INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. XXVil 
that it would be to the benefit of the members, particularly to the out-of-town members, 
always to have the rooms of the Society open for the giving of information and any other 
purpose when they came to the city and visited the headquarters of the Society; so the 
Council and Executive Committee during the year arranged, as you all know, I think, 
for the office of the Society to be open at all time during business hours, in charge of 
Mr. Kain. | 
One important effect of having someone constantly on the job—the secretary en- 
deavors to be as active as he can, but he cannot give his entire time to this work—is the 
improvement in the collection of the dues. There has been a marked decrease in the 
number of delinquent members. It will be a matter of surprise to those who pay their 
dues promptly to learn how hard it is to collect the dues of certain of the members. 
In endeavoring to collect what is due, we first send out a regular bill, then we send 
out another bill, without any particular comment, and then we commence sending 
routine letters, each one a little more insistent than the one which preceded. After we have 
sent out two letters, we forward, not a peremptory, but a registered letter, and then 
follow with telegrams in certain cases. You would be surprised to see how those to whom 
the dues do not mean anything at all neglect the matter and wonder why the Society 
is so insistent on collecting these dues. It would assist those in charge of the affairs of 
the Society very greatly if our members would make a point to remit their dues promptly 
on the receipt of the first bill. That would eliminate the further labor incidental to 
sending statements and letters urging the payment of the dues. 
When you come to think that the cost of the publication of the volume of proceed- 
ings is approximately $8 a volume and the annual dues are only $10, it is evident 
that the Society does not have a very large working capital on which to transact its 
business, and if on top of that any considerable number of the members fail to pay their 
dues, you will see at once that it is a little difficult to carry on the affairs of the Society 
without a certain embarrassment. The efforts of Mr. Kain, who is assisting the Secre- 
tary-Treasurer in the office of the Society in that direction, have been very helpful. 
At this time we should all try to secure additional applications for membership in 
the Society by those who are eligible. Now is the most opportune time to do this. 
There are plenty of blanks on hand, and if any of our members know of anyone they 
would like to propose for membership, who is eligible, application blanks can be sub- 
mitted and can be acted on at any time during the meeting, prior to the last session. 
ActTING PREsIDENT:—I will ask the members, in accordance with our usual custom, 
to please rise during the reading of the names of those members who died during the past 
year. 
Secretary Cox read the names of the members who died during the previous year, 
and the members of the Society stood during the reading. 
ActTinc PRESIDENT:—The Secretary-Treasurer will now read the names of those 
members elected as Vice-Presidents, Members of the Executive Committee, the Members 
of Council, Associate Members of Council, Committee on Papers and Life Member. 
The secretary read the following announcements of election of officers and mem- 
bers -— 
For Honorary Vice-Presidents:—W. J. Baxter and W. F. Durand. 
