The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-17
Concerning a Deadly Parallel.

Much was made yesterday, in certain
newspapers, of an alleged discrepancy
of statement between Mr.. THOMAS r.
RYAN, original announcement of his
purchase of Mr.. HYDEs interest in the
Equitable stock and Mr., RYANs letter
of Thursday to the trustees.
On June 8 Mr. RYAN furnished for pub
LEGATION statement in which he said:
I'm connection with some other pol!cyholdcrs.
who. like myself, have never had any relations win
the Equitable except as po!!cyhodcrs, have pur-
chased from MIR. HYDE majority OF the stock OF
that society We have made this purchase for the
sake OF putting an end to the present unfortunate
condition OF the conpanys affairs. not only In the
interests OF the poIcyhold"rs, but for the general
business interests OF the entire country"
In the remainder OF the statement as
10 the intentions of Mr.. RYAN and his
polcyholding associates, the plural we
was used throughout
Again, in Mr.. RYAN's letter Of June
to GROVER CLEVELAND requesting him
to be trustee, the purchase was de-
scribed az follows:
I'm the hope OF putting an end to this condition.
and In connection with change in the executive
management ! have. together with other policy
holders purchased this block OF stock and proposed
to put 1t In the hands of board OF trustees having
no connection with Wall Street. with power 10 vote
It for the election of directors"
Against these various phrases sug-
costing plural condition in the party of
ha iTn 1rtiTs NJ
the transaction set this passage from the
letter of Thursday to the trustees
am the sole owner OF the SOP shares OF the
stock OF the Equitable society which | purchased
from MI HYDE, and no other person or Interest has
contributed or has the right to contribute single
dollar toward the purchase OF the stock
] am under no obligation 10 any living man with
respect TO my action as the owner OF the stock"
1t is somewhat singular that those
who have been expressing their appre-
hension lest Mr.. RYAN should prove to
be the mere figurehead of a designing
and rapacous syndicate, bent on footing
the Equitable's treasury as it has never
been looted before, should now be dis
turbed by the revelation that he alone
has toiltl Pun NildSt
1t is also somewhat curious that those
who are so eagerly using the foregoing
utterances as material for the construc-
ton of deadly parallels should omit
to show or even to allege, any possible
motive, less respectable than personal
modesty. for the plural wording of
the earlier statements. For all of
the several statements printed above
were published after the transaction
had been completed and the plan of
reorganization perfected.
The deadlness Of the parallel is con-
siderably mitigated by the restoration of
the passage indicated by asterisks in the
extract from Mr., RYAN's letter of June
Is. Here it is in italics, in its relation
to the context:
Il am the sole owner NJ the 500 shares ~ the
stock Of the Equitable society which | purchased
from Mr. HYDE and no other person or interest has
contributed or has the right 10 contribute n single
dollar toward the purchase o. the stock The
poitcyholderS rGh uh3n I conferred IN making the
purchase hlr' had no connection nth the n7naoe.
m'nt OF he Equitable society," and their connection
Teh NE transaction entirely airfsorp, am
under no obligation to any living man with respect
tony action as the owner Of this stock"
Thus the deadly, parallel is at last
ra6rna1 this.