New-York tribune., 1905-02-17
ITS OFFICERS REELECTED
HARMONY IN EQUITABLE.
Committee to Report on Voting by
PoRcyholders.


" Depew poured oil on the troubled waters
~ the Equitable Life Assurance Society's di-
rectors' meeting in the afternoon and in a
sreech. like his old fashioned stump speeches.
argued the Hyde and Alexander factions into
harmony. as a result the old officers We're re-
elected for another year. Nevertheless the
meeting was a decisive victory for the Hyde
adheGents. and James Hazen Hyde was
v-reathed in smiles when he left the board room.
4 friend of Mr.. AIexander's was much in
oensed last night at reports that Mr.. Alex
ander and the men who had signed the petit
lions with him had receded from the attitude
they took In those documents. Nothing was
further from their thoughts than any such aban-
dorulent Of their grounds he said; in fact, every
man who signed those petitions would have
fought for the ideas in them to the last ditch
leaving the society sooner than surrender.
The result OF the meeting in voting to consider
. naturalization plan and the reelection of Mr.
Alexander itself showed that the sentiment
among the directors was with Mr. Alexander
his friend declared.
As for any future friction or disagreement
about the policy of the Equitable. Mr.. Alex
ander's friend would not discuss it, and he was
sure that Mr.. Alexander himself not con-
sidering it. The President. he said, was de-
termined TO work for the interests of the COM
pany. just as he had been doing. Any ques-
ton of resignation. voluntary involuntary
would be speculation. where the situation de-
r2anded the consideration of facts. No officer
Of any company was elected for more than
year.
There only one test of strength in the
meeting that which came when a committee
70 report on a plan of naturalization of the
company was named OF the forty-fve di-
Ysctors at the meeting, twentyeight voted on
the Hyde side. and the result was the appoint
rnent Of a committee of seven, four Of whom
are Hyde men, who Will report a plan entirely
in accordance with Mr.. Hyde's wishes. A plan
must be reported before April II.
J Pierpont Aforgan's entrance into the Equi-
a bic controversy was entirely unsupported by
anv one although his influence had been dis
cerned once or twice. it was thought While
he did not espouse either side actively he was
inclined 10 use his influence for the Alexander
party. He called at Senator Depew's home
carly yesterday morning to urge that efforts
Re made 10 avert any rupture in the company.
Senator Depew told Mr.. Morgan that he was
firmly committed TO Mr. Hyde's side in the con-
1roversy Mr. Hyde's interests and Mr.. Hyde's
allies were his, but he agreed with Mr.. Morgan
that all efforts should be made to restore har-
1nony.
After Mr.. Morgan's visit TO him Senator De-
pew went downtown, where he saw MT Bel
mont Mr. Hartman and Mr.. Hyde. He was one
off first 10 arrive al Ine EQulldDiS oA1CeS -IA
the afternoon, and in an Office the third floor
went into conference with Messrs. Hyde, Bel
mont and Hartman. The result of these con-
ferenoes was the determination of the Hyde
party to fight TO a finish If it became absolutely
necessary, but preferably to adopt conciliatory
measures lest a great harm befalI the business
il which al were deeply interested These
ideas the Senator expressed in the speech which
brought TO an end all resistance from both sides.
La 70
Washington.
THE GATHERING OF THE DIRECTORS.
The naturalization plan which is to be adopted
was the subject Of the greatest discussion. 1t
has been made apparent from the first that Mr..
Hyde did not object to any naturalization if it
were desired by the stockholders and policy
holders which would leave the company pro-
tected. He has objected strongly TO any plan
by which policy holders could vote by proxy,
since such an arrangement would leave the con-
trol Of the company in the hands Of the men
<gS7 could get the proxies, at which the agents
and superintendents of agents would have the
rest opportunity. The most likely plan, it was
said, would be one permitting only such policy
holders TO vote as were duly accredited and at
tended the society's meetings in person.
The meeting was scheduled to begin at p M
At that time most of the directors had assem-
bled in the board room. but after few min
utes there they retired. with the announcement
that the rneeing had been adjourned for an hour
10 give a committee time TO prepare its
report. At p. m. they gathered again-forty-
FIVE out of the ffty-one directors among whom
were Mr. Hyde. President Alexander. Senator
Depev Colonel John Jacob Astor. Jacob H.
Schiff. z. H Hartman, August Belmont. Will
lam Alexander Charles B. Alexander. Henry
u. Alexander Gage E Tarbell. G. T. Wilson.
Il c Deming Alvin W. Krech Valentine P.
Snyder. Charles Stewart Smith. w H McIn-
tyre. Il. D. Ripley, Alfred G. Vanderbilt Thorn
7. Eckert, Brayton Ives. Thomas D. Jordan,
John a Stewart, jose F. De Navarro John j.
AcCook c. Ledyard Blair and p H. Winthrop.
Most Of the directors had been comforting in
the hours wait, and they entered the board
room the second time in little groups of two and
three Mr. Hyde himself delayed about quar-
ter Of an hour. until two three of the others
went after him, telling him the meeting was in
need Of him.
Once inside. however, he became active
enough. One or two routine affairs were cleared
away and then Mr. Hyde took the floor. He
declared that a great deal had been said re-
Gently about rnutualizing the Equitable The
first he had heard about this idea. he desired
70 get the record, was on February g. vhen
PRESIDENT Alexander walked into his office with
he petition which has since become public
property. In view Of the fact that he. the ma
iofity stockhoIder, would naturally work for the
Inst interests of the company, he thought il
rs little queer that the president should go
5Dout an Improvement in such fashion.
He quite willing that the company
should be mutualized. and If the directors were
IA favor Of such action he would concur in anv