New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-22
FIGHT OVER A SECRETARY.
TWO RIVAL TICKETS IN The FIELD


JOHN WINFIELD SCOTT.
rx-o uere lively times at the Hotel Normandie
lac, evening where the annual meeting OF the
u,nnire State Society, Sons Of the American
povolu,ion. took place The discord among the
,oar,bers centred in the election 81 officers. the
particular point Of disagreement being as to who
sbouId be chosen secretary About month ago
the members OF the Nominating Committee. con-
sisting OF J. l.. McKeever. Richard II. Clarke
paul Dana II. c. Du Val and Nathan Guilford
sen, out what they designated as the regular
ticket Some days later a second ticket called
the members ticket" made its appearance
signed by W. w Henley. J. l.. Raymond and r.
4 s,orrs Upon this ticket stephen NJ Wright
was nominated Or secretary In place OF John
Winfield Scott, OF East Orange. the signers of the
ticket alleging as their reason for the change that
2 secretary resident in the city would best sub
serve the interests Of the society.
General F. p Earle. General Thomas Wilson
and General II. c. King were also nominated on
the members ticket as managers having been
left off the regular ticket in what the slgners OF
the members ticket considered an unwarrant-
able manner. Otherwise the two tickets were
nearly alike. The election resulted IN Victory
for the members ticket, Secretary John W. scout
thus falling Of reelection. The total NUMBER OF
votes cast was 321 Of which the members uche'
rot Is and the regular ticket 1874, the VICTOR! pe
irg won by a majority oc So The announcement
OF the vote was received with much applause
THE TROUBLE BEGINS
No sooner had Robert B. Roosevelt the VICE
presiden; of the society called the eighty ana
more members 10 order last evening IMAM the
trouble began w p Wadsworth arose ana de-
c,ared that the custom Of electing the same VI
Gcers year after year bad one and that the
,r,ncnle Of rotation in office ought to be OBJ
served.
Secretary Scott then read an amendment to
the constitution of the society, providing tha'
No officer other than the president should here
after hold office more than two successive years
end that the Board Of Managers should be
divided into three sections, TO serve one TWO
and three years respectively.
The direct attack upon the regular ticket was
then begun by Ralph f. Prime. IF Yonkers who
announced the Nominating Committee for apply
ing the word regular to the ticket 1t nomi-
mated THE use of that term" said Mr.. Prime
sis an impertinence 10 the society
After Secretary Scott had de1nded the use OF
the word regular" evidently not, however 10
NJ primes satisfaction. it was voted TO pro-
coed 10 the balloting
INTERRUPTED BY Mr.. PRIME
The secretary began tc read his annual re-
mort. but ne was interrupted again py MI
pr,rna who declared in forcible tones that he
proposed to challenge every proxy sent by al
ou,-of-town member which was made out TO
the secretary. asserting that the power OF ator-
nev was personal. and that it could not be dele
gated IN an officer as an officer. He moved that
all proxies made out TO the secretary be eN-
Guided.
Henry Hall said that the meeting ought TO con-
slider whether such action would not be an in
Justice TO out-of-town members. Mr. Hail
thought the proxies ought TO be accepted
Mr. Scott then arose defend himself He
said that the result of the election was mat
ter Of indifference to him. that he would make
no defence for his acts as secretary, ana tha'
he challenged investigation. II do not know
said he. amid profound silence, who sent these
proxies nor whom they voted for, and | do not
care"
Secretary Scott's defence for such it was con-
sidered was received with applause.
w. w Henley then wanted TO know why the
form of the 1896 proxy blank was changed from
that of 1895. He asserted that ii was possible
for the secretary to pervert the will Of the men,
Der sending the proxy. Il do not mean, how
ever" he added. ito insinuate that the secretary
has been guilty of such action"
1T would not be right for you to do So" said
Mr.. Scott sharply.
NOT BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID
II do not mean to do So" responded Mr.. Ken
ley: mot. however because am afraid to do 50,
but because IL would not be honorable
Mr.. Prime again got the floor. and declared that
the postage stamps Of the society had been used
TO circulate the name Of the secretary. with
IN fcr hat he
principle was vicious, and that II would be
illegal TO admit the proxies. The action Of the
secretary might have been honest, but it was
wrong.
W S Logan said: If the secretary has acted
unwisely censure him C'Thats right from the
secretary, but don't wrong those absent 100
members by excluding their votes.
Mr. Roosevelt then put the question as to eX-
Guiding the proxies, and II was voted by a
respectable majority to admit them
While the votes were being counted letter
was read from Bush Brown, the sculptor, offer
ing to give to the society bust Of Chauncey NJ.
Depew its president The offer was accepted.
General Earle also offered a suggestion that
steps be taken leading to the consolidation under
one roof ~ all the patriotic and historical So
cieties OF the city. No action was taken upon
this suggestion.
OFFICERS ELECTED.
The officers elected were: President. Chaun-
cey VI. Depew: vice-presdent. the Hon. Robert
B. Roosevelt: secretary, Stephen M. Wright;
treasurer Ira Bliss Stewart registrar, Edward
Hagaman Hall; historian, Henry Hall; chaplain
the Rev Abbott f. kittredge; managers Gn
addition to the foregoing). Colonel John {. Cal
houn Walter S. Logan. General Ferdinand i.
Earle Andrew J. c. Foye General Thomas VIII
son, William w. J. Warren. General Horatlo
c. King j. Lawrence McKeever and Richard
Henry Clarke; delegates. Walter ). Logan dele
gate-at-large; Captain Hugh r. Garden. Colo
mel Frederick D. Grant. John Winfield scott
Edward Hagaman Hail. Edward A. Sumner,
Joseph Warren Cutler. Trueman @. Avery and
Colgate Hoyt alternates. William w. j. war
rem Stephen NJ Wright. William r. otto, Guy
Du VAL Frederick w. Hyde, walter -. AtteI-
bury. Rufus Adams Sibley Alexander Craw-
ford Chenoweth and D. o. Haynes
Among those present al the meeting were H.
A. StOrrs, Z. W. Haskins. X. II. Clarke, Dr ~ a.
Mossman Nathaniel Tuttle. l.. T.. Chittendeh r..