16 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



men have done much, but only one, 

 The Beloved Langstroth has given as 

 much, with as little recompense, as 

 our managing editor. We do not re- 

 alize the self-denying efforts he has 

 and is still giving us. I repeat, we 

 cannot AFFORD to lose the Review. 



Raise the Yearly Dues 



The only recourse is to enlarge the 

 income to meet the growing demands 

 for funds. Other associations have 

 done so, some charging a great many 

 times what we pay. It has been sug- 

 gested that we raise the yearly dues 

 to $2.00 per year, and include the sub- 

 scription to the Review. There are 

 those who would prefer to abandon 

 the Review entirely, but this would 

 leave us disorganized, and at the 

 mercy of others who would not fail 

 to use us to their profit. Whatever 

 we do, we must not do that. 



Another plan proposed is to assess 

 each producing colony a few cents, to 

 be used in this work. This is meet- 

 ing with much favor, as it gives a 

 square deal to everybody, except to 

 those who will not pay. This was 

 tried out some time ago, and failed, 

 because of the narrow jealousies that 

 were aroused. The manufacturers 

 are ready to support such a plan, yet, 

 if they can be assured that the pro- 

 ducers will do their share. I know 

 this to be so, for I have the assur- 

 ance of many of them, in fact the 

 most of them, and they see the need 

 of it better than the producers them- 

 selves, as they are closer in touch 

 with modern business. We cannot ex- 

 pect them to attempt this alone, and 

 the professional honey jobbers are 

 reaping the big profits that should 

 go to the producer. 



Officers Donate Their Services 



It is the lack of money that pre- 

 vents effective work being done. For 

 instance: The officers of the Associa- 

 tion receive no remuneration what- 

 ever and most of the time pay their 

 own postage. Most of them are in 

 moderate circumstances, and cannot 

 afford, financially, to give the "Boost- 

 ing" business the attention it de- 

 serves, as their bread and butter de- 

 pends on their daily work. And it is 

 enough to ask of them the necessary 

 work required to carry on the As- 

 sociation. Understand me, they are 

 not complaining, as they all are glad 

 to do what they can, and do it will- 

 ingly and freely, but I am stating a 

 fact so the conditions may be under- 

 stood. 



Can You Suggest a Remedy? 



Now, friends, what shall we do? 

 Have you any suggestions to offer ? 

 The time for our state meetings is at 

 hand and we can talk this over there 

 and come to the national meeting at 

 Denver or write me a letter giving 

 your ideas of the things before us, 

 and I will present them to the meet- 

 ing if I can get there, which I hope 

 to do, although honey money is scarce, 

 and other funds very low, but I am 

 thankful that for the first time in 

 more than a year ALL of my fam- 

 ily, grandchildren and all, are well 

 again, and all are spared. My own 

 health is wonderfully restored, so that 

 I am better than I ever was, and I 

 feel just like I could walk clear to 

 Denver, if I had to, and enjoy it. I 

 hope I will not have to walk all the 

 way this time, however. 



Manner of Voting 



The Association has one serious 

 proposition before it and that is the 

 manner of voting. As it is now, this 

 is delegated to single individuals who 

 represent the affiliated bodies. This 

 has the advantage of expediting the 

 transaction of business, perhaps, but 

 it naturally shifts the power to those 

 who have the facilities to take the 

 necessarily long journey required of 

 some, no matter where the meeting 

 may be. The ones whose expenses 

 are paid by State or National Gov- 

 ernments are the ones who " ill at- 

 tend more generally than anyone 

 else and they are not the ones who 

 are the most vitally interested in the 

 cost of supplies and the selling of 

 honey. A false modesty has hereto- 

 fore prevented the discussion of this 

 phase, but it must be recognized soon- 

 er or later, and better soon than too 

 late, after the failure of the National 

 Association to listen to the demands 

 of the real honey producers has driven 

 all the "live wires" to follow the ex- 

 ample of California. 



The old way has been censured as 

 being clumsy and inefficient, but it 

 has its good features. The present 

 way gives too much power to the for- 

 tunate individual who can attend, and 

 we ought to devise some plan that 

 has the good points of both, and as 

 the time is limited, I will offer a sub- 

 stitute in this Review, so that it can 

 be acted upon at the coming meeting. 

 It can be amended to fit the wishes 

 of the delegates, and offers a basis 

 to work from. 



