210 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
lution. and, as 1 have already stated, I believe it is the fairest 
plan that could be proposed. 
In conclusion, may I say that in all I have said my only 
thought has been to offer a plan which will ultimately prove of 
benefit to the nursery interests. As has already been stated, it 
is not to be hoped that this will be a panacea for all our ills or 
that we may be able to start to-morrow with a perfectly equipped 
organization—not that—hut what is proposed is a general ground 
work—a foundation upon which we can begin to build and which 
in due time, I believe, will serve us intelligently and acceptably. 
Organizations of the magnitude such as is here proposed are not 
built in a day or in a year. Men must be developed to carry on 
the important work contemplated, which will take time, and un¬ 
derneath it all, back of it all, and around it all must center your 
sympathy, patience, and cooperation. If you are willing to adopt 
the proposed amendment, thereby providing necessary funds for 
the ongoing of the work, it should be with that practical unan- 
imnity which will guarantee its success, and it must be with the 
consent of two-thirds of the members present. As I have before 
said, you should vote on the amendment before you take up the 
resolution, for the adoption of the resolution without the amend¬ 
ment would create an embarrassing situation. I leave the ques¬ 
tion in your hands, and because I believe in its efficacy, because 
1 believe it means a better day for you and for me, I hope you 
may vote overwhelmingly the adoption of both amendment to 
Article VII of the constitution and the resolution. 
We should approach the whole question, not only as it relates 
to each of us individually and as a whole to-day, but as it relates 
to the future. With most of us, the legacy we will leave to our 
families will be our established business. When I meditate upon 
the service each of you have rendered the world, and think how 
poorly you have been paid in dollars for that service, when I 
think of how arduous must be the labor of those who must take 
up the work where we leave off, I think nothing should intervene 
in making more stable the business which we represent, if for 
no other reason than that our loved ones may be protected. I 
think our action here to-day, this very hour, will not only in¬ 
fluence the destiny of the nursery interests of America to-day, 
but far into the unknown future its influence will be measured. 
We may reason that the day with most of us is far spent, that 
somehow we have managed thus far to get by, and that for those 
who come after us, let them, as have we, work out their own des¬ 
tiny. But are we justified in such conclusions? 
The discussion which followed, took a wide range, 
and it taxed the abilities of Chairman Hill to keep it 
within proper bounds. 
Mr. x\tkins wanted to know if a nurseryman who was 
also doing a florist business would be expected to pay 
dues on the basis of his entire business. Chairman Hill 
replied that according to his understanding such would 
be the case, but Mr. Mayhew said that it was his idea 
only to figure on the basis of the business of the nursery 
de])artment. 
In answer to an inquiry by Mr. Flemmer, Mr. Mayhew 
said that the new schedule of dues had the endorsement 
of the Executive Committee. 
Mr. E. S. Welch did not think it would be possible to 
carry out all the propositions of the “Resolutions” but 
that only such portions as referred to transportation and 
legislation, and that the gathering of statistics and sim¬ 
ilar matters should be left for more settled times. 
Mr. Mayhew, in answer to a question from Mr. Pyle, 
stated that it had been estimated by the Executive Com¬ 
mittee that the new schedule of dues would produce a 
i-eveiiLie of lietween 000.00 and ,$17,000.00 per year 
as against $5,000.00 to $6,000.00 on the present scale. 
The “Amendment” was then adojited. 
At a later session, on motion of Mr. J. W. Hill, the new 
schedule of Membership Dues was revised to read, $100. 
$75, $50, $25, $15, and $5. respectively, plus the regulai 
dues of $10.00 per annum. 
The passage of the “Resolution” was then taken up, 
and Mr. Wyman moved that it be laid on the table for one 
year. The motion was seconded and carried. 
At the opening of the Thursday morning session, var¬ 
ious Committee rejiorts were taken up and dis])osed of: — 
The great item of interest, how'cver, centered in the re¬ 
port of the committee on Publicity which was imme¬ 
diately followed by the subject of “Market Development,” 
and Mr. Robert Pyle was called to the chair: 
In conclusion, Mr. Cashman said that right now was 
the time for the nurserymen to show- their faith in the 
movement by offering their subscriptions. 
A blackboard was handy, and for some time it kept 
Henry Chase busy recording the names and amounts, 
(« complete record of the subscriptions to date and re¬ 
port of discussion ivill he found in another column of 
this issue.) 
The report of the Vice-President on nomination for 
officers was read and on motion, seconded and carried, 
the secretary w^as instructed to cast the ballot, and the 
following w^ere then declared elected: 
President, J. R. Mayhew, Waxahachie, Tex. 
Vice-President, J. Ed. Moon, Morrisville, Pa. 
Treasurer, J. W. Hill, Des Moines, la. 
Executive Committee 
C. R. Rurr, Manchester, Conn. 
C. C. Mayhew, Sherman, Tex. 
Place of next meeting, Chicago, Ill. 
The remaining sessions of the Convention w^ere taken 
up with the reports of the committees and the reading of 
several papers as outlined in the printed program. 
The Convention closed Friday at noon. 
It was rumored the Executive Committee held a session 
after the close of the convention, and re-engaged Curtis 
Nye Smith, Roston, Mass., as legal attorney for the Asso¬ 
ciation, and he will also continue to conduct the Collec¬ 
tion Bureau. 
Also that they appointed Chas. M. Sizemore, Louisiana, 
Mo., as Secretary. Mr. Sizemore will also operate a 
bureau for the collection of overcharges on freight ship¬ 
ments. It is anticipated that he will be able to secure 
the refund of many hundreds of dollars in over-charges. 
War Times and The Nursery Business 
Mr. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen: — 
When on April 2, 1917, President Wilson, in that memorable 
address before Congress, declared that a state of war existed 
between the government of the United States and the Imperial 
German government, the business of this nation became war, and 
it will continue to be war until Prussian militarism is crushed, 
until victory for the allied armies is assured, and the world is 
made a safe place in which to live. It is strange that after so 
much has been written and spoken everyone is not familiar 
with our aim in this world conflict, and yet it is true that there 
are still a few who are in doubt here. Down in Oklahoma a few 
days ago an Indian soldier returned home on furlough. One of 
his friends, meeting him on the street, asked, “John, how do you 
like army life.” The ‘first American’ replied, “Me no like it; too 
much salute not enough shoot.” This further question was 
asked, “Do you know why-you have been drafted for army ser¬ 
vice.” Without hesitancy the Indian replied, “Yes, me know 
Make whole world democratic party.” Now, this Indian had a 
true conception of the matter and. we of the democratic house¬ 
hold of faith know that when the world comes into a full ac¬ 
ceptance and practice of that faith that the day of the Kaiser is 
doomed. 
I think that the committee had in mind that I speak to you of 
the nurseryman’s relation, of his place in world affairs as related 
