Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-16

Eulogy of the Dead.
| Mr.. Hughes eulogy of the forty-one dead
| members of the association was regarded
| as a splendid and eloquent effort, filed with
| touching sentiments of respect to those who
| have passed away, and many In the au-
| dience were visibly affected as the speaker
| referred feelngly to one or the other of
| the departed clerks who were intimately
| associated during life with many of those
| present. He closed his tribute by reciting
| in impressive manner the concluding
stanZa of Bryant's "ThanatopsiS"
The service was appropriately closed by
| the singing of Nearer. My God. to Thee
! by the quartet, and Rev. Mr.. Butler pro-
| nounced the benediction.
Adjournment was taken at 1915 o'clock
| this afternoon until o'clock tomorrow
| morning. when the business session will be
| resumed. The delegates will go to Mount
| Vernon this afternoon, and tonight they
will visit the Congressional Library.
The election of officers will take place to-
| morrow. From present indications Mr..
| John R. Mccoy of Trenton, N j.. and Mr..
W. s. Corning of Chicago will be reelected
| to the positions of president and secretary
| treasurer. respectively. since no other can
didates have been announced for the posi-
ton.
The Routine Business.
The morning session OF the mutual bene-
fit association was called by the president
shortly after 8 o'clock. Mr. E. S. Piper,
delegate from the eighth division, extended
to the association an invitation to hold its
convention of 1905 in Portland, Ore.
The consideration of amendments to the
constitution and bylaws. as embodied in
the report of the committee on constitution
was concluded at the morning session, the
matter having been carried over from the
| session held last night. A number of
changes in the laws of the association were
decided upon. one of the most important
being the adoption of an amendment requlr-
ing the executive committee to invest $1O-
600 annually in government bonds. The Of
flee of assistant to the secretary treasurer
was also created by the terms of an amend
| ment which was adopted this morning.
The business session adjourned at IL
| o'clock, in order to make way for the me-
mortal services, which were made a special
| order for that hour.
Routine Business Transacted.
The sessions of the Mutual Benefit Asso-
| citation, held at the Raleigh late yesterday
afternoon and last evening, were devoted to
| various matters of business, during which
President John r. Mccoy Of Trenton, N. J.,
| delivered his annual address and W. 8.
| Corning of Chicago, secretary-treasurer Of
| the association, submitted his annual re-
port. At the night session the committee
! on constitution and bylaws, through its
| chairman, w. E. Hoover of this city, SUBJ
| mitted it's recommendations. A number of
| changes were decided upon by the associa-
| ton, but an adjournment was taken before
all the recommendations of the committee
were acted upon.
The report of the observation-disclosures
shows the finances of the association to be
| in good condition, and also that there has
| been a steady increase during the year in
| the membership Of the organization. The
| total membership at the 1st Of September
| 1903, was 4,69S, gain for the year of 24S
| members.
President Mccoy. in his annual address,
commented on the growth of the associa-
| ton and said, in part:
| II am a firm believer in organization-the
| larger the membership, the stronger the Or
ganization. With this end in view. the Of
| 1cers of our association have labored I'M
| ceasingly and tremendously. The growth of
| the association during the year has been
| steady and encouraging. Without pains
| there are no gains, and trust that during
| the coming year there will be a general
| sions In an endeavor to secure as members
| all eligible clerks.
Object Of Association
eve have an association Of which every
| member can feel Justly proud 1t is a rail-
| way postal clerks association organized
| and conducted by them. purely fraternal
and benevolent. the object of which is to
| provide pecuniary relief for the widows,
| orphans or other benefciaries of deceased
members. Our association holds a lofty and
| dignified place among the fraternal organ
| liza uons Of the country, and appeals to the
| heart of every railway postal clerk. In the
| twenty-five years that have been in the
| railway mail service 1 have mingled great
| deal with my fellow clerks, and with rare
| exceptions 1 have found them to be a class
! of thoughtful, upright and honest men
| loyal to the trusts imposed upon them.
THE year just passed has been fraught
with an alarming number of calamities and
| railroad accidents. and more of our MEM
bers have been killed this year, in various
ways, than ever before; also disease has
been rife all over our land. Forty-two of
| our members have been called to their
eternal home.
These comrades while on earth shared our
| joys and mourned our disappointments
| Fitting tribute will be paid to their mem
| DRY later on in the proceedings when the
report OF your committee on neurology is
rendered. EHe
1--WE have paid during the year forty-two
claims on account OF death or a total of
| $4,000 and have not had a contested claim.
| Our association has paid to all beneficiaries
| over $4,000 in the twenty-eight years of
its history. We. have today over 800 600
in our benefit fund, having added nearly
SO 0O0 during the year. after paying the
| that every member can point to with reas-
| enable pride and proves the financial sound
ness of the association"
Recommendation Regarding Funds.
Touching the benefit fund. President Nc
Coy said:
IT am emphaucally opposed to allowing
any portion Of 1t dhe fund.- to be invested
In stocks of any kind. or in any other way
that savors of speculation. or depends on
the rise and fall Of the stock market We
now have q giant organization and this
1000 represents the hard-earned money
of our members. and am convinced day
by day. as talk with our members, that
the safest investment Of our funds is in
registered government bonds and l hope
some action will be taken by you at this
convention tending toward the purchase of
the same as soon profitable.
"An things considered. the necessary ex-
penses Of conducting the affairs Of the as
ISOLATION for the last year have been the
most satisfactory in years, and Is one of
the strongest features of our organization.