776 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



prohibit the keeping of bees in the city. 

 The Council took the wisest course in its 

 disposition of the petition, as, from the 

 evidence at hand, it appears to have had 

 its origin in a spirit of petty malice. 

 Common justice demanded that Mr. 

 Greeley's bees should not be declared a 

 nuisance, and ordered removed from the 

 city limits, while bees kept by others, 

 within the limits of the same city, were 

 not even mentioned. 



Communication by Telegraph. 



Mr. Greeley wrote thus: "No bee- 

 keeper knows when he may be called 

 upon to defend himself in court against 

 the attack of some spiteful neighbor, 

 who thinks to injure him through his 

 bees. Therefore, all should join the 

 Union at once. I think the Union should 

 have a cipher, for use by telegraph, in 

 case of emergency. In my case the 

 petition was only circulated three or four 

 days before the meeting of the new 

 Council, giving me no chance to defend 

 myself." 



In case of emergency, business can be 

 done by telegraph, of course, but it is 

 essential to carefully consider such mat- 

 ters before involving lawsuits. 



The only case the Union has lost was 

 the Olmstead vs. Rich case, and in that 

 an answer was demanded i3y telegraph. 

 The statement was made that the Sher- 

 iff was threatening to collect the costs, 

 which were very heavy (while the dam- 

 age was only six cents), and Mr. R. 

 wanted to appeal from the decision of the 

 Supreme Court to the Court of Appeals, 

 and demanded a reply by telegraph. 



We do not like to have such important 

 business done by telegraph. 



Other Cases. 



At Marine, Madison County, 111., a 

 spiteful man 'circulated a petition de- 

 manding to have the bees removed from 

 the village. We dosed the officials with 

 the decision of the Supreme Court, and 

 heard no more of that petition. 



At Easton, Pa., we score a victory 

 won by a judicious use of the "Decision 

 of the Supreme Court of Arkansas." 

 An ordiance was there presented to the 

 City Council declaring the keeping of 

 bees a "nuisance," and imposing a 

 penalty of $20 for its violation. It was 

 referred to the Law Department, and Mr. 

 C. G. Beitel appeared before that body, 

 and addressed it by giving in substance 

 the argument of Judge Williams (which 

 we had already sent him), showing the 

 absurdity of such an ordinance. The 

 result was that the section relative to 

 bees was stricken out by unanimous vote 



and the bee-keepers there were troubled 

 no more. 



At Hopkins, Mo., the "nuisance" 

 fever has broken out ; and in many other 

 places it assailed apiarists, but was 

 cured by a dose of the Arkansas Supreme 

 Court decision. 



Space fails me to further enumerate 

 the work done during the year. 



Officers for the Coming- Year. 



Eight years ago the offices were filled 

 by the present incumbents. Each year 

 they have been re-elected by large 

 majorities. They have done well, and 

 been perfectly harmonious in all their 

 actions. But would it not be advisable 

 now to have an entire change ? Would 

 it not inspire confidence and add largely 

 to the membership ? Some may think 

 that the present officers have a mortgage 

 on the places they fill, and to show all 

 such persons that this is not the case, a 

 change may be very desirable. 



The General Manager knows that be 

 expresses the feelings of all the officers 

 when he says that they have no desire 

 for re-election, and would be glad to give 

 place to any others who may be selected 

 by the votes of the membership at large. 

 Their only desire is for the success of 

 the Union in its great work of defending 

 its members against the malicious at- 

 tacks of the ignorant and prejudiced. 



Any member is eligible to office. You 

 should select from the list given in this 

 report such as you desire to elect, and 

 make out your ballot accordingly. 



How to Become Members. 



As this report will be sent to many 

 not members, but who should become 

 such, it may be well to say that the 

 entrance fee is $1.00, and that pays for 

 the dues of any portion of the unexpired 

 calendar year, ending Dec. 31. Then 

 it costs $1.00 for annual dues, which 

 are payable every New Year's day, and 

 must be paid within six months, in order 

 to retain membership. 



If membership ceases, then all claims 

 against former members also cease ; and 

 all claims to the protection of the Union 

 are dissolved. 



Financial Statement. 



Balance as per last report $621.18 



Fees from 571 members for 1890 571.00 



$1192.18 

 Court expenses. Attornej' fees, 



printing briefs, etc $5.30.00 



Printing, postage, etc 103.60 



633.60 



Balance, Dec. 10, 1891 $558.58 



