The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-22
CUNNINGHAM IS
 AGAIN PRESIDENT Will Cause Big Split Among
 Rural Carriers HOLDS OVER ANOTHER YEAR In Annual Address He Says Cortelyou Told Him He Favored $85o
 Year Salary for Rural
 Carriers.
HOLDS OVER ANOTHER YEAR

Indianapolis, Ind, September N.-At this mornings session of the National Rural Letter Carriers association a mo- ton to have President Cunningham re- tain his office for one year longer was carried by large majority As result 1t is possible that about ten states that are unfriendly to the president will drop out of the association and start rival organization. It is related that com mittee has already been appointed by those who are opposed to Cunningham to draw up a constitution for the proposed new body.
 The anti-Cunningham faction speaks guardedly of this matter at present, how ever, and the delegates that are backing Cunningham say that they do not ex- peet such action to be taken.
 The first matter on the programme in the morning was the usual address of the president. Following this motion was made by Delegate c. M. Adams of Davenport, la, that the term of the president be extended for one year from the present convention, in accordance with a bylaw of the constitution of the association.
 This bylaw provides that when an ex- ecutive officer of the national body Is forced to quit the service of the federal government because of conflict between those duties and his duties to the asso- citation, or because he has not time to fulfill both duties, he shall be privileged to serve one more year after the expira- tion of the term in which he lost his position.
 Has Lost Position.
 President Cunningham has lost his po- sition with the government for being absent from his rural route without leave from the proper authorities while he was attending to his duties as president of the association. On this account he was entitled to another year in his office as president but he has waived this right, saying that he wished to be president il it was the will of the majority of the delegates The president vacated the chair and Paul s. Meadgen of Texas was put in his place The debate grew fast and furious, but finally the motion went to vote and was carried by a vote of 57 for the motion and 35 against it.
 In his annual report President Cum ningham spoke of the relationship be- tween the association and the postoffieo department, saying that the association now has the approval of the department, and that 1t should do everything in it's power to follow the wishes of the de- partment officials, as they have the wei fare of the carriers at heart
 Bristow Methods Discontinued.
 "Our association" he continued, has in the past met with strenuous opposi- tion from a man who is now an ex-post- office official He. however, Is no longer in authority, and it Is not my purpose now, especially here, to criticise him fur ther than necessary. but to defend the position of the carriers. We have con- elusive evidence that President Roose- welt does not intend that the policies oi MT. Bristow shall continue. The Presi. dent made statements in his annual mes sage to Congress showing that we, the letter carriers, should argue our claims fairly and honorably before Congress and we intend strictly to observe his advice
 We have man at the head of tho postoffee department whose heart is IT sympathy with the struggling masses broad-gauged, liberal minded leader O men, George B. Cortelyou Mir Cortel 1 you told me personally that he believed that carriers should have $S5O year.