THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
159 
Let the Slogan be “Forward” 
In 1915 when the American Association convened at 
Detroit, there was a universal feeling among the mem¬ 
bership that something was radically wrong, and that it 
was up to that particular conventioifto “do something.” 
As we all remember, plans were inaugurated and 
adopted which completely reorganized the Association 
and which, with amendments from time to time since, 
have given us a fairly creditable business organization. 
No greater proof is necessary that our action at Detroit 
in 1915 was wise than the results. Every business that 
I know anything about is in much better condition finan¬ 
cially to-day than then. Nurserymen have made money 
results. If there is JfilOO.OO in iservice given for .$100.00 
in dues collected, that member is decidedly better served 
and better satisfied than if $5.00 in service was given for 
.$5.00 in dues collected. 
Now, it is very natural that on the part of a few there 
is a question in all this, and a disposition to revert to old 
methods, hut to my mind such a thing is unthinkable. 
We had “the flesh jiots back there in Egypt,” were we 
satisfied? In 1915 in talking over the depressed condi¬ 
tion of the nursery business generally with one of my 
friends, I said to him, “if it is impossible to work out 
some plans co-operatively for a better condition in the 
J. W. HIIvL, Des Moines, Iowa, 
Treasurer of the 
American Association of Nurserymen 
CHARLES SIZEMORE, Louisiana, Mo. 
Secretary and Traffic Manager of the 
National Association of Nurserymen 
the past few years, and if w(^ act with reasonable dis¬ 
cretion the next few years should he the most profitable 
in the experience of most of us. The business of to-day 
is being operated upon a higher plane than ever helore, 
and there is not a thinking man among us hut that knows 
this is true. To he sure, we have not as yet accom¬ 
plished all that is desired, and we never will. A hun¬ 
dred years hence those who follow^ after us wdll lind 
a work to do, and they should, but the point I am mak¬ 
ing is that we are making progress. We have demon¬ 
strated, I believe, beyond a reasonable doubt, the ef¬ 
ficacy of a business organization. We have demon¬ 
strated that co-operation, at least in degree, is i)os- 
sihle among nurserymen, and as we learn, as we must, 
that w^e are friends and not enemies, the spirit of co¬ 
operation will develop. We have demonstrated that 
the membership is not adverse to paying advanced 
dues, evidenced by the fact that our roster continues 
to grow^ What the membership of A. A. of N. wants is 
nursery business, I am determined lo liquidate my bus¬ 
iness,” and I meant every word of it. We have made a 
good start, and if we go forw ard w ith the w ork begun, 
I see no reason w by our })articular line should not he as 
profitable as any other commercial undertaking. 
HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF 
“Why siiend money promoting the development of 
market when there is not stock sufficient to supjily the 
already present demand?” Well, suppose that to he true 
as it relates to this particular year, how long will it he 
before the country wdll again he flooded with slock 
which, if not marketed, wdll bankrupt us? If we fail 
now^, this very year, to provide a competent business or¬ 
ganization to cope wdth conditions that wdll certainly 
come, how can we escape severe punishment? 
THE 1919 CONVENTION 
{A tvord personally) 
On June 25th, at 9.30 a. m., the Forty-fourth annual 
convention of the A. A. of N. will he called to order in 
