The San Francisco call., 1896-05-04
A Call Made for Committeeman
of the French So
ciety.
MIXED UP WITH POLITICS.
Cause of the Recent Rumpus in the
Societe Franchise de Renaissance
Mutuelle.

Sylvain WE'LL, who recently resigned
from the Societe Francaise de Renaissance
Mutuelle as its president and as director,
is still obdurate, in the face of most fiat
tering siege by scores of societaires who
have appealed to him for withdrawal of
his resignation.
"I did not resign in anger" said he,
''nor do / propose to recall my decision
excepting under one condition. My resig-
nation was rendered because of the affront
made by the committee to Drs. Brigham
and Boyd, two capable practitioners who,
without remuneration, have served the
society faithfully for years and who de-
served better treatment. If these gentle
men are reinstated will be willing TO re-
sumo the duties from which have with
drawn"
Whether the action of the committee
last week, prior to the general breaking
up, in electing Drs. de Marville and Mayer
as against Drs. Brigham and Boyd can be
recalled is subject that must be decided
by the two-third vote of the entire MEM
bership of the society, a condition which
is hardly practicable, as of the total MEM
bership roll of 1000 nearly half is made up
of subscribers at large, even as far off as
the home country.
who resigned the other night, six have re-
gretted their hasty action and are again
back in the fold with the four men who
stood by their vote to GUST Drs. Brigham
and Boyd. Among these ten is J. Des-
champs, who, as secretary, resigned when
President WE'LL did. but who, realizing
the very awkward position in which the
society found itself, urged the other COM
mitteemen to return as he did himself. He
realized the fact that, according to law,
the standing of the society might be in
volved, and that any stickler of a member
might appeal to the courts to have q re-
ceiver appointed.
Secretary Deschamps, backed by the
other nine members of the committee, yes
terday published q bulletin notifying the
members of the society that there were
five vacancies in the committee, and that
any member in good standing for year
at least, Frenchman or born of French
parents, or son of natQralized French
man desiring to be a candidate for such
office, must present his name at society
headquarters before o'clock next Satur-
day afternoon.
The next move will be to call general
meeting for May II. when the names of the
candidates will be voted upon and new
president elected.
After that the society will be on its old
time footing with standing order to Su-
perintendent Wolff not to overlook hoist
ing the American flag on National holi-
day. Apropos of that flag episode, it may
De stated that only few disgruntled men,
bers regarded it as slight to Old Glory.
1t was not intended as such and was
simply an oversight on the part of the su-
perintendent.
But, 10 get back to the split-up in the
society and its causes. e. MarQue, the
editor of the Petit Californian, in his issue
OF last Saturday, reviews the situation.
Ann irler 10. Mr -
to great extent into the management of
the hospital, resulting in the unlooked-for
snub TO Drs. Brigham and Boyd. In other
words, powerful ring was formed in the
bosom OF friendly aggregation in such
quiet way that not until the bombshelI
burst was its existence known.
LIE Petit Californian says that Superin-
tendent Wolff for many months had been
at outs with DR.. Voisard, the resident
physician. When elections were approach
ing, or rather during the heat of the cam
paign in which they deemed it advisable
for self-protection to stand together, the
''glad hand" was extended and accepted
The combination had Drs. Brigham and
Boyd in the corridors of the hospital Civ
ing them the "go-by" and "glassy eyen or
expressions to that effect in French. Then,
SO the Marque story goes, the members OF
the committee who either had relatives
employed at the hospital or whose friends
had relatives there were pledged to vote
for the Wolff-Voisard candidates or else
suffer the consequences.
The results show for themselves. The
slate was broken. Sylvan WE'LL, the
| time-honored president, and four other
| directors have stepped down and out. Drs.
Brigham and Boyd, the faithful but un-
| paid servants, have been cast aside, and
there is solid ten in the committee with
Wolff and Voisard as "bosses." in the
plain American political vernacular.
But there is this that can be said: The
magnificent paraphernalia. is Still one @ of
| the grandest institutions of its kind in the
| United States, and even if there has been
change of directors and a physician or
| two, the latter are equally as good as those
| who were there. even if some amour
| propre has been piqued.