THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
111 
SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL STRAW. 
Chase Brothers Co., Rochester, N. Y., is one of the best 
known nursery firms in the United States. It has agents all 
over the country and the most of these are men who are or 
have been farmers. The firm has never taken any stand in 
politics ; in fact the politics of the five members of the firm 
has not been known to the general public. It may be stated, 
however, that three of the members are republicans while two 
have always voted the democratic ticket. In common with 
every other business house the Chase Brothers Company has 
taken deep interest in the campaign of 1896, knowing that its 
result would have great bearing on the future commercial in¬ 
terests of the United States. When Bryan was nominated the 
two democratic members of the firm announced to their asso¬ 
ciates that they could not support him, and that they would not 
only vote for McKinley but would do what they could to 
advance his election. 
After several conferences the firm decided to send a circular 
letter to each of its agents scattered all over the United States, 
from Maine to Nebraska, asking their individual political 
preference, also the prevailing sentiment in their localities. It 
was thought that the replies received would furnish a pretty 
fair political barometer. It was decided to make the circular 
entirely non-committal as to the firm’s opinions or preferences, 
so that it could not "be said that the replies were colored with 
a view to the writers retaining their positions. Accordingly 
Secretary-Treasurer Pitkin, on August 17th despatched this 
letter to all parts of the country : 
To our Salesmen: 
We, as all good citizens, feel a deep interest in the result of tlie presi¬ 
dential election, and are anxious to know something of the opinion and 
sentiment in the different sections of the country. It has therefore 
occurred to us that a canvass of our salesmen who are scattered over a 
large portion of the United States would give a strong indication of the 
drift of public opinion, and we ask you to answer, if you are willing, 
the questions below, and return this sheet to us at the earliest oppor¬ 
tunity. Your reply will be treated confidentially if you wish. We don’t 
believe in mixing business and politics as a rule, but as it is conceded 
that the result of the election will make some changes in business con¬ 
ditions, we wish to foresee that result as far as possible, and shape our 
business plans accordingly, so regard this as a matter of business, not 
politics. 
Yours truly, 
Chase Brothers Company. 
William Pitkin, Secretary. 
The questions accompanying the letter were as follows : 
1 . Do you intend to vote for McKinley or Bryan ? 
2 . What is the prevailing sentiment in your locality ? 
3 . How many democrats do you know who will vote for McKinley ? 
4 . How many republicans will vote for Bryan ? 
5 . How many gold democrats will vote for a third ticket if one is 
nominated ? 
A few days ago Mr. Pitkin said : “ I must confess that 
when we sent out those letters I w.s dubious as to what the 
replies would be. I was afraid they would be all for Bryan. 
The result has been a welcome disappointment.” As Mr. Pit¬ 
kin spoke he pointed to a large pile of letters beside his desk. 
“That pile,” he said, “contains 238 replies that we have 
received up to date. Out of the 238, 168 declare unhesitat¬ 
ingly that the writers will vote for McKinley ; 50 will vote for 
Bryan, while 20 say they are on the fence. As would be ex¬ 
pected, the Bryan sentiment is principally confined to the 
West, but even there the McKinley sentiment over-balances 
that for Bryan. For instance, in Illinois, 21 are for McKinley 
to 4 for Bryan. 
This is especially significant when it is 
remem- 
bered that the Bryan men are making great claims for Wiscon¬ 
sin, and in that state our agents are all farmers. In Indiana 18 
are for McKinley to 4 for Bryan. In Iowa there are 
5 Me- 
Kinley men to 
1 Bryan adherent. In Ohio the ratio is 
19 to 3. 
Missouri is the only one where there is a 
prepondera 
nee for 
Bryan. Even 
in Nebraska out of 3 replies received, 2 
are for 
McKinley to 1 
for Byran.” 
Following is 
a compilation of the replies 
by states : 
McKinley. 
Bryan. Douistkul. 
Maine. 
. 13 
2 
New Hampshire 
. 3 
Vermont. 
. 5 
Massachusetts.. 
. 10 
i 
Rhode Island... 
. 3 
Connecticut_ 
. 9 
2 
2 
New York. 
. 23 
7 
1 
Pennsylvania... 
New Jersey... . 
. 11 
. 6 
3 
i 
Total East.. 
. 83 
16 
5 
Ohio. 
. 19 
3 
3 
Indiana. 
. 18 
4 
2 
Michigan. 
. 9 
6 
4 
Iowa. 
. 5 
1 
Wisconsin. 
. 26 
13 
5 
Arkansas . 
1 
1 
Missouri. 
Kansas. 
. 3 
. 1 
5 
Minnesota. 
. 2 
Nebraska. 
2 
i 
Total West. 
. 85 
34 
15 
Grand Total 
. 168 
50 
20 
A CALIFORNIA EXPRESSION. 
Leonard Coates, Napa, Cala., says in the California Fruit 
Grower : 
“In June last was held in Chicago the twenty-first annual 
meeting of the American Association of Nurserymen. A 
perusal of the report cannot fail to benefit both the nursery¬ 
man and the fruit grower, as well as the amateur planter. 
There are listed some three hundred names of members in good 
standing, and I could find but one name from California. Some 
discussion was indulged in on legislation, as it affected the 
nursery business, by the enacting of state laws ordering the 
quarantining of stock from other states. It seems that Michi¬ 
gan, Maryland and New Jersey have passed laws similar to 
those adopted in California, but the expressed opinion of a 
very large majority was strongly opposed to them. Mr. 
Albaugh of Ohio, criticized the local inspectors by saying that 
he had been in California, and anyone shipping trees there 
would have them overhauled by a committee who did not know 
a curculio from an aphis, or a cherry slug from a tumble bug. 
That this is absolutely true in many cases can be abundantly 
verified. Our local inspectors often either know little or noth¬ 
ing, or they appoint deputies who know less. Further than 
that, it being but small game, they are frequently very small 
men who fill the offices, who can only pass impartial judgment 
when it best suits their own interests to do so ; 
“California holds aloof too much from her horticultural 
brethren in what we call ‘the East,’ which means about any¬ 
where that is not California. We are inclined to be hoggish ; 
to think we know it all. Because the climate and soil has 
caused us to progress, we find our heads swell, and try to per¬ 
suade ourselves that no one else moves as fast as we. We may 
wake up to realize our mistake some day.” 
