18J7. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



649 



plaintiff tried bard to show that the bees destroyed both 

 grapes and peaches ; but the Goverunaent Report by N. W. 

 McLain seemed to settle the matter with the Judge, who gave 

 his decision in favor of the " little busy bee." 



J. L. Strong. 



Here Is another proof that very little besides past experi- 

 ments and former court decisions are needed to protect bee- 

 keepers in their right to keep bees, and to prove that the pur- 

 suit Is not a nuisance. What Is most needed now is a big 

 effort to stop the adulteration of honey. That Is the next 

 stronghold to be taken by bee-keepers. And the New Union 

 will help do it just as soon as there is a sufBciently large bank 

 account at its back. We hope bee-keepers will soon begin to 

 realize this fact, and pour in their membership dollars to aid 

 in carrying forward a work that is so directly In their own In- 

 terest as this. Send your dollar to us or to the Secretary, Dr. 

 A. B. Mason, Station B, Toledo, Ohio, and have a hand in the 

 fight. ____^,,,^^^ 



Xhe Xe'^' Union's Constitution was some- 

 what overhauled at the recent Buffalo convention; or per- 

 haps we would better say that certain amendments were rec- 

 ommended, the same to be approved or rejected at the time of 

 the annual election to be held in December. But before giving 

 the suggested changes, we here show 



'I'lie :\'e^v Union's Present Constitution. 



ARTICLE I.— Name. 



This organization shall be known as the United States 

 Bee-Keepers' Union. 



ARTICLE II.— Objects. 



Its objects shall be to promote and protect the Interests of 

 its members ; to defend them in their lawful rights; to enforce 

 laws against the adulteration of honey ; to prosecute dis- 

 honest honey commission-men ; and to advance the pursuit of 

 bee-culture in general. 



ARTICLE III.— Membership. 



Sec. 1. — Any person may become a member upon the pay- 

 ment of a membership fee of one dollar annually to the Sec- 

 retary or General Manager on or before the first day of Jan- 

 uary of each year, except as provided in Section 8 of Article 

 VI of this Constitution. 



ARTICLE IV.— Officers. 



Sec. 1. — The officers of this Union shall be a President, a 

 Vice-President, a Secretary and a Board of Directors which shall 

 consist of a General Manager and six Directors, whose terms 

 of office shall be for one year, or until their successors are 

 elected and qualified ; and the Director, aside from the Gen- 

 eral Manager, receiving the largest number of votes shall be 

 chairman of the Board of Directors. 



ARTICLE V. — Election of Officers. 



Sec. 1. — The President, Vice-President, and Secretary 

 shall be elected by ballot by a majority of the members pres- 

 ent at each annual meeting of the Union, and shall constitute 

 the Executive Committee. 



Sec. 2. — The General Manager and the Board of Direc- 

 tors shall be elected by ballot during the month of December 

 of each year by a majority of the members voting ; blank 

 Postal Card ballots for this purpose, accompanied by a full 

 list of the membership, shall be mailed to each member by 

 the General Manager ; and said ballots shall be returned to a 

 committee of two members, who shall be appointed by the 

 Executive Committee, whose names and postoflice address shall 

 besenttothe General Manager by said Executive Committee 

 on or before the 15th of the November preceding the elec- 

 tion. Said committee of two shall count the ballots and cer- 

 tify the result to the General Manager during the first week 

 In January. 



ARTICLE VI.— Duties of Officers. 



Sec. 1. — President — It shall be the duty of the President 

 to preside at the annual meeting of the Union ; and to per 

 form such other duties as may devolve upon the presiding 

 officer. 



Sec. 2. — Vice-President — In the absence of the President 

 the Vice-President shall perform the duties of President. 



Sec. 3. — Secretary — It shall be the duty of the Secretary 



to keep a record of the proceedings of the annual meeting ; to 

 receive membership fees; to furnish the General Manager 

 with the names and postoffice address of those who become 

 members at the annual meeting ; to pay to the Treasurer of 

 the Union all moneys left In his hands after paying the ex- 

 penses of the annual meeting; and to perform such other 

 duties as may be required of him by the Union ; and he shall 

 receive such sum for his services, not exceeding $25, as may 

 be granted by the Board of Directors. 



Sec. 4. — General Mann/jcr — The General Manager shall 

 be Secretary of the Board of Directors, and shall keep a list 

 of the names of members with their postoffice address ; receive 

 membership fees, and be Treasurer of this Union. He shall 

 give a bond in such amount, and with such conditions as may 

 be required and approved by the Board of Directors, for the 

 faithful performance of his duties, and perform such other ser- 

 vices as may be required of him by the Board of Directors, or 

 by this Constitution. 



Sec. 5. — At the time of sending the ballots to the mem- 

 bers for the annual election of the Board of Directors, he shall 

 also send to each member a statement of the financial condi- 

 tion of the Union, and a report of the work done by said Board 

 of Directors. 



Sec. 6. — The Board of Directors shall pay the General 

 Manager such sura for his services as said Board may deem 

 proper, but not to exceed 20 per cent, of the receipts of the 

 Union. Said Board shall meet at such time and place as it 

 may decide upon. 



Sec. T. — Board of Directors— The Board of Directors shall 

 determine what course shall be taken by the Union upon 

 any matter presented to it for consideration, that does not 

 conflict with this Constitution ; and cause such extra, but 

 equal, assessments to be made on each member as may be- 

 come necessary, giving the reason to each member why such 

 assessment is required ; provided that not more than one as- 

 sessment shall be made in any one year, and not to an amount 

 exceediug the annual membership fee, without a majority vote 

 of all the members of the Union. 



Sec. S. — Any member refusing, or neglecting, to pay said 

 assessment as required by the Board of Directors shall forfeit 

 his membership, and his right to become a member of the 

 Union for one year after said assessment becomes due. 



ARTICLE VII.— Funds. 



Sec. 1.— The funds of this Union may be used for any pur- 

 pose that the Board of Directors may consider for the interest 

 of its members, and for the advancement of the pursuit of 

 bee-culture. 



ARTICLE VIII.— Vacancies. 



Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors may be 

 filled by the Executive Committee ; and any vacancy occurring 

 In the Executive Committee shall be filled by the Board of 

 Directors. 



ARTICLE IX.— Meetings. 



This Union shall hold annual meetings at such time and 

 place as shall be agreed upon by the Executive Committee, 

 who shall give at least 60 days' notice In the bee-periodicals, 

 of the time and place of meeting. 



ARTICLE X. — Amendments. 



This Constitution may be altered or amended by a ma- 

 jority vote of all the members, provided notice of said altera- 

 tion or amendment has been given at a previous annual 

 meeting. 



Secretary Mason has written out the changes proposed at 

 Buffalo, and forwarded them to us for insertion in these col- 

 umns. He presents them as follows : 



Mr. Editor: — At the recent meeting of the United States 

 Bee-Keepers' Union, held in Buffalo, N. Y., the following 

 amendments to the Constitution were proposed by A. B. 

 Mason, in accordance with Article X of the Constitution : 



constitutional changes recommended. 



That Article III, Section 1, be amended so as to read: 

 " Any person who is in accord with the purpose and aim of 

 this Union, and will work in harmony with the same, may be- 

 come a member by the payment of one dollar annually to the 

 General Manager or Secretary ; and said membership shall 

 expire at the end of one year from the time of said payment, 

 except as provided In Section 8 of Article VI of this Constitu- 

 tion." 



That Article IV be so amended as to read: " Section 1. — 



