Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-21
A LIVELY ELECTION
Mutual Fire Insurance Policy Holders
Voting Today.
The Three Tickets in the Fields.
sue Betwcen MIR. johnson
and Mr.. Archer.

The annual election Of managers OF the
Mutual Fire Insurance Company is in pro-
gress today, the polls having opened al
8 am, and will remain open till pm.
Lively scenes are being enacted around
the office Of the company, there being three
tickets in the field. Electioneering In a
vigorous fo1m is being prosecuted. The
doors, Railways and rooms are blockaded
with men discussing the situation and ar
guing for or against a ticket. The COM
pany carries 5000 risks, and each holder OF
a risk has q right to vote as many times
as he has risks. A great deal of proxy
voting is going on, the field having been
pretty thoroughly canvassed before the
polls opened. A high percentage of the
total number of votes will be polled.
The straight ticket, known as the john
son or old board ticket. is as follows: Jesse
B. Wilson, Matthew G. Emery, James w.
Barker, George T. Dearing, Aibanus Il.
Johnson. Talmadge A. Lambert William
A. H. Church.
The Opposition.
The first opposition ticket, known as the
Archer ticket, is as follows: Jesse B. VIII
son, Matthew G. Emery, Samuel H. Walk
er. Oliver T. Thompson. Andrew Archer,
Edward w. Dom, George T. Dearing.
The third ticket is also an opposition one.
Samuel H. Walker, Oliver 4. Thompson,
Andrew Archer, Edw. w. Dom.
An Active Campaign.
One of the phases Of the active campaign
which has been carried on by Messrs.
Johnson and Archer snd their friends has
been series of cards which have appear
ed in the advertising columns OF The Star.
Several weeks ago Mr.. johnson came out
in a card, in which he stated that 1t was
said by his opponents that he was resi-
dent of Baltimore and not of this city. He
denied this charge, and stated that he had
been in business in this city for the past
twenty-five years with his brother, L.
KurtZ Johnson.
Subsequently Mr.. Andrew Archer in a
card addressed to the policy holders asked
for their support, and stated that he was
opposed to 1.-The unnecessary accumula ton
Of money by the company beyond the limit
fixed by the charter. am in favor Of a
reasonable return to policy holders out OF
this large and increasing over surplus.
Then another card was printed, signed
by Mr.. Johnson. addressed to the policy
holders. for the purpose. as he states. Ito
correct a misstatement which clearly indi-
Gates his (Mr. Arcber's) un1itness for the
position ne seeks at your hands," Mr..
johnson then goes on to state that there
is no present accumulation CT money be-
yond the limit fixed by the company's char
ter, and adds that the company has al
ways given to its members the equivalent
of dividend in the gradually decreasing
rates of their insurance. He expressed
the opinion that this is the only legal and
legitimate method Of disposng of the sur
plus accumulations of the company.
The secretary of the company, Mr.. J..
Wesley Boteler. also published card in
cooperating communications from two pol
icy holders, J. J.. Dermody and John Finn,
opposing the use of the funds as suggest
ed by mir. Archer.
In the earlier stage OF the controversy
Mr.. Archer issued card, in which he in
timated that Mr.. Johnson's election to the
board was due to the influence of the
Southern NJ. E. Church.