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70 



NINTH ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE 



By a similar motion Mr. Becker was 

 re-elected Treasurer, and his compen- 

 sation was fixed at $25.00. 



Mr. Becker — ^I thank you very much 

 for the election and for the increase 

 of $10 in the salary. I didn't ask for 

 an Increase, or anything of the kind. 



Time of Meeting. 



Mr. Dadant — I would like to suggest 

 that it might be a good plan to change 

 our day of meeting. The railroad rates 

 now are not so different as when large 

 conventions met here at low rates. It 

 would be much better for us if we 

 could come at a time when the city 

 was not so crowded. I would like to 

 hear it discussed, whether we would 

 not better come at a time, either be- 

 fore or after the Odd Fellows, or at 

 some time other than when these dif- 

 ferent gatherings are held here, so as 

 to have better accommodations for 

 those who attend our convention. 



President Kildow — I would rather be 

 here when I could have better accom- 

 modations; the railroad fare now, as 

 Mr. Dadant has said, does not cut 

 much figure; it used to make a dif- 

 ference, but it does not make so much 

 difference now, 



Mr. Stone — I guess you all under- 

 stand how we failed to get rates this 

 year, for the convention at this time. 

 The Odd Fellows had railroad rates, 

 but those rates closed on Tuesday. 

 "When we sent out our notices of the 

 meeting, I supposed we could get 

 those rates, also; we did not know 

 that they were going to close on Tues- 

 day; the railroads did not notify as to 

 when they would close. It is a good 

 thing to have it the same week as 

 they have theirs; you see, we have not 

 been crowded out of the hotel, although 

 we had to shove out of the way as 

 we came in. But there is no objection 

 to the meeting being placed at any 

 other time if the convention see fit to 

 do so. 



Mr. Moore — As far as the reduced 

 rates are concerned, I don't think that 

 will cut much figure. The railroads 

 did not all make reduced rates, even 

 for the Odd Fellows; rates might pos- 

 sibly have been made with roads radi- 

 ating from Springfield, but connecting 

 lines didn't do so, and even if I lived 

 on a road that was making reduced 

 rates, I would sooner pay full fare and 

 have better hotel accommodations than 



we have had since we came here. I 

 don't like to sleep on a cot, and I don't 

 like being crowded up with four or five 

 men in a room. Speaking for myself, 

 and I think the majority here feel the 

 same way, I would rather come at a 

 time when there would not be so much 

 of a crowd. 



Mr. Foster — There are some disad- 

 vantages, but there are some advan- 

 tages. We have this week off, and 

 when we come down here to attend the 

 Grand Lodge, we have no objection to 

 staying over, but some of us would not 

 come to the convention if the meet- 

 ings were held at any other time. It 

 makes a difference, and I know there 

 are different ones who will come next 

 year, if it is held at the same time 

 that the Odd Fellows come here, and 

 we can get more to come if it is held 

 at that time. 



Mr. Pyles — If we have the meetings 

 on Thursday and Friday, as we have 

 been holding them usually; if people 

 are off from the direct line to Spring- 

 field, they must start the day before to 

 get here, or else we get here late. I 

 like to be here when the meetings are 

 first called. We have to start from 

 our place the day before in order to 

 get here on time. I think it would be 

 better if we were to come here on 

 Wednesday, and not have the Odd Fel- 

 lows to contend with. Wednesday 

 night there were seven of us slept in 

 the hotel in one room. For me, at 

 least, it would be a great accommoda- 

 tion to be able to come some time when 

 we are not so crowded. I think we 

 can get almost as great an attendance. 

 People don't like to be crowded at any 

 time. 



Mr. Stone — I would like to ask, how 

 many are here who came to the Odd 

 Fellows' meeting and to this, too? ' 



Mr. Coppin — I would not have come, 

 for one, but for the advantage I got 

 by coming to the Odd Fellows. I had 

 the advantage of the excursion rates, 

 and I believe it would not be a bad 

 idea if more of the bee-keepers were 

 Odd Fellows. It would not hurt them 

 to become Odd Fellows and be inter- 

 ested in both. If it comes in just like 

 it did this time — Thursday and Friday 

 — we would get them to attend both 

 conventions with one expense. I think 

 we could make arrangements and find 

 a place where they would not be crowd- 

 ed, to sleep. We could put up with it 

 for one or two nights, and then there 



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