Morning journal and courier., 1884-08-05
Tuesday, August 5, 1884. .
NOT VERY HARMONIOUs.


 l cfatIon Yesterday-H. c. Rowe and
 HI. y. Lewis Vent Their Personal l Feelings, and Senator P1unkeft l Pours oil Upon the Troubled | Waters.
 The body of men who went into room No. Insurance building yesterday afternoon 1 under the name of the Connecticut Oyster Growers and Dealers association did not per | form the usual routine business of the annual I meeting of the association without hitches and squabbles, although they ostensibly were working for the common veal The mem bers of the association drifted in one by one during the early part of the afternoon until about twenty persons were present. Then Senator Plunkett called the meeting to order
 It was discovered that the meeting was held on the wrong day, according to the constitu- l tion, but the matter was arranged by setting aside the constitution and proceeding, al- ] though Senator Plunkett said if assess ment were to be laid it would not be bind ing. This relieved the members. The treasurer, Russell Crampton, of Guilford, announced that there was a balance of about thirty-six dollars in the treasury, but he could not make final report as he had | who had collected several assessments. Mr.
 Rowe said that matters could be strengthened out if the executive committee would look over some bills and approve or reject them
 He said he was considerably out of pocket l personally. A recess was taken and the ] committee conferred with MT. Rowe and ap- proved the bills, which amounted to $32O and were for expenses incurred by the com mittee which represented the association in the legislature last winter.
 Stiles Judson, of Stratford paid into the treasury S12, which he said represented his own and Ezra Whiting's payment for the as sessment laid April IA to make up 8 deficit 1 i'll the bills incurred by the legislative com mittee. MT. Judson said further that he wished his name and was instructed to see that Ezra Whitneys name be stricken from 1 the rolls.
 1 This action was called to the notice of the ! association by H. J. Lewis, of Meriden. He I said that the withdrawals were due to the assessment, which was illegal, not having l been made at an annual meeting. He fur ther remarked that the expenses incurred by the committee were unnecessary
 Mr. Rowe, chairman of the committee, said he had objected to the assessment from the beginning. He proposed last spring that the money for legislative purposes be raised by subscription, and put down $1OO to start with but no one else contributed and the plan fell through He said that he was aware that he had enemies in the room, but wanted the air-minded men to do him justice.
 Fl suppose" said MT. Lewis, rising as MT. Rowe sat down, ''that the gentlemans re- marks are partly directed at me. I under stand that am described by him of the klckers against him. I am also told that MT Rowe misrepresented the facts of the case in the disputes between him and myself. Mr. Rowe insisted on being the chairman of the committee against the wishes of his asso- ciates, and insisted so consistently that he was allowed his own way. I finally refused to work with him the committee because of his insolent and insulting behavior towards me. MT. Charles w. Bell of Norwalk, pro- posed bills that would have. answered every purpose of the oyster growers, but Mr. Rowe fought them because they were Mr. Bells bills and not his own, and he finally got the committee to coincide with him after my resignation
 MT. Rowe arose and said that the records show that when the legislative committee was appointed, he as secretary, read to the meet ing, which was held last November. the names of the former committee of which he was chairman, but out of modesty read his name last. MT. Lewis name being first on the list as read was elected chairman When it was learned that the meeting had so voted several arose and said they voted ex- pecting that MT. Rowe would be chairman as ] before. They therefore moved to reconsider after Mir. Rowe had declined to serve and elected him unanimously as chairman of the committee. That was the fact as to Mir Lewis charge that he insisted upon being chairman of the committee.
 
 men would go no farther These private b1ckerlngs were out of place ill the meeting and the members not acting in the right spirit for building up the associa- ton.
 Stiles Judson said he had been misrepre- sented. He withdrew because the assess ments were laid unjust1y. Small owners were taxed as much as the big ones. Furth- ermore, only twenty out of sixty paid their assessments. He did not have any idea of throwing such frebrand into the meeting
 A motion was offered by Mir Lewis to the effect that the assessment of s6 made on April 21 be declared valid in order to test the sense of the meeting, and it was adopted by q vote of 13 to ,. This was victory for MT. Rowe.
 Senator Plihkett arose to make m address, It was sort of va1edietory orsti6n, The Senator had held office for q year and like Governor Waller was not il candidate for re- election, In his speech he gave the oyster growers great deal If wholesome Adviee, and counsel for their future action when he should no longer be their president He in sisted that the members should not with draw from the association, ifs Mfr Lewis had hihted that others beside the two inaH who had already withdrawn would do, They needed to band together, to lend their iniiu= enee for the great cause of right legislation on the great business of oyster culture. to bend all their energies together The eloquent Senator told them that their consti- tuition was not what it should be, but the president whom they would elect after he got through speakingH should appoint committee to draft a constitution and by laws which should be for the best interests of their glorious association The oyster growers took useless land and made it yaIua- ble by their industrious efforts and then were taxed unjustly. The association should labor to right those wrongs They should join hands and push on the work in a friend ly spirit and work for their common welfare and their wives and children "And may the time soon come, 7" said the Senator, fixing his eye upon the ceiling and waving his hands in gesture that comprehended in it's sweep the whole boundless universe, ''when no voice shall be heard in our deliberations saying I know I have an enemy in the room.' You are doing your duty by yourselves when you labor for the oyster interests, and when | you go in solid front to the legislature there is no just demand that you can make l that will not be granted" After adding that he was not in the line for reelection the Senator sat down perspiring.
 Mir. Rowe said he was sorry if he had ever | said anything to offend any member of the J association, and world try to promote harmo- ny and hoped others would.
 Jeremiah Smith nominated Senator Jossph D. Plunkett for president and he was u1lani- mously elected.
 He made modest speech, protesting that he did not want the office, and stipulating that if he served there should be no other withdrawals.
 Stiles Judson wanted to know if he was still in the association, and was informed that he was, as his withdrawal had not been acted upon. He was thereupon nominated for vice president and was unanimously elected over his continual protests.
 For secretary there was no choice on the first ballot. On the second I. L. Belden. of Stratford, was elected by a majority vote.
 Russell Crampton was reelected treasurer but resigned, and after several nominations and withdrawals Isaac Stevens was elected
 Last years executive committee was chos- en. It comprises H. J. Lewis, H. A. Barnes.