THE FERN BULLETIN 



27 



thority to nominate more than two, it follows that if 

 in any election ballots are cast for a greater number, 

 all above two must be other than the two directed by 

 the Constitution to be nominated by the Council. This 

 also is perfectly clear. 



Now these provisions of our Constitution are still 

 in force. They have not been repealed by Section 7 

 which was added to the Article in 1903, and which, I 

 assume was inadvertently omitted when the Constitu- 

 tion, distributed last year, was printed. The added 

 section distinctly says: "Any part of the Constitution 

 not agreeing with this Article is hereby repealed." 

 And it is perfectly obvious that the added section ap- 

 plies solely to whatever outside of Art. VII, may con- 

 flict with that article. To attempt to maintain that the 

 new section invalidates any part of the Article itself 

 is absurd in the extreme, and it is difficult to believe 

 that the attempt is made with sincerity. 



Now as to the new Journal. You have published 

 your decision to discontinue the "Bulletin" as such, 

 next year. The Society is therefore, if for no other 

 reason forced to make some change. What shall it be ? 

 I myself have been very slow in coming to the belief 

 that Society ownership is desirable. Knowing some- 

 thing of the difficulties of such an undertaking, I 

 have hoped and argued for some other way of meeting 

 the situation. Yet it is a perfectly proper matter for 

 the Society to assume, and whatever the difficulties, it 

 will doubtless have its advantages. And by Article 

 VI it is just as clearly within the province of the Exe- 

 cutive Council to provide for a Society-owned organ 

 as it is for them to make a new contract or to renew 

 an old one. Such a step to be successful must of course 

 have the genuine approval of the bulk of the member- 

 ship. That it is so approved appears very clearly I 



