THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
245 
a big, broad campaign or publicity was maintained year 
by year through the American Association of Nursery¬ 
men. We have members present here to-day who can 
speak to you much more intelligently on the question of 
publicity than can I. and I believe that they will bear 
me out in the statement that no work is suggestive of 
more material results, and no money that we could spend 
would bring larger reurns, than a few thousand dollars 
placed in the hands of a committee on publicity. 
To be sure, these are just a few suggestions as to why 
we need more money. It would be impossible for me to 
attempt, in the time that I shall take for the presentation 
of this question, to present in detail every phase of our 
Association life that could be improved by spending a 
little money here and there. I think that we have only to 
look to see the need for funds to promote this or that line 
of interest, all of which would make for the upbuilding 
of the nursery interests of America as a whole. I believe 
that your executive committee will bear me out in the 
statement that they could have accomplished much more 
good, and this is not saying that they have not accom¬ 
plished a great deal, had it not been for lack of funds. 
The field is a large one, and while its fertility is great, the 
harvest will depend upon the sowing, all of which neces¬ 
sarily calls for funds. 
Concentration of Our Efforts. 
But money alone will not build an organization. How¬ 
ever desirable it is that we have money enough to finance 
our affairs along larger and more intelligent lines, we 
need to concentrate our efforts; we need a more inten¬ 
sive, a more intelligent, a more effective organization, a 
concentration of efforts of the American nurserymen. I 
made this statement once before and was criticized for it 
severely, but, believing with all my heart that I am right, 
I am going to say it again. We have too many organ¬ 
izations. Our energies are divided, and as long as this is 
true we are not going to accomplish the best anywhere. 
Besides a great number of state organizations, all of 
which tax the energies and finances of the nurserymen, 
we are supporting a number of district organizations: 
Southern, Western. Pacific Coast, etc. 
For sentimental reasons, perhaps, many of us will be 
opposed to any plan that will weaken or eliminate any 
of these associations, but for my part I have reached the 
place where above all else T want efficiency, and I believe, 
gentlemen, with all my heart that efficiency will come 
with concentration of our efforts, our money, and our 
talents in one big central organization that will do the 
work of all. Many of us are members of all these or¬ 
ganizations. We contribute our time and money to them 
all and are. in fact, loyal to all. but in the division ot our 
energies and our money little is accomplished anywhere. 
I do not know how it is with you in your state organiza¬ 
tions, hut in my own state the organization is maintained 
by a mere handful of nurserymen. We never have any 
money to do anything with, and when a question arises 
which demands the attention of the Association, a half- 
dozen of the nurserymen of the state must do the work 
and finance it. This half-dozen nurserymen that T refei 
to are members of the American Association of Nursery¬ 
men, hence the nursery interests would lose nothing it m\ 
state organization should go out of business to-dav. I 
want to again say that, in my opinion, no work is being 
done by either the state or district organizations that 
could not be accomplished just as well, in fact better, 
through one central organization, the American Assoc¬ 
iation of Nurserymen. 
This being true, I do not believe you can accuse me of 
disloyalty to my state or to my section when 1 sav to vou 
that the best interests of the nurserymen could be served 
to best advantage through a concentration of our efforts 
within the lines of our national association. To be sure, 
we have no power over these organizations, and I am 
not presuming, except as an individual member of these 
associations, to suggest what they should do. but if the 
plan that I shall suggest for building a larger America*! 
Association shall at this time meet your wishes, I shall 
have no hesitancy in going back to my state organization 
to plead with them to disband and fall into line with the 
plans that we shall adopt here. I can give no guaranty 
that this will be done. but. w hether it is or not, 1 do not 
believe that it will cause a falling off of the membership 
from my state but, on the contrary, I believe that such a 
plan as I have suggested would add materially to the 
membership from my state. As I see the question, it re¬ 
solves itself into simply this, where can w r e spend our 
money and energies that will bring the greatest returns. 
In considering our plans, therefore, for a larger and bet¬ 
ter national association, I present for your consideration 
the desirability of concentration of our efforts. 
Executive Committee Should re Representative of 
the Entire Country 
In building a better national association, I believe that 
the executive committee should be chosen according to 
geographical lines. The American Association of Nur¬ 
serymen should be all that the name implies, hence, you 
will note in my general plan a suggestion for the division 
of the country into six districts, and the election of your 
executive committee therefrom in such a manner that the 
majority of the committee shall at all times be exper¬ 
ienced committeemen. Into the hands of this executive 
committee I would place the entire management of the 
affairs of the Association. I w ould make them, in other 
words, a board of management, and after providing them 
with funds sufficient to meet the needs of this association, 
I would give them power to do all things necessary for 
the upbuilding of this association, even to the power of 
choosing the man who should serve them as secretary- 
treasurer. I w ould have them be to the Association what 
a w r ell organized directory is to a business corporation. I 
would, in other words, through the establishment of this 
executive committee, make this association a well organ¬ 
ized business corporation, and T would confer upon them 
all powers necessary for the accomplishment ot the gi¬ 
gantic task that we place in their hands. TN bile this en¬ 
tire plan, as before suggested, will be presented to you 
in detail, it is desirable at his time to elaborate somew hat 
on the purpose of the plan outlined for your executive 
committee. 
At least one speaker on the program will have some¬ 
thing good to say to you in regard to price cutting. I 
would make it obligatory upon this committee to cause to 
be gathered statistics show ing the amount oi stock in sui- 
plus. and endeavor by every known means to bring to¬ 
gether on an equitable basis the man who has stock to 
buy and the man w ho has stock to sell. I would suggest 
