226 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



December 



GROUNDLESS SUSPICIONS. 



It is often amusing to observe the 

 feeling of antagonism toward the supply 

 manufacturer possessed by some bee- 

 keepers. A casual reader of some of 

 the pen productions actuated by this 

 spirit, would be led to suppose the 

 manufacturer of the necessary apiarian 

 appliances, was one of the obstacles to 

 be dealt with. In fact, the idea, in 

 some easels, seems to be that the supply 

 man is an unscrupulous trickster whose 

 chief aim in life is to impose worth- 

 less traps upon the unsuspecting bee- 

 keeper. Nothing could be farther from 

 the truth. Certain bee-keepers may 

 differ in opinion with the manufacturer 

 of any article, as to its merits; yet the 

 fact is self evident that the success of 

 the manufacturer depends almost entire- 

 ly upon his ability and willingness to 

 provide his patron with such goods as 

 he actually needs and give him satisfac- 

 tion. There can be no question as to 

 the honest efforts of most American 

 supply manufacturers to meet the de~ 

 mands of the business, as manifested by 

 the bee-keeper. It is, further, evident 

 that, in consideration of the diversity 

 of ideas among bee-keepers as to what 

 is the proper thing for this and for that, 

 that the manufacturers are meeting with 

 remarkable success in pleasing their 

 customers. Ours would be a sorry 

 plight indeed if we were to be suddenly 

 deprived of the factories which now 

 turn out the appliances used in the 

 apiary. 



With some, too, the notion prevails 

 that if a manufacturer publishes a jour- 

 nal, it is for the sole purpose of boom- 

 ing his own line of supplies. Has any 

 one ever seen Falconer's supplies 

 crowded to the front through the col- 

 umns of the American Bee-Keeper? 

 The publishers of this journal are one 

 of the largest manufacturers of bee- 

 keepers' supplies in the world. The 

 American Bee-Keeper is their own ex- 

 clusive property, and they are therefore 

 at liberty to direct its course as they 

 desire. It might be made a "house or- 

 gan," the object of which would be to 

 laud the ^merits of their products, and 

 sandwich everything in its columns with 

 references to goods which they offer 

 for sale. _ They have, instead, engaged 

 the services of a bee-keeper, over a 

 thousand miles away .to take entire edi- 



torial charge of their publication, with- 

 out even once, in live years hinting at 

 the idea that their goods should be 

 mentioned. It may be of interest to 

 some of our readers to learn that The 

 W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co. know^ no more 

 of what is to appear in their journal 

 from month to month than do their 

 competitors in the supply trade. Their 

 sole object in publishing a bee journal 

 is, evidently, to assist bee-keepers in 

 achieving success; knowing that when 

 bee-keepers are prosperous, bee- 

 keeping appliances will be in demand, 

 and that correct and courteous business 

 methods and excellent goods will bring 

 them regularly their portion of the 

 trade. 



The first number of The American 

 Bee-Keeper was published in January, 

 1891 — twelve years ago. On page 11 

 of the first number, that deep-thinking, 

 and highly esteemed veteran bee-keeper 

 of Marengo, III, Dr. C. C. Miller, had 

 this to say: 



"I am glad to have one of the old 

 journals pass into the control of so well 

 established and reputable a concern as 

 the W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co. I would 

 rather see every bee journal free from 

 all connections with the supply business, 

 if we could have just as good journals 

 in every other respect, and in addition 

 have the editorials entirely impartial. 

 But an observation extending through 

 the life-time of bee journalism in Am- 

 erica shows me that, as a rule, a paper 

 without connection with the supply 

 business has not a very long lease of 

 life. So a good strong backing gives 

 us promise of greater stability and of 

 greater usefulness." 



For five years The Bee-Keeper has 

 had no more connection with any sup- 

 ply house than if it had been the per- 

 sonal property of the editor. It has, 

 however, the advantage of the same 

 "strong backing," financially, as if edit- 

 ed by the publishing firm. The editor 

 of the American Bee-Keeper, in the 

 pursuit of his duties, thinks first, last 

 and all the time of the welfare of bee- 

 keepers. The W. T. Falconer Com- 

 pany's business is not lagging, nor will 

 it do so, so long as bee-keepers are 

 doing a prosperous business. 



As we start upon our thirteenth year, 

 we earnestly invite every one of our 

 thousands of readers to help us in our 

 efforts to give them an impartial and 

 helpful journal. 



