

94 THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



crop, and I wanted to get a statistical report of it early for 

 the benefit of the Association, and these reports have been 

 straggling in until there are something over 400 not in yet. 

 They come in slowly, but so far as they do come in they will 

 be a statistical report of the members' products in my Annual 

 Report. I must say that I candidly believe that it is going to 

 be one of the great opening doors for the marketing of honey 

 for the members. A great many sell not only their own 

 honey, but have to buy it, and there will be an exchange be- 

 tween members, and it will be a benefit to them. Dealers will 

 know a little better where to look for the honey, and as to 

 our concealing it from the wholesale men, we can't do it. 



Mr. Wilcox — Will you not tell us if that same principle 

 cau be applied to the purchase of supplies as well as to the 

 sale of honey? 



Mr. France — Yes, sir, I think it can, very largely. I will 

 admit that I have felt a little more duty bound to the mem- 

 bers of the State Association than to the National, and to 

 those of the State Association who were also members of the 

 National. I succeeded this year getting the 60-pound can 

 at about 18 cents' reduction, per case of two cans. Now, there 

 are two sides to this. We don't want to interfere with the 

 suoply business. We want the supplies to be good, and 

 we want the members to patronize the supply dealers ; but it 

 can possibly help to bring these things to the producers at 

 a reduction. I don't believe the Association ought to be a 

 supply dealer. 



Mr. Wilcox — I wanted to suggest that the Association ex- 

 ists for our benefit, and not for the benefit of the supply 

 dealer, and that whatever we may do for the benefit of the 

 membership, legally, honorably, that properly should be done, 

 regardless of the consequences to individuals or certain deal- 

 ers or classes, but work for the common welfare of all ; and 

 I believe the purchase of supplies in large quantities may be 

 worked by the General Manager, perhaps it is even more prac- 

 tical. 



Mr. York — But suppose the supply dealer is a member; 

 you would work for him, too, I suppose? 



Mr. Wheeler — I have a peculiar point in view, in regard 

 to buying supplies this year. I sent for prices on 15,000 

 sections to two different parts of the country, to two dealers, 

 and these men did not vary a cent on price. They asked ex- 

 actly to a cent. What did that mean? 



Mr. Abbott — The price ought to be exactly the same for 

 the_ same kind of goods every place. That is the way we are 

 trying to do with honey; we are trying to make it bring what 

 it is worth all over the country, and that is the importance of 

 having this very thing. Now, Mr. France has about the level- 

 est head of any man I ever heard talk, or ever had anything 

 to do with this National Association. I am talking right to 

 his face; but I have a way of talking what I think whether 

 it suits or doesn't suit. My wife says I have too much of 

 that. But let that be as it may. Now, it seems to me that 

 we are getting at something, that we are mapping out some 

 work that is consistent, sensible, that is on the earth, and that is 



