The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-09
Report of Committee Generating
Church's Agents May Be Warm
ly Discussed.
PERSONNEL OF NEW BISHOPS.
Most Promising Candidates Seem
to Be the Reverend Doctors
Hoss and Atkins-List of
Aspirants.
tPUBLIC SPECIAL.

- az IN
Bauas, Tex, MAY S-The intellectual
Gants of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Eouth, are gradually arousing TO what
\ promises to be the most strenuous issue
I that has engaged the attention of a quad
rennial conference during the last twenty
years. The conference inherited from its
predecessor of four years ago for official
decision and final settlement what has
grown 70 be known in common newspaper
parlance as the publishing house war
claim"
For four years a committed composed of
twelve of the ablest men IN the church
technically. the Book Committee-has given
close attention 10 the subject through the
process of tedious investigation TO determine
II any of the money paid to the church on
an appropriation Of approximately SDa.puD
made by Congress had been Used 20 unduiJ
II fuence the procuring OF the appropriation
This report was read to-day TO the mem
beers of the conference, and thousands OF
spectators by the Book Committee chair
man. Doctor Denny Of Vanderbilt univsr-
sity, Nashville.
Prospective Fight on Report.
1t contains somewhere from $500 to 30.Jc0
words and consumed fully TWO hours time
IN the reading. The deep interest felt in
the issue was attested by the almost pain
ful silence of the audience and the look
of keenest interest in every countenance'
Some forcefui language was used in the
report. which tended 10 eNOnefate tie
church'S agents.
But there is an element, perhaps a MI
nority element, but a powerful! one intel
lectually and morally. which has determined
that the matter must be thoroughly siited'
They are fun of aggressiveness ana act
and look like men who are going 10 nave
q fght Tor their view OF the issue when the
report comes back from the on
Publishing Interests, to which II was re-
ferrcd-
This was made plainly manifest by the
determined manner of Doctor Kelley, ct the
Tennessee Conference, when he
twice TO interrupt The reading of the report
to-day. to ask a question under personal
privilege. Doctor Kelley may not lead the
night. but it was evident that he was try
\ ing to pave the way to-day for the man
twho viii lead the fighting forces.
His efforts we're also seconded in a STRAIT
lsic manner by a written resolution. signed
~ Doctor r.. W. Jones Of the North Mis-
siSpp Conference and Doctor Gil. BflgSs
OF bne Southwest Missouri Conference, de-
menoing that the Committee of Publishing
Interest report back 10 the conference on
the Book Committees report at the edrii-
est time practicable
1t was PLAIN the aggressive men do Tot
intend, if they can prevent II, TO have the
AtA'AA AAbNtA-AAOANA "a AN@A i'm $500 49,
last days or hours of the conference, and
then have it ratified in railroad fashion,
but rather that it be presented to the open
conference amply early TO insure general
discussion.
No one, however, expects the report TO
come back under a week. But when it does
come back, there is going to be some H.
teresting talks, to develop just where the
80 1-3 per cent of the entire appropriation
went that is admitted to have been listed
by the agents of the church under the head
of attorneys fees"
T1Eert's Plan Defeated.
The other interesting issues in to-day's
session was Doctor Tigerts defeat in mis-
effort to have eliminated all reference in
conference notations to any proceedings an
terror to 1876. when the first general confer
ence of the Methodist Church, South, was
held. A more learned debate has rarely
bSn heard in any deliberaIiye body than
Vas produced by this issue. Secretary Ii
IA. Hoss w=re The foremost figures in this
4 forensic contest. Doctor Tigert lost by a
standing vote of $50 to 76.
1t was clearly the determination of the
conference to maintain that while the
Methodist Church South Is IN no wise allied
with any other ecclesiastical body, It's iden-
tity as the continuant of the genuine
Methodist Church of the United States, or
ganized in 1854. shall be emphasized at all
times and as often as necessary in the de-
liberations Of its representatives. The effect
of to-day's vote Is to date the numbers OF
the conference as the fourteenth for the
present meeting. dating from 1876. and the
twenty-ninth Of the undivided church.
dating from 17Si.
The two fraternal delegates from the
Northern Methodist Church were interested
listeners at to-day's proceedings. They are:
Clerical Doctor Huntlnton of Lincoln. Neb.
lay, Lieutenant Governor Bates of Massa-
chusetts.
Two New Bishops.
The question of who will be chosen as
the two Few Bishops is growing Interesting
The two most promising candidates tonight
seem to be the Reverend Doctor Hoss of
Nashville and the Reverend Doctor Atkins
OF the North Carolina Conference.
The other strong candidates discussed
are: Doctor kllgo also Of North Carolina;
Doctor Rankin of Dallas and Doctor PAL
more of st. Louis. 1t is given out quite
strongly that If Doctor Hoss. who is editor
OF the Christian Advocate at Nashville,
Tenn, the official organ OF the church, is
Dallas Is not, that Doctor Rankin will sue
coed Doctor Hoss in the editorial harness.
SUING ON TATUM's BoND-The West
ern Commercial Travellers Association
filed suit yesterday against the Fidelity and
Deposit Company Of Maryland for $40, 900
damages for loss which It Is alleged the
Travellers Association suffered on account
OF Henry c. Tatum, on whose BOND the FL
deity Company was surety.
CAPITAL STOCK INCREASED The
&mmerce Realty Company yesterday GER
tAed to an increase OF capital stock from
foa nn IN S2Sl on Tho aSSats statad :.