Despite that fact however, that there is no paper to present, Professor White and his fellows have been diligently occupied with a number of matters important to our business. One of these has been the continuance of the weathering tests on coal, this making the second year during which these coals have been subjected to outside weather conditions and have been under observation. Tests carried on during these two years have apparently not developed any definite depreciation in the coals. It was not thought advisable, however, to make a report on these tests, inasmuch as the data obtained is not entirely conclusive. These tests will be continued throughout the five year period originally planned, and it is planned to present a report to this Association as soon as sufficiently definite and conclusive results are obtained. The most important work has been done on the problem of the electrical separation of tar. This field offering a very promising opportunity for observation and a very considerable advance has been made along this line, a large amount of data having been accumulated. The results so far obtained do not warrant the presentation of even a serious progress report. The continuance of this work is planned for the coming year and it is hoped that it may be carried through to a definite conclusion.

Thanks to the financial genius of your secretary, your committee has been supplied with sufficient funds for the past year for carrying on the work planned a year ago. We estimated that $1,000 would be required for the coming year, $750 being used to pay the holder of the fellowship and his co-worker during onehalf the year, the other $250 being used for incidental expenses. It is the desire of your committee that, if you see fit to do so the raising of this $1,000 for the purposes of scholarship, be approved.

THE PRESIDENT: Now, at this time, it seems to me proper that a word should be said with regard to the work that has been done at the University under the auspices of the Michigan Gas Association. I did not come prepared to say anything about this, but Mr. Chamberlain has called attention to the fact that we have quite a large number of new members who, perhaps,

are not familiar with the history of this Fellowship Work, and who perhaps do not realize what that work has meant to the gas industry, to the Michigan Gas Association, and to a number of men who have worked in this connection at Ann Arbor. This Fellowship was founded, I think, thirteen years ago, and is supported by the subscriptions of gas companies in the State of Michigan who have amongst their personnel members of the Michigan Gas Association. It is not intended to be a direct money making scheme, but it is intended exclusively for research. work which in turn is expected and I think the experience of many of us is that the expectation has been fulfilled, to ultimately result in enabling our companies to get better results technically and commercially. In order to carry on this work it is necessary to have certain sums of money which have varied at times from, I think, seven or eight hundred dollars up to about twelve hundred dollars. This money is spent entirely in paying the expenses of the holders of the Fellowship and on the necessary apparatus to carry on the work. The Ann Arbor Gas Light Company has made what is unquestionably the biggest contribution to the work. They have provided a place to work and they have permitted the Fellowship work to be done on their premises, which oftentimes means more or less interference with the regular operation, for the general good of the industry. Some of the work that has been done has acquired a world-wide reputation. There is no question that the science of gas making has been distinctly advanced as a result of this work. Our Association is the only one which is devoting so much attention to special research work in connection with any University. It is peculiarly fitting that this should be done at the great University of Michigan, which is one of the oldest and one of the leading state universities. I can only speak for this work that everyone, when he goes home, will see to it that Mr. Chamberlain's seductive letters asking for the usual contribution will be responded to promptly. We can assure you that the money will not be wasted. It will be like bread cast upon the waters which some day will return— what is that scriptural reading, Chamberlain?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN: You have said enough of it. They will know what it is.

THE PRESIDENT: The next thing in order is the great treat of this meeting. We have with us to-day a gentleman who is going to make our hearts beat a little faster, and who is going to send us home better prepared to do business and get results than ever before. I am not going to take up any time that should belong to Mr. Casson.

"HOW TO PUT GAS ACROSS."

Herbert N. Casson,

Vice-President H. K. McCann Co., New York.

Mr. Chairman and Friends of the Michigan Gas Association:

Excuse me for piling up a little edifice here. You know when God made me with fifty-inch legs he made me so I can't make use of an ordinary table. Seeing that the Chairman began in appropriate and solemn, if somewhat interrupted, fashion with the quotation from the Bible which he has not remembered from his youth up, I think it would perhaps be appropriate for me also to take a text before I begin the sermon which I am about to deliver. I will take a text from the gospel according to Warren S. Blauvelt, first chapter and last paragraph, forty-seventh verse, "Improve the environment of the industry." Now there is a thought so big that it would take twelve months' thinking to get it all out. What I am going to say, in my own somewhat peculiar fashion, will be all aimed at that one thing, to bring out a sort of exhortation on that text, "improve the environment of the industry."

You know this wonderful State you have here is a State of new opportunities. It is a State of surprises. Just think of what Michigan has done. When she has done one thing she turns right around and does something else. The fur traders thought they had it all cleaned up when they killed all the bears and wild cats and wolves, and then along came the lumbermen and they made ten times as much out of the lumber as the hunters had made out of the pelts. The lumber men got some big fortunes and raised some worthless sons and grand-sons and they

thought everything was done.

They had made all the easy money, and they had made a lot of lumber and a lot of loafers and they had accomplished their God-sent mission in the world, you know, when along comes the report that some one had discovered iron ore, and they went north and got a hundred times as much money from underneath the ground as the lumber men ever took off the top. The fur traders got one dollar, the lumber men got ten dollars, and the ore men are getting one hundred dollars. Now, the work is still going on. I see a man up here at Bay City took a stump and put it in a lemon squeezer and squeezed out turpentine, isn't it. Oil, turpentine or something or other, any way, I know he is getting five dollars worth of something out of the stumps.

Now, here come the gas companies. I hope that we can fix it so it will come to pass that Michigan will lead the way in this matter of gas, because I want to say, right off, that you gas men are in the woods and you don't know the way out. You can make gas all right, you are wonderful at that, but there is not a salesman in your whole bunch. You have never appreciated salesmanship. You have never put yourself right with the public. You are letting the public do all manner of things to you; you are letting yourself be the football of every Legislature. Any fool that happens to get elected can come and smite you on your cheek and God help us if you don't turn around and let him smite you on the other side. You haven't learned how to handle the public.

As I have said before, there isn't a man of you who can get elected to any office in his home town. Now, what about improving the environment of the industry? You see, the environ

ment of the industry will never be improved until you can be elected to the chief office in your home town. Why shouldn't you? Honest, hard working men, every one of you, earning your money just as honestly as any hod-carrier that ever hodcarried, and yet you are so unpopular that any fool in the town can be elected by the public quicker than you can, to any kind of office. Popularity is something that you only dream of but never experience.