The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-09
BITTER WORDS.
Members Of Cooperative Grain
Association Say Harsh Things.
DR.. EngIehart Attacks Gaines
and Butler.
TOPEKA MAN REPLIES.
Makes a Loud and YOcifsrOus
Defense.
He Also Charges the Officers
With Dishonesty.
TOPEKA MAN REPLIES.

There are all kinds of rows IN prog
ress in the annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Farmers Cooper
ative Shipping association in the city
council chamber this afternoon. Dr.
Englehart of Nebraska, one of the di-
rectors, H N Gaines editor of the
Farmers Advocate, Frank Wright, an
other director, James Butler. presi-
dent of the association, Judge S. H
Allen, its general attorney. and others
are taking part. Englehart and Wright
are together. and so are Butler and
Judge Allen, but otherwise each is
fighting the others The stockholders
are inclined to give each one a chance
to be heard, but when one is talking
the others frequently interrupt, de-
spite the efforts of Governor" VIII
Its to preserve order.
DR.. Englehart, who represents the
majority or Hoffman faction of the
directors. made speech intended for
a verbal report of the directors 1t
was a defense of the action of the di-
rectors. Incidentally he charged II.
\. Gaines with publishing statements
in the Farmers Advocate intended to
arouse the suspicion of the farmers,
and said that was the reason why
Gaines had been excluded from the
meetings of the directors.
This brought Gaines to his feet at
once. Mr.. Gaines had been admitted
to the meeting on proxy, although not
himself stockholder. He denied the
charge of Dr. Englehart and defied him
to name the date of mis- Offense-
Governor Willis tried to restore or
der and said he would not permit any
one to call names in making speeches.
After that Dr. Englehart called no
names but whenever he referred to
anyone there wasnO difficulty in telling
whom he meant He said no business
institution could afford to publish tha
plans and doing of its directors or adj
visOry board from week to week. and
so Gaines was not allowed to be pres
ent at the directors meeting DR.. En-
+ gIehart also pointed to the successful
business which the Farmers Shipping
j association has done under @. B. Hoff-
mans mana cement, and compared that
with the record of it's predecessor. the
Farmers Cooperative Grain and Live
( Stock association. which went 10
/ pieces. That" said DR.. Englehart.
was run by two Of the present dfree-
tors of this company This was shot
at President James Butler and Judge
Allen.
As soon as DR.. Englehart concluded
H. n Gaines asked for permission to
reply A stOckholder who sympa thized
with the Hoffman faction tried to head
him off, but there were loud cries Of
Gaines, Gaines" from the crowd
Gaines made a hre-eating speech
.
ahve been heard block away. He de-
MED having said a word in his paper
derogatory of the company up to the
time he was excluded from It. He said
he let President Butler publish every
thing he wished without even blue
penciIing it, up to January 5. Butler
admitted this. Gaines said he was fired
out of this association because he went
into the national movement. Dr. Engie-
hart interrupted to deny this. Gaines
said he had received only s1.365 for al
3 10, ~rn-lr hna hud lone frn~ Ia
ton, including his organization work,
subscriptions to his paper, and job
work He charged the officers with
dishonesty. He had a contract with
them that they were to turn over SO
cents of the membership fee of each
member for subscriptions to his paper,
but that they had failed TO do so. He
claimed the officers had collected the
money but had not subscribed for the
paper, and the members blamed him
because they did not get the paper.
Gaines thundered in conclusion Il viii
print it next week viii tell all about
know just what is being done stin
have a voice to talk and a pen TO write;
and I propose to use them 1 shall tell
you how your general manager Is IN col
lusion with the millers and grain dealers.
You have heard enough here yourselves
TO know Lnat olu noL puDi,lS4H usts. a.
much as 1 ought to have published
F,1tIeT llTii rose to spesx- but Judge Allen
motioned him back, indicating that be
L
At the same time a stOckhOlder arose
and insisted on proceeding with the re-
I ports of committees Another one wanted
to know if the board Of directors was not
TO be permitted to make its report.
THE board Of directors has no report TO
make said Butler. rising i am chair
man of the board and it has no report.
If you want the reports Of the committees
and if you want TO know just how things
stand, there they are on the table They
are afraid to read them
Butler cid not say who they are but
it was taken that they meant the direc-
tors of the Hoffman faction
Frank Wright one OF the directors said
/ something aside which reached Buffers
ears
you're afraid TO come outside and say
that" said Butler, turning on Wright lie
acted as though he was about to start FOR
Wright. but Mrs. Butler, who was sitting
near, pushed him gently back into his
seat
Wright then got the floor and made a
I speech defending the directors.
And during the whole proceeding C 3
+ Hoffman. general manager Of the COM
/ panF. sat back in the crowd laughing as
though he enjoyed it,
nRHRn FMRrR=ER