The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-21
PEABODY is In A QUANDARI.
THAT THIRD TICKET PROPO-
SITION A PULLING ONE.

Doesn't Get Very DEFINITE Information as
to VINO Is Behind Unjust Offend
Either the Agency Force or McCurdy
Trustees-NOt q Trick, says hard
Albert s.. Bard, counsel for the nomina-
tors of the third Mutual Life or usion
| ticket, yesterday replied TO President Charles
A. Peahody's letter asking for nformation
in regard to the personality and purposes
Of the movers In the fusion movement.
Mr.. Bard does not give Mr.. Peabody my
definite information as to who Is behind the
ticket.
Mr.. Peabody is now in a position where
be will lave either to accept OF reject the
third ticket nomination on the information
| at hand, and it is likely to be a pretty ticklish
proposition for him. There Is no doubt
that the agency force is pretty strongly
represented in the fusion movement, and
to a~ntagonize that would be fatal to Mr..
| Peabody's chances. On the other hand,
il the Mutual's president accepts the nom
nation on the third ticket he will stir up
the McCurdy trustees, all Of whom have
been omitted from the fusion slate.
Persons in insurance circles yesterday
said they didn't see how Mr.. Peabody could
hCCCDb NuO hlA NlShCb NNN ONAA
devote all the active efforts Of his manage
ment toward the election Of the administra-
ton slate.
Mr.. Bard, in reply to President P~eabody's
| request for information, says he can en-
phatically assure him that the ticket was
not originated for the purpose Of aiding
in the election Of either of the other tickets.
In other words il is not a trick ticket, but
represents an earnest effort 70 accomplish
the best for the company. He adds hat the
fact that the nominations came as a sur
prise to the candidates is evidence that the
ticket is what it purports to be and IL not
backed by any clique or designing interest
The persons behind the ticket l repre-
sent, " says Mr.. Bard, are managers, agents
and ~policyholders of the Mutual Life In
surance Company. ] am quite aware that
to be successful our movement must have
the cooperation of these three classes OF
membe rship in the company, but II would be
premature to announce at the present
time the names of the individuals support
ing the movement, even for your purpose,
and | I'M not at liberty to do so. You can
see that 10 do this at the present time would
be TO give the McCurdy element in the
boar Of trustees, who are in the position
OF employers of the managers and agents
and in control Of the ma chinery OF the
company itself, an unfair advantage solely
by rea son Of their power and without respect
TO the merits Of the issue.
ne Illuminating UeltSIdIls CouCel mug
this ticket sent 10 the managers of the
company by direction of the agency com
mittee give good ground for such caution
on our part. For the same reason it was
impossible TO consult with our nominees
in advance, however glad we would have
been to do 80 in ordinary circumstances
When David opposes himself TO Goliath
he has not a choice of weapons"
The reference by Mr.. Bard to the agency
committee tends to c~orroborate a report that
has been heard in insurance circles ever
since the third ticket was named, that the
McCurdy trustees, acting through the
agency committee, had demanded of Second
Vice-President Dexter, who is at the head
of the agency department, that he set 10
work at once and whip the agents into
line for the administration ticket. Mr.,
Dexter was himself named on the fusion
ticket.
In regard to President Peabody's request
for information as to the purposes OF the
leaders in the fusion movement Mr.. Baro
says he can be entirely explicit. They die
not in the first place believe that ccn-
fdence could be restored in the company
with the return Of the Did McCurdy trustees
who are running on the administration
ticket, and in the second place theythought
It would be the height Of folly to turT
out every new man now associated will
the management Of the company aDd put
in new ones, as those VINO nominated the
united ticket recommend. Mr.. Bard say
that he is pleased 10 note that Mr.. Peabody
is considering whether he shall approve
the fusion ticket, and he trusts that the
reasons that have impelled the nominator'
will appeal to Mr.. Peabody in the ticket
favor