do it— "not to ask the reason 

 why," or to moralize on its effect. Such 

 was not the business of the committee. 



The Ontario committee have simply 

 taken a narrow-minded view of affairs, 

 and evidently were more intent upon 

 finding fault, than of fostering harmony. 

 If they desire a distinct organization, it 

 is their privilege to have it — and that, 

 too, without quarreling w^ith those who 

 would like to continue to work in 

 harmony with them, and to co-operate 

 in every laudable undertaking. 



If they feel that they cannot continue 

 affiliation without sacrificing "independ- 

 ence, self-respect and National dignity" 

 — they should not bejisked to remain ! 



In the last issue of Gleanings, friend 

 E. R. Root gives complete answers to 

 many other points in the following lan- 

 guage, which we heartily endorse: 



The above came to hand from the 

 Secretary, and his language is couched 

 in such a form that one nnijht get the 

 impression that in the sending of it he 

 was doing a disagreeable duty, and 

 simply acting under instructions. 



We were greatly surprised and pained 

 upon reading it — surprised, because we 

 are certain that none of tlie members 

 who were instrumental in having the 



