Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-27
BITTER FIGHT BREWING.
IN CONVENTION OF NATIONAL LIFE
UNDERWRITERS.
Agents of the Northwestern Said tC
Have Taken Snap Judgment TO
Secure the Endorsement of
james =. Norris,

There are indications of a bitter fight
over the election of president of the ma
tional convention Of life underwriters. The
officials of the Wisconsin Association of
Life Underwriters ave sent out a letter
regarding its recent Endorsement of James
S. Norris for the presidency of the national
association. when 1t was supposed T. II.
Bowles was its only candidate. The state
ment is signed by II. S. Fuller, president:
John ]. Hosch. secretary; j. b. Estee, ex-
president; T. Herbert Taylor. ex-sscretary.
and is as follows:
Inquiry from insurance journals con-
corning the meeting of June z Of the Wis
consin Association of Life Underwriters
having been quite general, it is only proper
that an official statement of facts should
be made to the press. 1t is necessary to
go back to he annual meeting of the asso-
citation, held on March l, 1897, at which
time the officers of the association and the
delegates to the national convention were
elected. In October, 1896, Just prior to the
national convention at Washington, T. Fl.
BOwles was Endorsed by the Wisconsin as
ISOLATION as a candidate for the national
presidency, and IT was thoroughly UNDER
stood that he would be a candidate for
1897. AS the constitution of our association
provides that the delegates to the national
convention should be elected at the annual
meeting. the question Of the associations
choice for a candidate for the presidency
of the national association was as we'll
NcNAAh oECNA HA40 a. NAAS IL dS W DIS
the question of the local officers. No fact
was better understood at that time than
that 7. H Bowles was a candidate for the
national presidency, and that he was the
choice of a majority of the members of the
association, as well as a majority Of ali the
companies represented in the association.
The advocates of Mr.. Bowles' candidacy
insisted at that time that the delegates
chosen should make their position in the
matter well known, and that a majority
Of these delegates should favor his cleo
ton. Prior TO the regular meeting, held
June Z, no notice had been given to the
president, secretary, chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee, or to any other officers
of the association, that the action taken
at the annual meeting would be brought
in question. Without notice to the officers,
or to any members of the association, ex-
cept to the agents of the Northwestern
Phoenix Mutual and Massachusetts, Mu-
were represented in full force. and having
present six more members than all the
other companies combined, a resolution in
dorsing Mr.. Norris for the national presl-
dency was introduced. At this meeting the
Northwestern was represented by twenty
three agents, eight of whom were elected
to membership that night and Immediately
brought in to vote before the resolution
was introduced. Outside of the interested
companies phoenix and Northwestern the
resolution was supported by only three
votes representing two companies. At the
annual meeting and at the present time
the majority of the members of the asso-
citation favor the candidacy Of Mr.. Bowles,
and the majority of the delegates will
carry out their wishes.