804 



THE AMERICAN BEE .J01JRNAI« 



Bee. 23, 



members of the convention. Indeed, it seems hardly the 

 thing that questions handed in at a convention should not be 

 answered on the spot, so as to have the advantage of possible 

 new light from members present. C. C. Miller. 



Hon. Eugene Secor sent the following poem, which was 

 read by the Secretary : 



IF. 



Have you everheard.my brother.of the State of Might-have-been— 

 A State beyond the mountain If. and with naughty Buts hedged in? 

 I am sure you never «/«' it, except in sleep or day-dream. 

 Because it is a Falrij land, where Fancy reigns supreme. 



As over the bills of Effort with heavy step we go. 

 We question if some other road had wearied our bodies so; 

 And when the sweets of love and life shall granulate with age. 

 How many men shall be content with earthy gains or wage ? 



We roam the fields of Fancy o'er and wonder what we'd be 



It fortunate environments had schooled us differently ; 



Perhaps instead of poverty, and hands sunburnt with toil. 



We might have sipt life's honey-dew from others' sweet and moil. 



If the summer skies were cloudless, and the clover bloom more 



sweet. 

 If the wings of bees were tireless, and haply still more fleet. 

 Of course we'd have our pitcher out. and always right side up, 

 To catch the golden drops of mel distilled in flowery cup. 



And then if Mr. Glucoseman would use his conscience more. 

 And give a suffering public rest from the stuff /« makes galore; 

 It commission-men were honest all. giving every man his due. 

 We'd have less work for the " Union," and less for lawyers, too. 



Then if the price of honey'd jump right back to where it stood 

 When the boys in blue confronted the hordes of Lee and Hood— 

 O what a happy time we'd have as the ever tuneful bees 

 Brought in the wealth from clover field or fragrant linden trees. 



There's always something 'bout this world that might have been 



improved 

 It vnr advice had been invoked before the old thing moved. 

 We would have made Prosperity one wide, delightful plain- 

 No blighting winds, no killing frosts, no drouths nor needless rain. 



The difficult Hill of Bunyan ife we would have placed in the moon. 

 Where none would see it but lovers who climb such hills in a 



■'spoon." 

 The burdens of daily labor would fit the patient mule 

 Much better than us, my brother, who were made to rest and ride. 



The bees of our creation would have had much stronger wings, 

 With longer toni/iii'.s for business instead of such horrid stings; 

 But if they must have formic weapons to drive away the thieves. 

 They ought to save the sizzling strength they waste within onr 



sleei'es. 



But what's the use of whining so, because we cannot have 

 Our own sweet wills in everything, and all the world our slave: 

 It's loubtless best and wisest that not all we want is given ; 

 Were the cup of Life all nectar we might lose our taste for Heaven. 

 Eugene Secor. 



Mr. Thomas G. Newman, General Manager of the Na- 

 tional Bee-Keepers' Union, sent the following communication 

 to Mr. 0. L. Hershiser, to he read to the convention, which 

 was done by Mr. H. at the first day's meeting : 



All OllieiHl <'oinmiiiiicalioii from ilic Nalioiial 

 Bec-KccpcrK' Union. 



To the Officers and Members of the Nurtli Americnn Bee-Keepers' 



Assiicintlon, lately culled the " United States Bee-Keepers' 



Union." 

 Ladies and Gentlemen : — 



I address you by your legally-Incorporated title, because I 

 learn through official sources that you have never taken the 

 necessary legal steps to change the name given in the Incor- 

 poration papers some years ago when by your order and vote 

 I was made chairman of the committee on incorporation, and 

 did that work and made my report which was duly approved 

 by the association. For proof of which see the printed report 

 for iy91, aleaf from which I enclose for your convenient 

 reference. 



As a " life member " of Ihl.s organization I respectfully 

 call your attention to the enclosed printed criticism on the 



constitution adopted at Lincoln, Nebr., last year. This criti- 

 cism I was then invited, by your Secretary, to make, and 

 promptly did so. Some did not take kindly to it, but Ibe facts 

 remain just the same, and danand your careful consideration. 

 I submit the whole to you for that purpose, and respectfully 

 request you to appoint a competent committee to consider the 

 matter and make a report thereon, for your further considera- 

 tion and action. 



The constitution and your offer of amalgamation on It 

 were submitted to vote at the annual election of the " National 

 Bee-Keepers' Union " last winter, with the following result: 

 For amalgamation, 51 ; against amalgamation, 106 ; for 

 adoption of constitution, 43; against its adoption, 100. 



Had the constitution been yet in the hands of your com- 

 mittee with codification powers to harmonize and perfect the 

 same before submitting to the " National Bee-Keepers' Union," 

 I imagine that the vote would have been reverst — for I feel 

 sure that all the members of the "National Bee-Keepers' 

 Union " fully approve of the work proposed to be accomplisht 

 by the " amalgamated society " had the vote been in favor of 

 uniting ; the principal objections to it being the crude and 

 imperfect "document" presented (which no one was em- 

 powered to amend), and the bersistent demand that it be sub- 

 mitted to vote immediately, just as it was then presented. 



To this I objected because of the injustice it imposed on 

 the members of the National Bee-Keepers' Union, and re- 

 quested that it be referred to this meeting for amendments. 

 Some of the amalgamation advocates then publicly abused 

 me personally, for they could not refute my arguments. Tho 

 this was annoying it did not injure me, as the vote before 

 mentioned shows the fullest endorsement of my course by the 

 members of the Union. 



Then Prof. Cook persistently advised the members of the 

 National Union to write to me, demanding that I ignore the 

 wishes of the majority, as shown by the late vote, etc. I am 

 glad to say that not even one member did so. They were evi- 

 dently all law-abiding, and believed that the majority thould 

 rule and its decision be obeyed. 



I am for peace when I can have it, but if I must fight, I 

 will do it with all my might — in the interests of justice, honor, 

 and integrity, and I think I can defend the Union against its 

 enemies from within the ranks of bee-keepers just as success- 

 fully as I have always defended its members from the enemies 

 of the pursuit. 



On the real issue of making only one organization of the 

 two by amalgamation, I have never yet exprest an opinion, 

 because I was undecided whether it would be beiieficial or 

 otherwise. The very lack of thoroughness and aptitude 

 shown by the zealots who assailed the character and motives 

 of one who simply pointed out the defects in a "document" 

 they had gotten up did not assure me that they would suc- 

 cessfully manage such critical and important matters as trials 

 in the courts for the defense of the pursuit. 



I am now satisfied, however, that the lately-appointed 

 General Manager, the Hon. Eugene Secor, with his cool head 

 and legal acumen, can be trusted with s"ch duties. I should 

 have been delighted to have honorably retired last winter, but 

 I will never do so while those who should be my friends insin- 

 uate anything against my motives, reputation or management. 

 My record is made, and it is one that I am proud of, and I 

 defy any one to truthfully tarnish it. 



This I will say. however — if you will amend the constitu- 

 tion so as to make it efficient and consistent, cease your per- 

 sonal abuse of me, act Ilk., men of honor— I might be able to 

 endorse '^uch an amalgamation proposition, and ask my friends 

 to vote for it, as well as to gladly retire in favor of ths. Hon. 

 Eugene Secor (now one of the Advisory Board of the National 

 Bee-Keepers' Union as well as your General Manager) whom 

 I know to be honorable, and feel sure would make a successor 

 worthy of the position, and thus unite both organizations. 



Desiring not to lengthen this communication, I will close 

 by saying that I am sorry not to be able to be present to take 

 part in your deliberations, and desiring that your sessions 

 may all bo harmonious, and eminently beneficial to the pur- 

 suit, I remain. Sincerely yours. 



Tho.mas G. Newman, 

 A " Life Member" and Ex-President. 



On motion of Mr. Abbott, the foregoing communication 

 was ordered printed in the regular proceedings without 

 further reference or discussion. The last day of the conven- 

 tion. Secretary Mason presented the following: 



Action on Aiuaisnmalioii. 



Sec. Mason — Mr. President, as there may sooner or later 

 be an inclination on the part of the members of the National 

 Bee-Keepers' Union to help put tho United States Bee-Keep- 



