Mr. Atwell, of Pittsburgh: I do not exactly understand the status of the question we are about to consider. Last year there was a discussion and action taken by the Association upon this very question; and then it was committed to the hands of the Executive Committee, who are charged by proper authority with dealing with these questions. The Executive Committee took action upon the question in the interim, and when we assembled this year, the action of the Executive Committee was presented to this assembly; and it received the sanction of the Convention. That settled the question absolutely; because the Association put its seal of approval upon what the Executive Committee had already done. Now, if it is to come up before this Convention, it could not properly be done in any other way than for some gentleman who voted in the affirmative to ask for a reconsideration; and I will not say, as a question of order, whether it could be done in that manner or not. Mr. Frayser: I wish to say a word here in behalf of the Executive Committee, concerning their action on the resolution that was introduced at the last meeting of this Association. When the amendment now under discussion was introduced, which proposed that the supply men should be admitted as members of this Association, said proposed amendment was, on motion, referred to the Executive Committee. It came up before that Committee, of which I had the honor to be a member; and upon looking at our Constitution and considering its provisions concerning membership, I was of the opinion that this Association was composed of the street-railroads, or lessees, or owners of street-railroads, and each railroad was entitled to a delegate, or two delegates, whatever that might be under the By-Laws; and I did not think we could admit outside individuals as members of the Associa. tion. The street-railroad corporation is the member; those who come here are the representatives of the particular Company he or they represent. That point was fully considered by the Executive Committee. If this Association is to lose its identity and abandon the original idea of its formation, and is to admit as members of the Association every person who may have supplies to sell to street-railroads, then we undermine the foundation of our whole organization. I have great respect and high regard for every person who may sell supplies to our railroads; but when the railroad companies form an organization composed exclusively of themselves, I do not think we should lose our identity and admit outsiders as members into this Association. It was in this manner that I reasoned the question before the Committee, and looked upon our Constitution as our guide and so regarded it; and the Executive Committee coincided with me upon the views thus expressed. We then made the very best arrangement that could be made under the circumstances. The supply men desired to be admitted to the banquet; we fixed it so that they could be admitted, if they chose, by paying ten dollars for the ticket. We have arranged for their attendance at the banquet, and I, for one, appeal to the common sense of the gentlemen here, and insist we should not admit them as members of the Association under our present law. The President: The Chair rules that no further discussion can be allowed on this question, unless the Association so desires, and expresses its desire by a motion and vote. Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman-The motion before the house is that some action be taken on this resolution, which was made last year by Mr. Richards. The President: The Chair has ruled that this discussion is out of order, because the resolution was disposed of by the Executive Committee. This Association, following the reading of the report. of the Executive Committee, disposed of that question; and no further motion can be entertained, unless this Association shall so order. REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. The Report of the Nominating Committee was then presented, as follows: "WASHINGTON, D. C., October 18, 1888. CHARLES B. HOLMES, Esq., President, Dear Sir:-The Committee appointed to make nominations of officers for the ensuing year beg leave to make the following recommendations for the consideration of the Convention. For President, GEORGE B. KERPER, of Cincinnati. First Vice-President, JESSE METCALF, of Providence. Second Vice-President, HENRY HURT, of Washington. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. CHARLES B. HOLMES, of Chicago. JOHN SCULLIN, of St. Louis. JAMES H. JOHNSTON, of Savannah. HENRY A. SAGE, of Easton, EDWARD J. LAWLESS, of Kansas City. Your Committee beg leave to further report that Minneapolis is recommended as the place in which to hold our next Convention; and request that the thanks of the Convention be given to the gentlemen from Pittsburgh for their kind offer to receive and entertain the Convention in that city. All of which is respectfully submitted, GEORGE W. LINCH, Chairman, for the entire Committee." The President: What is your pleasure in regard to these recommendations? Mr. Winfield Smith moved that the recommendations of the Committee be adopted. The motion was carried. The President: What is your further pleasure, gentlemen? Mr Cleminshaw, of Troy: Permit me to ask a question. Am I to understand that by this vote the Association has adopted the recommendations of the Nominating Committee? The President: The Association has approved the recommendations. Mr. Cleminshaw: Are the appointments as read to be the future officers of the Association ? The President: It remains for the Association to dispose of that question; no election has taken place. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Mr. Thompson: I move that the Secretary cast one ballot for the Association for the officers as recommended in the Report of the Nominating Committee. The Secretary: As the Secretary's name appears on that ticket, it would surely be an indelicate thing for him to vote for himself. Mr. Thompson: I move that Mr. William Richardson cast the vote of the Association for the officers. The motion was carried. The President: It is now in order for the Association to elect tellers. Mr. Littell: I move that the chairman appoint three tellers. The President appointed as tellers Messrs. Littell, Thompson and Sinclair. The President: The balloting is now in order and the gentleman appointed will deposit his ballot. The President: The report of the tellers is in order. Mr. Thompson, for the tellers, reported the vote to be as follows: For President, GEORGE B. KERPER, of Cincinnati. "First Vice-President, JESSE METCALF, of Providence. Second Vice-President, HENRY HURT, of Washington. Third Vice-President, W. H. MARTIN, of San Francisco. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. CHARLES B. HOLMES, of Chicago. JOHN SCULLIN, of St. Louis. JAMES H. JOHNSTON, of Savannah. HENRY A. SAGE, of Easton. EDWARD J. LAWLESS, of Kansas City. The President: You have heard the report of the tellers. The Chair declares the several gentlemen elected to the offices announced. Mr. McCreery, of Pittsburgh: Mr. President, is there any business for this moment before the meeting? The President: No, sir. Mr. McCreery: I would like to say that the delegation from Pittsburgh is disappointed in not having the Association hold its next meeting in Pittsburgh, but we would like to be presented for the meeting two years from now. I would say that my conscience is a little touched. I am afraid that the remarks I made last night has determined the Association in not meeting in Pittsburgh. I am afraid the Committee thought that they would be required to scrape the streets from curb to curb. We wish to say that the city authorities are perfectly satisfied; they are raising most of their revenue from the street-railways, and they do not propose to tax strangers. [Laughter]. Mr. Hasbrouck: Perhaps, before this Convention adjourns, I ought to make an ample apology to my friend from Pittsburgh. I will say that 'Opkins is dead, and that question will now remain at rest. I have no objection, personally, to meeting in Pittsburgh. It is said to be a rather dirty city, but that was years ago. I take it that since our friend has had charge of things there, matters are very much improved. A contemporary of mine, when I was a boy in a store, was told by the boss that under all circumstances he must sell the goods; that if a lady came in and wanted this or that thing, and he did not have it, he must ring in something that was pretty near it. A lady came in one day, and inquired for molasses. "Well," said he, we are just out of molasses, but we have got some beautiful tar." [Laughter.] 66 The President: We are very grateful to our friend from Pittsburgh for the kind invitation to meet in that city two years hence. A VOTE OF THANKS TENDERED TO WASHINGTON Mr. Woodworth: I move that the thanks of the Convention be tendered to the Washington street-railway companies for their kind hospitality to the delegates of this Association. The President: You have heard the motion. It is a most proper one. All gentlemen who are in favor of this will please manifest it by rising. The vote was unanimous. Mr. Hurt I desire, on the part of the street-railways of Washington, to say that we regret exceedingly that we have not been able to provide an entertainment commensurate with the intelligence and dignity of the Association. [Applause.] DISCUSSION RESUMED RELATIVE TO THE ADMISSION OF SUPPLY MEN TO ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP. Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, there has been some misunderstanding respecting the resolution made last year in giving the gentlemen who furnish supplies to our railroads admission to this Association. There was certainly a misunderstanding, because Mr. Lewis, who was one of the Executive Committee, did not understand that they were to be admitted only to the banquet at an expense of ten dollars each. Notwithstanding the action of the Executive Committee, I now make a resolution that the By-Laws be amended, so that the gentlemen connected with the supplies of our railroads may be admitted to associate membership in this |