The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-08-02
Annual Meeting of Farmers and Tie.
chanicS nutual fire Insurance


|
The last Saturday in July is the annual
meeting day of the above named associa-
ton, and large turnout of members
assembled at Calvert. The meeting al
times was excited not to say stormy. The
following officers were elected to serve the
ensuing year: President, Alfred Kirk;
Secretary, Samuel G. Bye; Directors, Levi
R. Mearns, A. ]. Kitchener, Charles w.
Shippers, F. H. Vansant, John T, Dewitt;
Surveyors, VIM. T. Patton, Jos. T. Groves,
Lloyd Balderston, D. w. McVey, c. r. F.
Mearns.
The exciting contest was over the cleo
ton of secretary, three candidates being
placed in nomination, namely, Samuel G
Bye, John w. Mccullough and D. w.
McVey. These parties, contestants for
the Office of Secretary and Treasurer, Tor
as it is usually written in cases wherein
one person is combined in both offices,
Secretary-Treasurer, had canvassed
among their friends in advance for votes
and large meeting of members was the
result. The annual meetings being held
in the neighborhood of the acting secre-
tary the comparative ease with which
members in the same vicinity can attend,
gave and always will give the secretary a
great advantage over all other aspirants
This secretary-treasurer contest is of sew
erel years standing and is annually in.
| creasing in intensity Local pride is
sharing in it, ard it has begun to assume
quite party aspect-the secretary's party
and the opposition. In these contests the
| best interests of the association are liable
to- be, in measure, lost sight of in a
party struggle, resembling the scramble
at political primaries, in the interest OF
competing "bosses" at the expense of the
public. So much local jealousy appeared
possible to get any resolution passed in
| the plainest interest of the association,
so fearful were a large portion of the
members that there might be lurking in
it niger in the woodpile. The result
of such unbusiness-like proceeding is to
localize and n1inify the benefit and useful
ness of the association by contracting 1t
within comparatively narrow limits. An
effort was made to add two more directors
to the board, or to get consent of the
meeting to do so, but the stormy local
opposition feared there might be snake
in the resolution and howled every effort
down with stormy ono no
The object in adding two more directors
to the board, making nine including the
president and secretary who are ex-officio
members, is for the purpose of broaden
ing the field of operations of the company
by distributing the directors, who con
stitute the board of managers, over the
county, assigning one director to each
election district, and allowing no more
than one director to be chosen in each
district.
Another requirement was suggested in
the interest of the association without re-
gard to that of any individual, and.which
should be paramount to individual interest
or local pride, was the establishment of
the office of the company in the imme-
date vicinity of a railroad, telegraph or
| telephone station, the business of the
company requiring convenient and ready
access to the county records.
All such questions were finally turned
over for the consideration of the board of
managers who were ordered to report to
the next annual meeting, recommending
such constitutional alterations and addi-
tions to the bylaws as may seem to them
in the best interest of the association.
The last vote taken before adjournment
was on holding the next annual meeting
at North East, which failed by only one
vote. By this time half or more of the
members had left, i'll order to attend the
German and anti-Gorman primary meet
ings that were being held or no doubt
the local pride, which apparently is
assuming elanish status, would have no
doubt shouted down such proposition
with storm of derisive nos
Article " of the Constitution names
The Fox Chase as the place of the prin.
cipal office of the association, and which
carries with it the place of the annual
meetings. There does not appear to have
ever been any bylaw changing the prin-
cipal Office from this noted starting place
of REWARD and the hounds, and holding
meetings or having the office elsewhere,
would, under strict construction of the
constitution, seem to contravene that
sacred instrument in WHICH the associa-
ton has its being.