In the absence of the President, Mr. Thomas N. McCarter, First Vice-President George H. Harries, called the thirtyfirst annual convention to order at 2:40 P. M., in the Blue Room of the Saddle and Sirloin Club, Chicago, Illinois.

VICE-PRESIDENT HARRIES:- In assuming the duties of presiding officer, the chair desires to express sincere regret at the absence of Mr. McCarter. Mr. McCarter has been quite ill with typhoid fever and is now convalescent. If the option were his he would be here, but what he undoubtedly regards as the final authority of his physician and the wishes of a devoted household, insists that he shall not incur the strain. of participating in this Convention, and, therefore, in accordance with his request, I shall do the best I can to fill Mr. McCarter's place.

The Chair wishes to announce now and it will be reannounced later, that the program is scheduled to commence at a definite time. It is a reasonable presumption that all members have at least looked at the program, and it is reasonable to imagine that no one would attempt to operate cars on a schedule quite as loose as is the schedule this afternoon. The first car has not yet started. It was due to leave at 2 o'clock, and it is now 2.43. The public would be disturbed if we carried such practice into the operation of our roads, and the Association has cause to be disturbed because the schedule seems to be deranged at this time. However, in future ses

EDITOR'S NOTE. A complete list of the names of those who took part in the discussions at this Convention, with their official titles, etc., will be found on the page following the conclusion of the minutes of the last session.

sions it is the hope of the Chair that we shall convene promptly at the time indicated in the program.

The first business to come before this meeting is the Annual Address of the President, which will be read by Vice-President Allen.

(Mr. Allen then presented the address of President McCarter.)

ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT

Although rapidly convalescing from a mild attack of typhoid fever, from which I have suffered for the past six weeks, I am nevertheless still quarantined at home and positively forbidden by my physicians to risk the exertion necessarily arising, in their judgment, from a trip to Chicago for the purpose of attending the Convention. I need hardly say that it is a keen disappointment to me not to be with you to partake of the benefit that I always obtain from the Convention and its accompanying Exhibit, as well as to perform the final duty of my administration by presiding over the deliberations of the Convention. It has been impracticable for me to attempt to prepare such an address as I should have hoped to deliver had I been well and in attendance upon the Convention. I cannot, however, let the occasion pass without sending some little message, including a brief resumé of the work of the Association for the year. It has been an important and successful year. The Association is now upon a firm and permanent basis and is better equipped than ever before to perform useful work for its member companies and its membership generally.

It was, I think, the general opinion of all who were present that the mid-year meeting of the Executive Committee, followed by the Mid-year Conference held last January in New York, was the most successful meeting and conference that we have had since the inauguration of this most useful instrument. At the Executive Committee meeting several of the important matters of which I shall shortly make mention were authorized. The Conference the following day was largely attended and included some very distinguished men. The addresses were of a high order, and all who attended felt richly repaid for their presence.

The unique, and perhaps the most far-reaching work of the year, was the trip made by the Officers of the Association to member companies throughout the South, the West, and the Pacific Coast. This trip was authorized by the Executive Committee at the January meeting, provided the Manufacturers' Association would bear half the expense thereof.

This the Manufacturers' Association gladly consented to do, thus making the trip possible. The thanks of the Association are due to the Manufacturers' Association for their thorough co-operation in this important work. The trip commenced

on the 17th of April and lasted until the 30th of May. It was made most comfortably in a private car and visits were made to our member companies at the following places: Richmond, Va.; Charleston, S. C.; Augusta, Ga.; Atlanta, Ga.; Nashville, Tenn.; Memphis, Tenn.; Birmingham, Ala.; Mobile, Ala.; New Orleans, La.; Houston, Tex.; Galveston, Tex.; Fort Worth, Tex.; Dallas, Tex.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Los Angeles, Cal.; Pasadena, Cal.; San Francisco, Cal.; Oakland, Cal.; Portland, Ore.; Vancouver, B. C.; Seattle, Wash.; Tacoma, Wash.; Spokane, Wash.; Fargo, N. D.; Minneapolis, Minn.; St. Paul, Minn.; Omaha, Neb.; St. Louis, Mo.; Louisville, Ky.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Cincinnati, O.; Pittsburgh, Pa., and Cleveland, O. At all of these places we were received in a most courteous and hospitable manner and in nearly all of them were given an opportunity to discuss fully the present day problems that confront the electric railway industry, not only with the local railway officials themselves but with municipal officers, civic bodies, and prominent citizens generally. The results of the trip must speak for themselves. If, however, we can judge from the comments that have been made thereon by our friends in the cities visited, we have the right to feel that the expense, labor, and, in some respects, the self sacrifice, of the trip were not in vain and that at least some good of a permanent nature for the industry was accomplished. The officers of the Association co-operated to the limit of their ability in making the trip a success by joining the car wherever they could and contributing their share to the arduous work involved. I desire at this time especially, however, to express the thanks of the Association to Mr. Oscar T. Crosby. of Wilmington, who accompanied us during the major portion of the trip and who performed in a most efficient manner a very laborious work toward the success of the trip, speaking most forcibly every day and sometimes twice a day. His unselfish labor should not be allowed to pass unnoticed.

Another vitally important work of the year is the inauguration of the Association's publication, the "AERA." The three numbers of this periodical which have already appeared justify its creation and need no encomiums from me. The efficiency of this work is bound to develop into one of the most useful functions of the Association.

So also during the year, the Company Section plan has been authorized and established. Three vigorous infant sections are already in existence and several more are in process of formation. During the early part of the Summer I had the pleasure of attending one of the early meetings of the Company Section of Public Service Railway Company, of which Company I am President, and was enthusiastic over the large attendance and the character of work carried on by the meeting. I cannot recommend too highly to member companies the formation of a Company Section on the plan outlined by the Association.

Publicity and not secrecy is the watchword of the day. We have all come to realize that our industry has nothing to conceal; in fact, that its very prosperity depends upon bringing to the attention of the public the nature and difficulty of the problems that confront us. Recognizing this fact, and remembering the time-worn adage that "Charity begins at home" the Executive Committee at its meeting last January decided to abolish all so-called "executive sessions" of the parent Association, to discontinue the so-called "associate" membership of the Association, and, while retaining company members, to make all other membership general and to throw open all the meetings of the Association to the entire membership. This Convention is, of course, the first at which this plan will be carried into effect. Not only this, but the meetings of the affiliated Associations have been so arranged as not to conflict with the meetings of the parent Association, thus giving the full membership ample opportunity to attend all the meetings of the parent Association.

So also during the year has been worked out to a successful consummation the troublesome problem of enrolling all representatives of manufacturers in attendance at the Convention as members of the Association. In this work we have again had the co-operation of the Manufacturers' Association. This will, of course, result in a large increase in the membership of the Association, which is highly desirable. The membership of the Association is in a most flourishing condition, consisting at the present time of approximately 400 member companies and 2500 individual memberships or more than double the number of individual members at the commencement of last year. In this connection the Membership Committees should receive the thanks of the Association. They have done much valuable work and individual member companies have also assisted by communicating with non-member companies in their immediate vicinities. The membership now embraces companies operated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Brazil and Uruguay, so that the Association is in effect an international one and the individual membership includes practically every portion of the Globe.

It was thought wise this year to hold the Convention in the Middle West. The Committee to whom the matter was left made a thorough inspection of the available cities and unanimously decided upon Chicago as the most available. It is my earnest hope that the success of the Convention will thoroughly justify the action of the Committee in this regard.

Another important move during the present year was the appointment of a committee to consider the troublesome matter of the joint use of poles. This Committee is working in conjunction with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the National Electric Light Association, and the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, and considerable progress has already been made.

So also, a committee has been appointed to take up with other kindred organizations embracing other classes of public utilities the question of general publicity work, including lectures at Chautauqua meetings and similar matters. I understand General Harries will have something to say regarding this matter at the Convention.

During the year a serious need has developed for a permanent representative of the Association to be located within the city of Washington, where he may closely watch the proceedings of Congress so far as they relate to Acts of Interstate Commerce affecting any portion of our membership. I think perhaps the Association hardly realizes how great a debt of gratitude it owes to General Harries, who for so many years looked after this work while he was resident in Washington. The extent of his labor is, however, fully appreciated by the officers of the Association, who have so sorely missed him since his removal from the capital city. Questions are constantly arising requiring the presence of some such representative and I earnestly hope that the Executive Committee or the Convention will authorize such an appointment during the forthcoming Convention. The finances of the Association are in excellent shape notwithstanding the heavy drain upon them during the past year for the trip, the start of "AERA," etc. If the finances of the Association are hereafter conservatively managed there can be no doubt of the financial stability of the Association.

I shall not attempt to discuss at this long range the problems that confront the industry. Most of you have heard my views of them during the past year. They are, however, I regret to say, still with us, and the Association must resolutely set its face toward their solution and continue to do whatever it can to bring about a state of mind on the part of the public to the end that electric street railways may receive the proverbial square deal," which they are not receiving at the present time.

I send my compliments to you all, together with my best wishes for the most successful Convention the Association has ever had, again regretting that its President cannot be with you to share its benefits and to grasp you all by the hand.

VICE-PRESIDENT HARRIES:- Gentlemen, what action will you take with reference to the address of the President?

MR. HENRY:- I move that the address be referred to the Executive Committee for consideration and action with reference to the recommendations therein contained.

(Motion seconded and carried.)

VICE-PRESIDENT HARRIES:-The Secretary will now present the annual report of the Executive Committee.