August 18, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



43 



William T. FoncUu 



(Chairman Finance Committee.) 



I do not see why our interests are not 

 (tf enough importance to justify these 

 semiannual gatherings. It certainly 

 would require less of an outlay of both 

 time and money to attend the consoli- 

 'lated semiannual meeting than to at- 

 tend all the various smaller meetings. 



An exhibition in midwinter would 

 .ilso interest the retail section, as it 

 would afford a splendid opportunity for 

 the retail florist to show what can be 

 <lone in artistic arrangements, and 

 wduld give him an excellent opportunity 

 of reaching the public in the most ef- 

 fective way. I was particularly pleased 

 to have President Valentine organize a 

 retail section last year. I believe it 

 will conserve the interests of the large 

 number of men who buy and dispose of 

 tlie products of the growers, and will 

 be productive of great good to the re- 

 tailer and grower. 



Suggestions About the Secretary. 



If an affiliation can be accomplished. 

 I would suggest the desirability of 



having the secretary of the national 

 society also act as the secretary of all 

 the affiliated societies. I think this 

 would tend to greater efficiency and 

 economy. I would also suggest that the 

 presidents of all the affiliated societies 

 be made members of the board of di- 

 rectors of the S. A. F., thus giving each 

 society a voice in the management of 

 the affairs of the national organization. 

 Along these lines, it might be apro- 

 pos for me to mention what I have had 

 in mind for a long time, and that is 

 that our interests are large enough and 

 important enough to justify the em- 

 ployment of a secretary who shall de- 

 vote his entire time to the advancement 

 of the interests of our society. Our 

 presidents are appointed for only one 

 year, so that it would be desirable to 

 have one executive officer whose term 

 of office should be more or less contin- 

 uous. We are to have submitted to us 



Nathan R. Graves. 



(Sourenlr Album Committee.) 



Will H. Dildine. 

 (Chairman Badve Committee.) 



at this time an amendment to the con- 

 stitution relative to the election of a 

 board of directors. I am firmly of the 

 opinion that we would more nearly fol; 

 low out our ideas of a democratic form 

 of government by the election, rather 

 than by the appointment of directors; 

 in fact, I believe that the offices of the 

 president, vice-president and directors 

 should all be elective, and that the of- 

 fice of the secretary, and possibly of 

 the treasurer, should be appointive. So 

 far as the treasurer is concerned, I am 

 not so insistent that his should be an 

 appointive office; but I believe that the 

 secretary should be appointed by the 

 board of directors, and that his tenure 

 of office should not be subject to any 

 uncertainty as long as he does his work 

 well, and satisfactorily to the board of 

 directors. Constituted as we are as a 

 society, it is desirable that some one 

 should occupy this office who is fa- 

 miliar with the situation and who can 

 cive it his entire time and attention. 

 I believe that the extra expense in- 

 volved would be money well invested. 



J. M. KeUer. 



(Cbalnwin liall Game Coniiulttee.') 



New Work For the Secretary. 



You may ask what there is to do that 

 requires a man's entire time. Our com- 

 mittees, as now constituted, with one 

 man in one city and another in another 

 city, are unwieldy and unworkable, and 

 are too far apart to do effective work. 

 Those who have served on these com 

 niittees will bear me out in this state- 

 ment. Take, for instance, the question 

 (if legislation alone. It is becoming 

 necessary that there should be some 

 check upon the various bills that are 

 introduced, both in Congress and in the 

 State Legislatures, many of which in 

 the form in which they are introduced 

 are inimical to our interests. There is 

 also the question of the regulation of 

 express rates, tariff, and other matters 

 requiring constant attention and super- 

 vision. 



Another matter to which more atten 

 tion should be given is an increase in 

 the membership of our society. This 

 has been talked of often before, by 



G>lin B. Oc:sten. 



(Chali-nia n Ladle*' Kntcrtalnnient Comiuittce. 



