THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



153 



take immediate and effective meas- 

 ures to protect tlie interests of the 

 beekeepers. 



Perhaps our journal represents 

 one of tlie "children" so quaintly re- 

 ferred to in the "A. B. J.," No. 25 of 

 the current year, by its editor, and 

 quite likely the older journals have 

 been vexed by our "prattling ;" but 

 we are well aware, as we always have 

 been, that younger journals are en- 

 titled to the same gentlemanly treat- 

 ment and journalistic courtesy that 

 the editors of the former so much 

 desire. In our experience, public 

 teachers command respect in pro- 

 portion to the practical value and 

 worth of their teachings ; and would 

 they avoid annoying and vexing crit- 

 icisms, they must conduct them- 

 selves in such a manner as to merit 

 and call forth only commendation. 



There are those who attempt to 

 please everybody, and who are never 

 known to take advanced or aggres- 

 sive positions, especially when their 

 own personal interests are endangered 

 and they always object to any move- 

 ment of reform not born of their 

 own efforts. A short time since, the ed- 

 itor of "Gleanings" trusting (we sup- 

 pose) thereby to doom to eternal si- 

 lence and oblivion these "prattling in- 

 fants," pubhshed an editorial so de- 

 void of reason, logic, justice or 

 right, that we were surprised when 

 the editor of A. B. J., holding the 

 position that he does, should give 

 place to it in his journal. 



Our aged contemporaries who alone 

 talk so much about jealousy, etc., 

 should remember that all things do 

 not improve with age, and that be- 

 cause a bee journal has managed to 



live for an extended period, it is not 

 convincing or conclusive evidence 

 of its right to claim the "highest 

 seat" and "most honored position ;" 

 doubtless it is annoying and vexing 

 to have the "younger journals" con- 

 tinually spurring on to duty these 

 old war horses tired and weary with 

 the strife, but it may awaken them 

 to renewed action and do them 

 good. 



Peace and quiet is a glorious boon 

 but a crown of discredit when pur- 

 chased by the sacrifice of the in- 

 terests of those in whose behalf we 

 are working. Death on the field, 

 amid the roar and tumult of strife, 

 is an honor, and yet oftentimes those 

 who stay behind, enjoying the quiet 

 of their peaceful homes and replen- 

 ishing their coffers at the expense of 

 the life-blood of these dying heroes, 

 pluck all the laurfels. Public sentiment 

 is a fickle thing borne on the wind of 

 prosperity and success and controlled 

 by ever-varying circumstances, only 

 too frequently favoring those in power 

 to the sacrifice of those who are 

 struggling to protect and further 

 public interests. 



How often within the memory of 

 our readers have various reforms 

 been slighted and neglected, until 

 those who had toiled the hardest 

 through the heat of the day were 

 "resting with head pillowed upon 

 the lap of mother earth," oblivious 

 of the credit awarded to their mem- 

 ories, or the laurels which crown 

 their tombstones. 



The older journals have of late 

 taken to giving fatherly advice and 

 are now urging us to lay one side 

 "petty strife" and jealousy, and work 



