Address of Welcome on Behalf of the City* 
By Hon* F* J* Northrop* 
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 
I presume it is one of the chief pleasures 
of the executive of any city to welcome 
the various bodies of people that gather 
in the city in convention or otherwise, 
and I assure you that it is an especial 
pleasure for me in this particular instance 
to welcome to our city this distinguished 
society; not alone for the honor you have 
conferred upon us by holding this con¬ 
vention here, but for the beneficial results 
we expect to^ derive from your presence 
among us, and your particular purpose 
here. I commend at all times any gather¬ 
ing together in convention of any repre¬ 
sentative body of people, because we all 
recognize the fact that it is the rubbing 
together of the minds and the study of 
our neig'hbors that brings advancement; 
and advancement is certainly the order 
of the day. 
We are all well aware of the fact that 
cultivation of the soil is the world’s great¬ 
est and most valuable industry, and we 
are also aware that there is vast room 
for a higher education of our people in 
this industry, and we look forward to 
beneficial results from these state con¬ 
ventions. I feel sure that the benefits 
we expect to derive from your gathering 
among us will be manifold, and for these 
reasons I extend to you the courtesies 
of our city, and assure you that we ap¬ 
preciate the presence of yourselves, and 
the importance of your purpose. The 
keys of the city are yours, and I trust that 
you will be able to remember with pleas¬ 
ure your stay with us. 
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you. 
ADDRESS OF WELCOME ON BEHALF OF PINELLAS ORANGE- 
GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
By Mr* A* F* Bartlett* 
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 
I was just congratulating myself that 
I was to escape having to make this ad¬ 
dress. The notice came to me a very 
short time ago that I would be expected 
to say a few words in place of the Presi¬ 
dent of the Pinellas Orange Growers’ 
Association, who was not able to be here 
on account of a sad calamity to some of 
his friends. . I had tried to persuade the 
Secretary that it was his place and duty 
to do this, but while I was attending 
to some important business connected with 
the Society, he conspired with the presi¬ 
dent and substituted me for himself. I 
have been at a loss to know how to get 
out of it. I supposed I had succeeded 
until I was just called on, so you will 
