The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-27
Members of Worcester AgricuI-
turaI Society Gather and Learn
They Cannot Hold the Annual
Meeting
BYLAWS WERE NOT LIVED
UP TO IN ISSUING CALL
Several Express Their Opinions
on the Matter and the Men Who
Were Responsible for the State
of Misunderstanding Will Be
Held December II

w OrCeSter Agricultural society Qlu
not hold it's annual meeting yesterday
morning. About so of it's members as
sembled in the library Of Horticultu-
raj Hall for the express purpose of
holding that meeting in pursuance to
the call of Secretary w. J. Wheeler,
but the call was declared to be illegal
and the assembly dissolved after a de-
bate of TN hour or more. If matters
time the legal annual meeting of the
society will be Tuesday, Dec. Is.
The hitch was all about a clause in
the bylaws which nearly everybody
had forgotten until it was brought to
light by an enterprising newspaper re-
porter The bylaws state that the an
nual meeting of the society shall be at
10 a. M, on the last Tuesday in No
vember, notice thereof having been
previously inserted in at least two
weekly papers, if such there be- for two
weeks before the date of meeting. For
three days previous to the meeting the
notice must be inserted in at least
two daily papers. Secretary Wheeler
issued his notice of yesterdays meet
ing just a week before in two morning
papers and had kept it in papers for
seven days. He claimed he did not
know that there We're any weekly pa
pers published in Worcester and
thought to set matters right by in
sorting the notice double the stipulated
time in the daily papers. Other mem
ers of the society knew that there
were weekly papers published in Wor-
cester. Henry E. Rich said there were
five. They are The Massachusetts
Spy, the Messenger, Svea, Scandinavia
and the Builders Weekly. Mr. Wheel
er is thinking of advertising the next
meeting in Scandinavia and the Mes
senger."
The meeting was fairly peaceable
one as meetings of the society go.
Capt. Charles T. Pratt who came in
late introduced a few pyrotechnics by
asking who were the legal lights, the
Rufus Choates of the society that had
pronounced the meeting illegal.
The meeting was called to order at
1915 o'clock by President Henry S.
Stockwell, 45 members present. Sec
rotary Wheeler read the call of the
meeting and then his report as treas
urer, The report follows:
Receipts-Cash on hand Nov. q,
1900, $5O,3OS.75; use of track, grounds
and buildings, S1O63.20 donations,
5000; interest, 1852; all other sources,
S260.45; total $54.21O.72. Expenditures
Stationery. postage, printing and ad-
vertising $110.47; care of grounds, wa
ter and insurance, SASHA; new build
ings and repairs, S70.8S: premiums paid,
5000; sundries, $2S76.46; cash on hand
$50 035.77; total 54,21O.72.
Vice President Edwin p. Curtis
wanted to know something more de-
tailed about the item of over $1,000 in
the expense account put down to sun
dries. He said the reports of the sec
rotary used to be given more fully and
he thought it was the place of the sec
retary's report to give information to
the society. Mr.. Curtis also asked tie
date of the insertion of the notice of
the meeting in the papers, and pro-
ceeded to bring up the question of its
legality if the call had been published
only a week in advance.
Secretary Wheeler replying to the
first count said last year the treasur-
er's report had been long enough yet
had failed to satisfy the society. 1t
had not yet been accepted He then
explained the method of bookkeeping
used by him in keeping the society's
accounts and said that the figures
which he had read were totals.
In regard to a possible mistake in
the issuing of the call for the meeting
he plead ignorance. He had called the
L.
He understood the notice of the meet
ing was to be inserted in two weekly
newspapers. He did not know of any
weekly newspaper in Worcester. He
had inserted the notice for seven DAYS
in two daily newspapers.
]. Lewis Ellsworth explained that
Mr.. Curtis had not intended to criti-
cize the bookkeeping of the treasuer.
On suggestion of President Stockwell,
4 H.
$4,000 sundries" account.
Vice. President Frederick Fl. Cham
berlain asked If the report of the sec
rotary could be accepted when one of
its largest items was the balance
brought forward from last years I'M
accepted report. He also brought I'D
the question Of the legality of the
meeting.
Secretary Wheeler attacked the by
laws, reading two extracts which he
said his predecessors had not lived up
to. ]. w. -Stockwell of Sutton. Sec
rotary Of the State Board of Agricul-
ture. said that if the meeting and its
transactions should be deemed illegal
they could be made legal by act of
Legislature.
John B. Scott, called upon for legal
advice, said he thought the meeting
illegal by the bylaws. He suggested
calling a special meeting to amend the
bylaws so that the officers might he
elected by special meeting.
Charles S. Dodge. another LAWYER
failed to see the legality of the meet
ing unless the IA days notice had
been given.
F. H Chamberlain said he didn't
think the society ought to go ahead
and transact business while knowing
that its meeting was illegal.
Elliott Moore suggested that the
same officers hold over and that the
society pursue the same prosperous
course as during the past year.
o. B. Hadwen said he believed in
strict adherence to the bylaws. IT
seemed to him the only thing to do IN
der the circumstances. was to dis
solve the meeting and authorize the
secretary to call another, which shall
be legal.
Elliott Moore asked that the sec
ton Of the bylaws in question be read
President Stockwell said he was
willing to resign if it would help out
the society.
]. Lewis Ellsworth suggested ad-
journing for three weeks.
j. w. Knibbs said the meeting was
in poor plight. We can't make if
legal and can't make it illegal" He
thought 1t had better adopt Mr.. Ellis
Worth's suggestion.
F. Fl. Chamberlain said that if the
meeting was illegal it could not ad-
jOurn.
capt. Charles T. Pratt who had made
a mistake in the time of the meeting
and came in an hour late rose for in
formation. He asked who were the |
legal lights of the society that had un- |
dertaken to pronounce the meeting il /
legal Who is the Rufus Choate of the |
Agricultural Society bar. President |
Stockwen in reply. mentioned Messrs.
Scott, Dodge and Chamberlain. as
among those who had pronounced the |