Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-04-29
Walter S. Bowen Declares
That naturalization Of Equi-
table Will be Accomplished

pa ~ AAaAN5%A NJ a.
Equitable Life Assurance society, for
New Mexico and Arizona, has return.
ed to Albuquerque from New York,
where he attended the convention Of
the general agents of the society from
the United States, Canada and Great
Britain, which voted almost unani.
mously to support the naturalization
plan OF President James Alexander,
and which requested the resignation
OF Vice President James Hazen Hyde,
at whose door public opinion lays all
the blame for the recent sensational
disturbances In the great life insur-
ance organization.
Mr.. Bowen was present at all the
meetings Of the general agents on
vention, and was a member Of the
special committee appointed TO inter-
view the New York insurance COM
missioner and the governor. looking
to the securing OF state aid In thu car
rying out OF the naturalization plan.
TO which Hyde and his associates are
SO bitterly opposed. Mr.. Bowen is
confident OF the early success of the
naturalization plan Of President Alex.
ander, and is equally confident that
the existing tangle In the company's
directorate will Don be cleared up.
He talked freely OF conditions In the
home office OF the society to the Morn
Ing Journal yesterday. showing clear.
ly that SO far as the general agents
are concerned there is no tendency
to conceal the seriousness OF the com
piications which resulted from the
Hyde inciten, or the changes neces-
sary to insure the society against any
possibility OF repetition.
THE members OF the agents con.
| yention were fully satisfied that Pres.
ident James w. Alexander Ia right
said Mr. Bowen, "and that his only
object in demanding the naturalization
Of the society IS the safe guarding OF
the policy holders interests in giving
TO them, the real owners OF the four
hundred and thirteen millions of dol
lars OF assets and over eighty millions
OF dollars Of surplus, the right to elect
directors.
TO show Mr.. A~lexander's absolute
fairness in the matter. he offered
let the proxies of the policy holders
be voted by a commission TO be select.
cd by President Roosevelt, or II dc,
sired, by ex-Prcsident Cleveland. OF
by a committee composed of the pres.
idents of seven of the leading colleges
OF the country, thus forever answering
those critics who have claimed that he
was simply striving to gain personal
and permanent control of the society
Gould anything be more fair?
I'VE satisfied ourselves. moreover
that there is a way to mutualize the
society. That course will be followed
and In the meantime we can assure
the policy holders that their interests
| will be sacredly protected. We should
always remember that the enormous
strength of the society has at no time
been questioned and no more decided
guarantee for fidelity in its future
management could be devised thar
the searchlight of public opinion ant
public investigation now being thrown
upon its administration.
I'VE have confidence in the investi
| cation committee of which Mr.. Henri,
G. Frick is chairman, and we are con
fident that all wrongs will be correct
| ed and that the society's future will b.
! even more successful than its past.