President's report (1889)

              John Heins
THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT (1889)
Abstract: This represents an extract from the handwritten minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the American Association of Public Accountants, Monday, May 27, 1889. The extract is the Report of the President John Heins. This version, in typewritten form came to the attention of researchers at the University of Florida in 1971.
To the Members of the American Association of Public Accountants. Gentlemen:
On the occasion of our first annual gathering since the organiza-tion of the Association, I have to congratulate the members on the success it has so far attained — a success which has enabled us to bring the profession of Accountancy prominently before the public as one of the necessary adjuncts of business lending to the com-mercial success and prosperity.
The profession of Accountancy having hitherto been but little known in the United States, and the recognized wants of a well or-ganized body of professional and public accountants, whose ability, character, and strictly business conduct could be relied upon, being called for by the leading commercial and financial representatives of the country, led to the formation of our association — the lines being taken mainly from the older countries — notably England — in the formation of the ruling and conduct of our Order.
The object of our Association being fully laid down in our Consti-tution and the By-laws arranged in accordance with the powers given us in such Constitution, with which you are all conversant, have been adhered to, and acted upon, but it has been an open question whether they are not too rigid and strict in their application regarding the admission of members in the earlier stages of the Association's career, and the Council have had under consideration the advisability of reducing the Initiation Fee, the adoption of local boards, in large cities of the Union in order to regulate its affairs in their respective districts, and with that view certain propositions to effect these objects will be submitted to you.
It is much to be regretted that our Association is not stronger in number. At the present time we have about 25 fellows and 7 asso-