1905. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



199 



s an original idea. Further on, we 

 lave: "Three or four o.i: us began 

 ecently to discuss this question, pri- 

 ately, by mail, and we decided to act 

 romptly, to the extent of summoning 

 some by telephone and telegraph) Lo 



conference in Chicago, some eight 

 ')r fen representative manufacturers, 

 lealers, publishers and honey produc- 

 es." Only three honey producers in 

 111 bunch of eight or ten men. 



The constitution of the League says: 

 It- objects shall be to create a larger 

 kmand for honey by popularizing its 

 ISC among the consuming public 

 h rough advertising in newspapers and 

 nagazines its great value as a food, 

 ml by such other methods as may 

 ■e considered advisable oy the exec- 

 itive board. Also by publicati' n of 

 acts concerning the I'voduction of 

 loney to counteract any misrepre- 

 entation of the same," which is exact- 

 ^ what the National Association had 

 ndertaken. Next we find: "Any 

 oney dealer, bee-supply dealer, bee- 

 upply manufacturer, bee-paper pub- 

 sher, or any other ?i'ni or individual, 

 lay become a member on the annual 

 ayment of a fee of $10.00, increased 

 y one-fifth of one (i) per cent of his 

 r its capital used in the allied inter- 

 sts of bee-keeping." 

 1 And yet it is called a Honey Fro- 

 ucers' League! 



This League is governed by an "Ex- 

 cutive Board" in which unlimited 

 ower is vested. It consists of seven 

 lembers. It elects from its members 

 ve officers. These officers are ac- 

 ountable only to the board, i. e., to 

 hemselves. Ballots for the election 

 f the board are to be sent out be- 

 ween the ist and 5th of March each 

 ear and returned before noon April 

 t. Again we quote: "The duties 

 f the manager shall be to conduct 

 le actual business of the League as 

 irected by the executive board; to 

 eep a list of the membership; to 

 ccount for all moneys received, and 

 irn same over to the treasurer, tak- 

 ig his receipt therefor; to prepare 

 id mail in March of each year, to the 

 lembership an annual report con- 

 lining a financial statement, and such 

 ther matters as would be of inter- 

 >t to all concerned, including all bal- 

 •ts and amendments. * * " Take 

 ote that the manager is to send out 



"financial statement." No provision 



made for its being complete or ex- 

 austive. He is to report "such other 

 patters as would be of interest, etc" 



How full is this to be? He is to pre- 

 pare and mail this in March. As the 

 polls close April ist, and as no spe- 

 cial provision to the contrary is made 

 the fiscal year must close then or prac- 

 tically March 31st, the last day on 

 which the manager can mail his re- 

 port, and the only time on which he 

 can render a report for the full bus- 

 iness year. This means that the mem- 

 bership can not receive it in time to 

 affect their ballots. 



Much stress is laid on the clause 

 that no salary shall be paid any of- 

 ficer of the league. How long since 

 has humanity reached that Utopian 

 stage where capable men will give 

 of their time for the commercial bene- 

 fit of their fellows, without compensa- 

 tion therefor? 



This League is to operate by ad- 

 vertising and "by publication of facts 

 concerning the production of honey." 

 This, under the constitution, can be 

 paid for; the board may pay whom 

 they please what they please for this 

 service, and we see where they may 

 compensate themselves if they choose. 

 But the most astounding thing about 

 this remarkable constitution is this 

 clause: "This Constitution may Lc 

 amended by a two-thirdb vote of the 

 membership at any regular election, 

 provided such proposed amendment be 

 first submitted to the executive board 

 and approved by it." 



This board created iLtclf, may con- 

 trol the election of its successors, is 

 accountable only to itself, formulated 

 the laws for its owti gO\r»rnnient, asks 

 the money and support of the public 

 and then substantially says: "You can 

 not say how j'cnr money shall be 

 spent, nor chmge these lav/s without 

 it suits our pleasure." 



In explanation of the formation of 

 this League they say in part: "Natural- 

 ly, the first question asked will be- 

 'Why form a new organization, when 

 the constitution of the National al- 

 lows the use of its funds for such 

 work?' Principally, because the Na- 

 tional has not enough money at its 

 command to do the work effectively, 

 and it could not raise enough without 

 a change in its constitution, as, at pres- 

 ent, only one extra assessment of $1.00 

 per member can be made each year, 

 while the work of advertising, to be 

 effective, requires thousands of dol- 

 lars at once." Not a word said about 

 the National Association having en- 

 tered upon the work. 



