New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-18
A SENSATION SMOTHERED.
MR. FIELD ARRAIGNS THE METHODIST BOOK
CONCERN.

CONCEhN
ITS REPORT, HOWEVER, ADoPrED-THE GENERAL
CONFERENCE pESouxcEs oUTRAGEs on
NEGROES IN THE SOUTH.
isY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBuSE1
Omaha NAV 1.-THE Methodist General Conference
this morning began the election OF editors, book agents
and secretaries FOR the ensuing four years Dr. oau
ford Hunt and Homer Eaton were reelected as Ne"
York book agents, and Dr. Earl Cranston ana Dr'
Lewis Curtis Of Chicago Cincinnati book agents Dr.
Curtis replacing DR.. w. p. stowe. DIS >. U. fech
A. b. Leonard and C. c. McCabe were reelected
missionary secretaries arstclass sensation in con-
nectlon with the elections sm0thered IN the Con-
ference by the refusal Of Bishop Newman, VINO pre-
sided to recognize John Field prominent lay delegate
| from Philadelphia Mr.. Field, who Is the Philadelphia
Postmaster. well partner in large Phila.
dephia notion house. having scrunized the financial
statement OF the Methodist book agents with the eye
OF business man. decided that they were not earning
as much money they should. AS soon rs INshop
Andrews had announced the names Of this mornings
election telers Mr. Field spnng to his feet
"This Is very dark story to in some respects"
he said, waving at the Bishop copy Of the Book
Concerns report, land should like information be-
fore vote"
Bishop Bowman with his customary placldy. went
| on with other business without noticing the inter-
upon.
shall be allowed to ask questions" insisted MT.
Field shall vote In the dark"
81 don't Think answered the Bishop, that 1t
would be in order for to ask questions touching
this report just You here for the election OF
two agents of the New-York Book Concern"
Then Mr.. Field got up again. GAS representing
| 10000 laymen of the Philadelphia Conference" he
said must insist my right to ask questions
in regard to this report before | vote"
IL have already ruled that out Of ORDER" said
| Bishop Bowman.
Then ask to be heard matter OF privilege"
| "The matter Is not before u.s." returned the
Bishop.
1t was moved and seconded that Mr.. Field should
be heard and presently he taxed the Bishop with not
having needed the motion.
81 didn't know that anybody had a right to make
such notion" said the bishop calmly. and Mr. Field
was forced to subside. He had however, prepared a
formidable document, charging the book agents with
"fearfll mismanagement" and declaring that the
Church and its worn-out preachers were entitled to
better results The report. says this paper. shows
capital OF a. ,37s 13l As OF this, ,047 OF is in
vested in real estate, the interest which alone at 8
per cent would amount 10 $544S2 So. Yet only
SlG1 .10s 80 Is reported net earnings for the four
years which Is at the rate OF 9io.427 ID year The
total amount Of the annual business being given Mt
s95O.57I -. the earnings represent profit Of only
412 per cent.
"It is evident says Mr. Field that in liquidation
this would disappear altogether. You can invest this
capital in the West at per cent and you would de-
rive an ANIMAL income Of $4,000 without any bust
! ness Moreover 1, it not strange that there should
| he outstanding two thirds Of the years business,
1924 sol 06, uncollectedl What percentage Of these
accounts is good Why with capital Of ~. ,0o1
or over representing business of S95O,00o, Should
they owe S25G.si1 55l And why don't they turn
their capital more than once a year, with almost alb
solutc control Of the patronage
"Thc trouble with Brother Field" said Amos
shlnkle. Of Kentucky. chairman OF the Book Commit
tee Is that he does not know what he Is takina
abont His figures are absolutely wrong.
don't know whether he has deducted expenditure
against earnings from that Item or not but the
report shows that 100000 was earned In the
four years. Tie debt named probably only what
happened to exist the moment the report was
drawn. The Book Concern. It should be remembered
1, not primarily money making enterprise. but al
agency for the dissemination OF Methodist literature
set there Is nothing in the report TO warrant Mr.
Fields statements
DR. Hunt and DR.. Eaton both spoke in n simila
strain. Here have been at the same ho'el VIII
} Mfr Field -, said Dr. Hunt for two weeks. and Ii
has not asked me for a word of explanation ou
earnings for the four years have been *149'D3o %
ar at the ratio of si37 ASS - year. We have pai'
I'm subsidies dividends and smilnr directions SD
l6l o. The 1924. sol 90 outstanding we regard a.
good every cent Of It. or 1t s.iooooo Is ior IL or'
Gaze given by james MoCreery on our OLD broad""S
| ,,Idi,r The balance was due from preachers, t'
,,r7,m re give a years credit and we lose less tial
&. half Of 1 per cent from their failures 10 pay
a., colrse our new Ffh-ave. building Is eN
,ors,v. but II was ordered by the laymen, anc
u # does not return large rentals IL Il
. ,un,v hocouse the church needs board rooms and
libraries which IL uses without payment. KS to th'
debt Of 100000, that nearly all wiped ont with
I'm n month of the framing Of the report
The report of the Committee on the State oi th'
Church was adopted, the substance Of which mas al
ready been printed In The Tribune. 1t dcnounct'
the southern ouagcs against the negroes. and call
ON the Government exert its full legitimate authority
Z to sop them.
. al know ~ colored man and his wife,, said DIR
C. H. Payne Of NewYork in an eloques speech, ed'
, Gated and refined, who in the South were made L
ride In II filthy smolpg car and subjected TO III
dignitieS that dare not mention one OF on
ministers I'm the South very St John in character
/ between sixty ana seventy years old. and his gentle
wife were attacked In the night ard came near 5eini
billed. At another place they were similarly attacked
! and the wife died Il, the result Ihat man tcai'
, rolled down his cheeks ns ht told me ~ MS suIrr
nes. Judge Tonrecc says that IN looi seven coioe'
dis ointcd mutlated. tortured for two hours beos'
death came TO his relief one hundred Negro, w ,s
morning AZ the hrcahiasitablc was that three mel
were added 10 the list yesterday In Alabama The
other nent tnree other negroes were shot dOwn II
cold blood. a man in this conference tells me Tia
: one OF them was member Of the African Methods
Episcopal Church, pure, noble elevated Christian
Is The white got them into the alteration
On the question Of a new protective coG,l grocer!
store The man that was running the white grocery
store didn't quito Hike 1t. and the shooting followed
This great church ought to protect us ow men ,
voice Of this conference ought to 20 out To th
nation" r.,
man in the house stood up. black and white. M
GLIDING all those from southern states.