364 
editorial. 
recommended that the proposition to elect to honorary mem¬ 
bership Dr. Theobald A. Smith. B.A., M.D., Washington D. 
C„ and Dr. James Law, F.R.C.V.S., of Cornell University, 
be’ rejected. This report occasioned considerable surprise in 
the open meeting, and the reasons for such action on the part 
of the Comitia Minora were promptly demanded, and weie 
as promptly given. No one discredited the high professiona 
or »c Winding of ei.her gentleman, no one though,. th«n 
unworthy of honorary membership ; but it was held by 
Comitia, that so long as a man’s education, location, age, an 
other environments rendered him freely available or ac i\e 
membership, it would be to the mutual benefit ot Asso 
ciation and individual, and in every way propel, that he 
should enter into active membership, and reserve honorary 
membership for those veterinarians or other allied scient 
of distinction, whose environments render them meligi 
election to active membership, or if eligible, are yet so situ¬ 
ated as to make active participation impracticable. 
This view of the Comitia Minora met the approbation ot 
the open meeting. This action announces a new ruling, and 
establishes a new precedent in the Association, whic is im¬ 
portant One thing in connection with this action was qui e 
regretable ; the name of one, if not both the gentlemen was 
inadvertently proposed at the meeting of 1890, Wlth °“ ^ 
knowledge or desire of the intended recipient of the honor, 
thus making it possible for the gentlemen whose names were 
proposed, or their friends, to feel that this unexpected action 
was taken on personal grounds. This, however, is far 
being true, as in the open meeting no word was uttered by 
any member devoid of the greatest respect for both gentle¬ 
men, and there is doubtless no violation of desired secrecy 
when it is asserted, that every word uttered in relation tot 
matter in the Comitia Minora was equally respectful. 
Should this ruling become an established precedent, 1 
will exert a far-reaching influence on the personnel of the hon. 
orary membership, and restrict it chiefly to. foreigners. n 
this relation, it might be well to note that it will proba Y 
be found advisable in the near future to provide honorary 
