Evening star., 1907-10-22
BOARD Of TRADES
ANNUAL ELECTION
High Interest in the November
Contest.
QUESTION OF ELIGIBILITY
Repeal of Non-Succession Bylaw
Is Proposed.
ONE MEMBER OUTLINES VIEWS
Board to Choose Between Policy of
Encouraging Continuous Work
and Prohibiting Reelection
Of Efficient Directors.

Interest in the approaching election of
directors of the Washington Board of
Trade is manifested in all quarters, and
the present indications promise one of
the most spirited contests in the history
of that organization. Not only are there
many names posted on tie bulletin boards
at headquarters in nomination for the ten
vacancies about to be created by the eX-
piration of terms with additions being
steadily made to the list, but there is
keen interest also in the manner in which
the board will vote on a proposed amend
ment to the bylaws affecting the eligi-
bility of retiring directors for reelection.
This amendment was posted September
SO last and at recent NEE ing of the di-
rectorS was designated as the regular
order of business for conSd deration and
action by the board prior to the election
of directors at tie annual meeting to be
held November II.
AT a meeting of the board held De-
cember IA, 1906, an amendment to the
bylaws was adopted as In the following
language: "A member shall not be eligible
FOR election as a director for more than
two successive terms The anne ndment
posted September so last proposes that
that language be stricken from the by
laws. thus repeating the action taken by
the board last December. Therefore be-
lOIc lnt eitCtlOil VI ulTectOTS is III III uSSt
month the board will be called upon to
pass upon whether the amendment of last
year shall stand or fall, thus in general
terms approving or disappearing the pol
icy of enforced rotation in office.
Reelection Formerly the Rule.
Until last year, while the bylaws pro-
vided an open field for election to the
directorate and barred no one who was
formally nominated by one member and
who received a majority of the votes cast
at an election, yet. practically, custom
has made the reelection of the outgoing
directors the rule and the election Of new
candidates the exception. This practice
finally gave rise to some criticism. Un-
due weight. 1t was claimed by some mem
bers Of the board vas given to the argu-
ment that the board in Its own interest
should give preference to experience and
past services in the performance of pub
lie uncompensated labor, and that one
good term deserved another. while not
enough weight was given to the argument
that to maintain a high degree of interest
in the boards direction and mana cement
on the part of the rank and file it is necas-
sary to inject new blood periodically in
the management, to do away with the
perfunctory reelection of outgoing di-
rectors and to have genuine election
every year, in which every candidate
shall stand on his merits and the board
shall exercise it's deliberate judgment as
to the best men for the directorate.
This latter condition of affairs has now
been brought about. though not by the
change of the bylaws At the last cleo
ton. prior to the adoption of the amend
ment the repeal of which is now pro-
posed, there were many nominations,
great interest was taken in the election
Eeavy vote was cast-the heaviest, in
deed. in the history of the board-and
the men elected were about equa ly di-
vided between reelected and newly
elected nominees. In continuation of this
condition of affairs. there are more nomi-
nations already posted for the directorate
for the November election than We're
posted altogether last year. and the indi-
cations are of at least as heavy a vote
and as full an expression of opinion by
the board this year as last.
Did the Board Go Too FarP
Many members Of the board, however
while opposed to permitting the board of
directors 10 be a close corporation by
the reelection of the outgoing directors
year after year as matter of course
think that step too far for the welfare
of the board was taken in the opposite
direction by the adoption of the bylaw
limiting service as director to two sue
cessive terms, especially as it is con-
strued as retroactive and as counting past
terms of service as figuring to make mem
bers ineligible.
The question has been raised whether
the words used in the amendment already
adopted do not. when construed by legal
methods, apply only to prohibit the re-
election for more than two successive
terms to which members may herea fter
be elected. 1t Is contended that the pro-
vision Will be retroactive unless it Is ex-
piicitly so stated, regardless of the in
tention of those whose votes enacted it.
If omission to make any declaration on
the subject is equivalent to a declaration
that the provision shall not be retroac
tive, the amendment carries with it by
implication the words Ito which he may
hereafter be elected" so that its meaning
is as follows: "A member shall not be
eisible for election as director for more
than two successive terms GmpliedD "to
which he may hereafter be elected"
The question of the proper construction
OF the bylaw, as 1t stands. becomes prac-
| tically immaterial, since it's repeal is to
be considered at the November meeting,
| prior to the annual election and the
board may at that time and in that con-
nection repeal. reaff1rm or modify and re-
affirm the amendment, and in auy event
may express its opinion as to how the
| law ought to be. and is to be, understood
| and applied.
A Members View.
One of the members Of the Board of
Trade who is interested in the movement
| 10 reshape or construe the law SO that il
shall not be retroactive said today to a
Star reporter:
| Il am in favor of infusing new blood
into the directorate of the board, but
think that the new directors should he
| only such men as can secure a majority
vote of the boards membership at a reg.
ular election in opposition to any other
candidates who may be named New di-
rectors themselves would naturally feel
/ I'm tNt,
merits. after fair fight, rather than
through the arbitrary exclusion, by con-
struction of bylaw, of nominees who
might defeat them otherwise.
The position of director of the Board
OF Trade Is merely an opportunity to do
good and faithful work without compen-
sation. in the public interes. Where a
director has faithfully met Tie RESPONSE
pahties OF this opportunity there has been
a natural disposition on the part of the
| board in its own interest to continue to