Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-19
In Behalf Of Foreign Po|icyho|ders
Against Proposed Mutual Trustees.
Several Nominees ecIne--Lists Of PoIcyho|ders
Filed Not Legal, Mr.. UnteIneyer Asserts.

Mr.. Cntcrmycrs protests he laughed and
said:
Il am not surprised. but am afraid
the gentleman has let the cat out of the
bag. Perhaps his solicitudc that there
shall be Il good board Is not so great as
his sol.citudc lest the control OF affairs
shall; pass out of his hands J certainly
shIl not 80 to him fer instruction upon
the subject of the nrorrictics. We be-
Hcvcd that Judge Cray. Gen. Tracey.
Colonel Shook and Mr. Hginbotham, not
withstanding their criticism upon our ad-
mnistration, were mon we'll fitted for
trustees. They had signifcd their desire
for the change and expressed themselves
freely upon the character of that change.
We felt. and still feel, that we had a per-
feet right to place their names upon our
ticket
ITO speak of doing so as a breach of
nroprcty is nonsense. These men have
said they did not approve of our admin
istration. We answer: Very well. take
up the work yourselves. and we will
gladly vote to put YOU in n position to
dc so If our administration of the af-
fairs of the company has been 50 gross
~ .UEIIbpCT lDta'c StIllieHltn Ctdlln,
they should welcome an opportunity to
come III here and investigate ard reform
it for themselves.
The truth is that Mr.. Untcrmyer. in
my Judgment. is not altogether the dis
interested public bcncfactor he would
have the policyholderS understand. The
truth is that he made up n list of gem
tlcmcn of excellent character, calling
them by the high sounding name of the
International Policyholders Committee
and asked them to meet in New York
1t is absurd to say that they were dele
gated to this work by the policyholders
NO one could, by any possibility. have
represented the polcyholders in such
number as to secure and such proper
mandate from them. We know perfectly
well that their commission came direct
from Mr. Untermycr who personally so
licitcd them to ACCEPT places on the So
called committee. and while lie was at
work in this country his brother was en-
gagged in the work of solicitation in Eu-
rope. The gentlemen on the committees
undoubtedly were moved Ivy high pur-
poses and felt that they were doing their
duty. but when l tell you that of their
rs members who constituted the commit
tee not moro than eight were policyhold-
ers in the Mutual Life Insurance Co. it
is clear that they are subject to the
charge of attending to someone clse's
business.
Nevertheless. as l have said. they
were well meaning gentlemen. 1t is true
that they signed very bitter attack
(Which had been prepared for them upon
the present administration of the Mutual
Co. without having made 4 sufficient ex-
animation of the company's affairs to
warrant them in such action, and this
seems inexcusable. We had taken up the
thanLless task of trying to straightcn
out the affairs of the company and pro-
tcct the interest of the polcyholders. and
were at least entitled to a fair investiga-
ton at their hands before they undertook
to condemn us. Without, however. caring
to discuss the truth of falsity of their
statements, We say that as We have no
ambition to go on with the work alone
and as they have a Well-settlcd theory
Of reforms that should be introduced and
a Neutrality-suspicious. plan Of administration.
it is only fair that they should come in
and help u.s.
John Dewitt Warner of counsel for the
International Policyholders' Committee,
CONTINUED on Page Two.)