60 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 15. 



I SEE by the American Bee Journal that the 

 secretary of the U. S. B. K. U., Mr. O. L. Her- 

 sheiser, says he will try in every way to make 

 the meeting at Buffalo a grand success. Mr. 

 H. is a hustler, and a man who is not afraid to 

 work. It goes almost without saying, that the 

 Buffalo meeting is going to be a good one. 



The editor of the American Bee Journal has 

 a happy way of getting off puns. Here is a 

 sample: 



Mr. R. C. Aikin, who contributes a valuable arti- 

 cle to this number of the Bee Journal, is now writing- 

 a series of articles for Gleanings under the head- 

 ing of "Ridgepole Musings." The rather toplofty 

 first half ot the name was suggested, we believe, 

 from the fact that for several years Mr. Aikin kept 

 bees in Colorado, several thousand feet above sea- 

 level— on the very " Hidgepole" of the continent; 

 and he is now in Iowa, where he is indulging in the 

 " Musings" part of the heading. Judging from the 

 first lusiallment, the *' Polinjrs" of this new " Ridge 

 Muse" will cause an "Aikin" (achin') tor more of 

 the same kind, on the part of those who " R. C.-ing " 

 what he has to say. 



twelfth annual report of the national 



bee-keepers' union; mr. Newman's 



criticisms; amalgamation 



for the future. 



The above report, for 1896, is at hand. The 

 Manager states lihat the past year has been one 

 of the busiest since the Union was formed. Af- 

 ter re-counting the usual defense cases, Mr. 

 Newman has at last, it seems, done something 

 In the way of taking up the dilEculties 

 between bee-keepers and commission houses. 

 These last issues are rather an innovation in the 

 Union. Although the constitution was modified 

 several years ago, so that it could take in such 

 cases, yet very little has been done along these 

 lines till the year just closed; and then it would 

 seem as if this tardy action were owing to the 

 hints offered now and then during the year, 

 and the criticisms of late to the effect that there 

 are other issues tenfold more important. Some 

 of the cases of the commission houses taken up 

 have already appeared in the American Bee 

 Journal and Gleanings; but beyond the men- 

 tion of using the name of the Union, and pub- 

 lishing the facts, he seems to have done little 

 more than the journals. 



The subject of amalgamation is next taken 

 up. The constitution of the U. S. B. K. U. 

 adopted at Lincoln is given, and then the criti- 

 cisms of the General Manager, as offered some 

 little time ago, and published in the journals. 

 Mr. Newman then pays his respects to the edit- 

 ors of lh& American Bee Journal and Glean- 

 ings, characterizing their criticisms of his pol- 

 icy as a "storm of abuse," "unpleasant person- 

 alities," and then adding that they threatened 

 to defeat him at the election if he were a candi- 

 date for re-election as General Manager. Mr. 

 Newman has misrepresented (I try to think un- 

 intentionally) by givine only partial quotations 

 or telling only part of the truth and then put- 

 ting his own construction on them. It was 



Gleanings that stated it would work by all 

 " fair and honorable means " to defeat him if he 

 were a candidate, but added the proviso, which 

 Mr. Newman omits, that if it was his policy " to 

 prevent and possibly postpone amalgamation 

 indefinitely " then it would work to defeat him, 

 etc. 



How Mr. Newman can construe what was 

 said in Gleanings as a "storm of abuse" and 

 "unpleasant personalities," I can not see. It 

 is true, I criticised his policy of confining his 

 attention to the defense issue mainly, but criti- 

 cisms of policies are not necessarily " storms of 

 abuse " or " personalities." 



Mr. Newman has done what, I am sure, will 

 be severely criticised — viz., setting forth only 

 liis side of this amalgamation matter. He has 

 not only put in his own criticisms, but those of 

 a few others, ivithout their naines, giving only 

 one side. A General Manager, or any presid- 

 ing officer, should act impartially by giving 

 both sides fairly. Certainly the opposition 

 should have a chance to state its own argu- 

 ments in its own language. As it is, he has at- 

 tributed to us motives we did not have, and 

 sentiments that we never uttered, by putting 

 his own construction on what we did say. The 

 journals, on the other hand, have freely given 

 all that he has sent in for publication in the 

 way of a reply or defense. Doing as he has, 

 giving only one side, and that his own, in the re- 

 port at hand. I shall be very greatly surprised 

 if the proposed scheme for amalgamation car- 

 ries; and, moreover, one of the men whom he 

 has recommended to count the votes, has, in the 

 Progressive Bee-keeper, criticised most severely 

 the American Bee Journal. Such a person can 

 hardly be impartial. I have nothing against 

 Mr. VV. D. French. Outside of his very appar- 

 ent prejudice he would be as good as any man 

 to count the votes and certify the results to the 

 General Manager ; but it certainly would have 

 looked very much better, in view of the position 

 that Mr. French will occupy, if he had kept 

 still. 



If amalgamation should be defeated, as now 

 seems altogether probable. Gleanings will sub- 

 mit. The U. S. B. K. U. will go on, however; 

 and if amalgamation can not be effected this 

 year, strong efforts will be made to have it done 

 a year hence; for bee-keepers can not afford to 

 support two societies; and if Mr. Newman shall 

 continue to take up the question of dishonest 

 practices on the part of commission houses and 

 the question of adulteration. Gleanings will 

 be quite willing — in fact, will be glad — to sup- 

 port and work for him as Manager of any Un- 

 ion that may be formed in the future. Mr. 

 Newman has shown splendid ability in one di- 

 rection— viz., defen-ie; and now if he will only 

 turn that ability in other directions. Glean- 

 ings will be very glad to see him stand as Gen- 

 eral Manager. 



