ADDRESS 
541 
both empowered to receive moneys in such a way as to oc¬ 
casionally lead to errors and complications in spite of the ef¬ 
forts of the careful men you have always selected to fill those 
positions. Each must be duly informed of the actions of the 
other, making comparatively double work in properly caring 
for the funds of the Association. As a remedy, I would sug¬ 
gest that the two offices be merged into one. I desire also 
to suggest a change in By-Laws, Article I, by changing the 
election of officers so that it will occur near the close of the 
annual meeting, instead of at the beginning as now. My rea¬ 
sons for this are, that under the present rule the newly 
elected officers are abruptly ushered into their positions, with¬ 
out previous thought or preparation, and are at once charged 
with the work started by their predecessors and which should 
have been completed by them. The programme for our an¬ 
nual meetings is necessarily made by the retiring adminis¬ 
tration, and it should be allowed to carry it out. The reports 
of the officers of the Association are necessarily incomplete 
and misleading except at the close of the annual meeting. 
For instance, the last annual report of the Treasurer showed 
a considerable balance on hand, but the then retiring admin¬ 
istration had contracted sufficient debts to entirely wipe out 
the surplus at the close of the meeting, and there being little 
income except at the close of the annual meeting there is still 
no surplus, but the administration of our finances during the 
past year has been economical, and if allowed until the close 
of the meeting to report, our retiring Treasurer could show, 
we believe, a handsome balance, while under our rules he can 
only show a depleted treasury, and the retiring administra¬ 
tion can be allowed no credit for its economical management 
of our financial affairs. 
In conclusion I desire to express my earnest thanks to my 
fellow officers, who have in every matter shown me the kind¬ 
est consideration and loyal support, and I am only voicing 
the sentiment of the entire list of retiring officers, when I 
thank all members for the unusually friendly support you 
have accorded us during the entire year. 
