444 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Julyll, 



CVoori^-e W, YnrU, - - Editar, 



I'UBMSIIED WEEKLY UV 



GEORGE W. YORK & COMPANY, 

 66 Firtli Avenue. - - CHICAGO, IKf.. 



$1.00 a Year— Sample Copy Sent Free. 

 [Entered at the Post-Office at Chicago as Second-Class Mall-Matter.J 



Vol. fflV. CEICA&O, ILL, JDLY 11, 1895. No, 28, 



Editorial Budget* 



Mr. Clias. E. Parks, the Secretary and Treasurer 

 of the well-known bee-supply firm of G. B. Lewis Co., Water- 

 town, Wis., died July 1, after an illness of several months. 

 His death will cause no change in the management of the 

 business of the firm with which he was so prominently con- 

 nected. I hope to give a more extended notice later. 



"Foul Brood— Its Cause and Cure," is a Special 

 Bulletin issued by the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture 

 for the benefit of bee-keepers residing in that State. It may 

 be had by addressing Franklin Dye, Secretary of the Board, 

 Trenton, N. J. It consists of an article on the subject named, 

 by Mr. Wm. McEvoy, the successful Ontario Foul Brood In- 

 spector ; to which is added a page or so of Dr. Howard's book 

 on foul brood. It is a credit to all concerned in getting it up. 

 -*-'->• 



A Better Bee-Keepers' Organization in this 

 country is one of the greatest necessities, and in which all 

 should be interested. Mr. Hutchinson expects to devote the 

 July Review to a discussion of this subject, and in the June 

 number he leads off with a very excellent editorial as an in- 

 troduction to what may be expected in the July number. As 

 Bro. H. states the case so clearly, I think I can do no better 

 than to reproduce his editorial entire, though it be a trifle 

 long. It reads as follows : 



BETTEE ORGANIZATION NEEDED AMONG BEE-KEEPERS. 



Two articles in this issue of the Review, those of Messrs. 

 Case and Marks, touch upon the matter of organization, and 

 what it may accomplish. The topic is not a new one. Bee- 

 keepers have long recognized the necessity for better and 

 more thorough organization. It has long been deplored that 

 the North American is not a representative body, and many 

 are the schemes that have been devised for bringing about this 

 most devoutly to be wished for consummation, but so far they 

 have come to naught. The sending of delegates from the 

 county societies to the Slate societies, and from the States to 

 the North American is not possible on account of the expense. 

 Perhaps the expense would be borne if there were sufficient 

 incentive, such, for instance, as there is in politics. But 

 political organizations are conducted upon a different basis, 

 and with different ends in view than is the case with apicul- 

 tural organizations. The half a dozen, or dozen, members of 

 a county society do not feel like going down into their individ- 

 ual pockets and paying t^l.OU each to send one of their mem- 

 bers to the meeting of the State Society. There is a feeling 

 that the delegate is a favored man (and be is) ; that he is 

 going to the State meeting at their expense, and that no bene- 

 fit will come to thein from his attendance. And there would 

 be no direct benefit. 



A prosperous and powerful State organization of bee- 



keepers is a benefit to the bee-keepers of that State, and a 

 national organization of this character is a national benefit, 

 and a local bee-keeper who helps to build up a local society 

 that sends its delegate to the State society, that in its turn 

 contributes to the prosperity of a national organization, in- 

 directly receives a benefit for the money and time so spent; 

 but said benefits seem so far away in the dim and misty future, 

 while the hard-earned dollar resting so snugly in the pocket 

 seems too near and tangible to be parted with. 



Having the local societies auxiliary to State societies, and 

 the latter auxiliary to the North American is the plan that 

 has always been proposed, and always failed — failed, I think, 

 for the reason that I have given. Except in an indirect way 

 the North American has nothing to give in return for the 

 support that might come from the State societies, and the 

 latter have nothing to give in return to local societies for send- 

 ing delegates. In mutual insurance companies, and other 

 similar orders, each " lodge " is dependent upon the others, 

 and all upon the grand "lodge" for existence; there is a 

 direct, tangible motive for the building up of other "lodges," 

 and a general support of the "order." 



There is a certain amount of selfishness in human nature 

 that must be recognized in all successful attempts at organiza- 

 tion. A man does not use his money, time and influence in 

 perfecting and building up an organization, unless there is at 

 least a hope that he may reap some reward. One reason why 

 the Bee-Keepers' Union has met with the success that it has, 

 is because each member is privileged. to call for help should he 

 at any time suffer persecution. It is true that this was not 

 the only motive. Professional pride, sympathy for a brother 

 in trouble, a natural resentment against persecution, and a 

 knowledge that such an organization would work to the good 

 of bee-keeping in general, all had their weight, but would not 

 have been sufficient in many instances. There was needed a 

 personal, selfish interest. 



The primary object of apicultural conventions is supposed 

 to be that of discussing subjects pertaining to bee-keeping 

 with a view to improvement. So thoroughly have the journals 

 done their work, that, especially with leading bee-keepers, 

 this motive for meeting is not a very strong one. The leading 

 motive now is the social feature — to see the " boys," and have 

 a good time. 



To bring about a strong, efficient national organization of 

 bee-keepers, every possible obstacle and cost should be re- 

 moved, and every possible motive appealed to as an induce- 

 ment for giving it support. For these reasons I think it would 

 be better if the North American and the Bee-Keepers' Union 

 were merged into one society. As it now is, the members and 

 officers of the Union never hold any meetings. All discussions 

 are made in the journals, or by mail, and all voting is done by 

 mail. To the plan of voting by mail, I see no objections, but 

 I do think it would be an advantage if the officers and leading 

 members, or as many as wish to attend, could meet in conven- 

 tion once a year and discuss ways and means face to face. 

 When there was a change made in its constitution three years 

 ago, the subject was first discussed in the journals, then con- 

 tinued in a meeting of the North American where certain 

 changes were recommended and finally adopted by the Union, 

 a decision being arrived at by means of a vote made by mail. 



The object of the North American is to meet socially and 

 discuss apiarian topics for mutual improvement. The primary 

 object of the Union was to defend its members against perse- 

 cution, but its constitution has now been changed so that 

 money may be used for any purpose thought advisable by the 

 Board. I see no reason why these two national societies 

 should not join forces, making oue grand organization endowed 

 with the characteristics now possessed by both. There could 

 be the grand rally each year in a convention the same as is 

 now enjoyed by the North American, the same class of topics 

 discussed, and, in addition, there could be the free face to face 

 discussion regarding that class of issues with which the Union 

 has to deal. I think that it would be well to retain the name, 

 North American Bee-Keepers' Association. I would also sug- 

 gest that there be a President, 1st and 2nd Vice-Presidents, 

 a Secretary and a Treasurer, and that these officers constitute 

 the Executive Board. In addition to the duties that now de- 

 volve upon the Secretary of the North American, I would 

 have him lake up also those now performed by the General 

 Manager>Df the Union. That is, if the two organizations were 

 combined, I would have the combined duties of both executive 

 officers performed by one man, and the society should have 

 sufficient members so that the Secretary-Manager could de- 

 vote a large share, if not the whole, of his time to the per- 

 formance of these duties. It would seem that all of the bee- 

 keepers in this great and glorious country could keep one man 

 profitably employed in thus looking after their interests. 



There are many things, aside from those already done by 



