F*ulil2sht We&Uly at IIS Aliahl^an Stroet. 



91,00 a Vear— SampJe Copy Pree, 



37th Year. 



CHICAGO, ILL., DECEMBER 30, 1897. 



No. 52. 



UNITED STATES BEE-KEEPERS' UNION. 



The General Manager's First Annual Report 

 to the Membership. 



BY HON. EUGENE SKCOB.- 



Fellow Members: — I was appointed General Manager 

 by the Board of Directors in April, 1S97, without my knowl- 

 edge, and much against my inclinations. I felt that a wiser 

 and less busy man ought to control the affairs of an organiza- 

 tion projected with a purpose so useful and aggressive. I 

 consented reluctantly to take charge of our interests for the 

 time being, hoping in the near future to be relieved from the 

 additional strain, which I was sure its duties would impose. 



The time since the completed organization of the Union 



Manager that there is need of National as well as State laws 

 for the protection of food consumers; audi think that an 

 organization representing a thousand of the best and most 

 intelligent people in this country, extending its influence Into 

 every Congressional District, could have, if it chose to do so, 

 power in shaping national legislation. We owe it not only to 

 our own industry, but to the health of our people, to compel 

 those who deal iu food products to be honest. I have been in 

 correspondence with the special chemist of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture in relation to the adulteration of 

 honey. Fro'm a recent letter I quote the following : 



" I have received numerous letters from different States 

 on this subject, and am led to believe that honey is frequently 

 and openly adulterated. I should be pleased to have your 



Some of the Buffalo C'onvmitlon Attendants — Do you now them t 



has been so short, and the funds at my disposal so limited it 

 has not been possible to exhibit any tangible results. 



Acting under the advice of the Board of Directors I have 

 given counsel in several cases where bee-keepers had gotten 

 into, or were threatened with litigation, but no money has 

 been appropriated toward defending them. Just how much 

 good I have accomplisht in helping to settle these vexatious 

 affairs I shall not pretend to say. 



I have also interested myself In the subject of pure food 

 legislation. There is no doubt In the mind of your General 



views as to the advisability of calling a convention of the 

 friends of pure food legislation to meet here in January or 

 February to consider the question and to reconcile differences 

 of opinion and unite upon a Bill and push it before Congress." 



The Board of Directors is now constituted to feel the im- 

 portance of this line of work. Honey cannot be produced and 

 sold in competition with glucose syrup; and If the latter Is 

 permitted to be sold under the disguise of pure Iwney bee- 

 keepers may better brimstone their bees than to try to sell ex- 

 tracted honey. 



