The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-22

way of the circumstances under which was hastily summoned to the office or the president by telephone from | the country on the eve of the annual meeting and shortly before the expir- ation of the trust under which my stock Is held; that I was there con- fronted without previous notice or warning with a hostile memorial of officers and employees which had been secretly circulated and in many in- stances signed under coercisive influ- ences; that my immediate retirement was demanded under. threats; that I peremptorily refused to retire, and that such refusal was followed by the immediate submission to the board of directors of a demand for my retire ment and for practically my disfran- chisement of the stock of the society. It may surprise you to learn that the leaders of this attack upon myself and the society have consistently dis claimed responsibility for any and all of the newspaper publications assail- ing me and defaming the society and the management. The plea of mutul- ization was mere sham under cover of which it was designed by these lead CTS to wrest the control of the so- ciety from the responsible hands of the most representative body of direc-- tors in this country and to transfer 1t to their own grasp through the use of the agencies as intrumentalities.
 T can understand the desire of your body for naturalization but have new CT believed and I do not now believe that a system of control which vir- tually places the agents over the di- rectors and officers is sound in princi- pie. At the threshold of this matter and before any public controversy had arisen, it was, however, urged on me that there was a genuine desire on the part of the policyholders that they be given the right to vUte for directors. Therefore, notwithstanding my own views on the subject, and in order to meet this desire of the policyholders and to give time for the consideration of the proper method of bringing lhis about, I offered to place my stock in the hands of trustees for five years to be voted in accordance with the direc- ton of the board of directors.
 Evidence of sOIlcItude.
 T could hardly have given stronger evidence of my solicitude for the well fare of the Society. This offer was not accepted. The authors of the con spiracy made impossible demands. Ff- nally, although I was advised by emil nent counsel that the power of control of the stock could not be lawfully ta- ken away without the consent of It's holders. either by the board or by the Legislature. I consented so far as my stock interests were concerned that the policyholders should elect twenty eight of the fifty-two directors of the Society. This concession was intended for the benefit of the policyholders but In practical effect, as then feared and now believe. 1t was the purpose that any concessions by me should be utll- ibed for the benefit and account of the tnstiGators of thfs movement. who pro- posed to erect a constituency of agents to control the votes of policyh oIders This belief Is confirmed by the extra ordinary proceedings at your recent meetings in this city in which the power dominating the meetings was quite apparent.
 Although it was represented that this important concession would assure permanent peace for the society 1t was followed by new demands to which I again acceded in the belief that faith would at last be kept and peace restor- ed. When was told that these conces- sions. which had been secured from me because of my loyalty to the society and on the repeated assurances given to the board of directors and to me that they would, if granted. be accepted as completee settlement, were simply a means to an end, and that the warfare would go on until I should be forced out of office and the voting power of the stock which had been expre ssly re- served should be completely destroyed it is evident that have been designed ly tricked.
 Thus far I am the only person in this controversy who has made any sac riflces. The others have no such sub stantial interests in the society and nothing to lose in this warfare against