The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-08
HINT AT
GRAFT IN
|. C. B. A.
CONTINUED from FIRST page,

The charges have been made in an
anonymous circular, mailed from New
York late last week. Copies were sent
to the principal officers of each coun-
Gil and to the delegates to the conven-
ton. The attempt to keep the author
ship secret is due probably to a rule
of the association, which prohibits dis
cussion of the councils affairs in un-
authorized publications.
For some time there ha been much
opposition to the reelection of the SUI
preme president, Mrs. Elizabeth 3. Nc
Gowan, and the supreme recorder, Mrs.
Joanna A. Roger, both of whom have
held their offices for seventeen consecu-
tive years, since the organization was
founded. The most strenuous efforts to
remove Mrs. MCGOWAN from office al
the convention in 1904 at st. Paul. when
the New York and New Jersey dele
cations supported Mrs. Mary A. Cos
tello.
Mrs. Costello served as supreme
treasurer for two terms and is presi-
dent of the Brooklyn Advisory Senate.
The agitation has been kept up in the
meantime.
Charges of negligence in handling
the general funds of the association will
probably be made at the convention
and the officers will be asked to explain
why continued extravaganza has been
permitted.
That the person or persons responsible
for the circular know some inside bust
ness of the society is evident FROM both
the figures and the information pos
sesed. Particular stress is laid on the
fact that only the general funds of the
association nave been used, and the
| same stress is used to make known the
fact that the beneficiary and reserve
funds of the association are guarded
by insurance superintendent.
Mrs. Maria Quinn, of this city, one OF
the supreme trustees and a member OF
| the New Jersey Advisory Senate, wher
asked for a statement concerning the
circular, gave the impression that she
had no knowledge of it. but when the
reporter produced one of the circulars
she acknowledged having received one
II know nothing of the charges
made" said Mrs. Quinn, "nor do I know
who is responsible for them. 1 have
always worked in the interest cf the
association, organizing new branches
wherever l could, and I will continue
to do so. I am not a salaried officer
but my interest is centred in the L. G
b. A, and l will continue to work
foy it.
81 do not care to discuss the elec-
ton she said, when questioned. you
should attend the convention If you
wish to know the result" she said,
"Are you anxious for a change in
the Administrations" was asked.
Most certainly / am she replied.
81 supported Mrs. Costello at the last
convention, and will do so again. She
is my candidate for supreme president,
and | mean to work hard for hef cleo
ton"
Some of the extracts taken from tn
circular include the following:
The history of all organizations show
the necessity for periodic changes or al
m~inistration. Power too long rePosed II
the hands of one set Of persons is Hkelil
to be abused. individuals entrusted VIII
office for n long period of time are won
to forget the source of their a~uthorlt5
and come gradually TO regard the organ.
zation as their individual property. ant
the offices they hold as vested rights. II
such cases the general welfare Is subordl
mated to personal advantage, and nepotlsn
and extravagance characterize the man,
HRemenI, OF, 1dlHtI, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ~
the institution in question.
The recent Investigation of the big IN
surance companies of New YORK fur'
nishes a striking illustration of the trntf
of these observations. The officers OF
these companies provided lucrative
positions for their friends and relatives
often without reference to individua.
merit; used the patronage and power, II
not the funds entrusted to them for tbs
purpose of lnsuring their own reelection
and relied upon their ingenious methods
of bookkeeping, rather than upon. theil
integrity of purpose, as q means OF WIN
ming popular approval and insuring a con.
tinuafion of their official careers.
The Ladies' Catholic Benevolent Asso.
citation also is an insurance organization
of no mean magnitude, and the question Is
being asked by many inquiring minds
whether on investigation 1t would be found
to have been managed always in the In
The following list shows the present Off
GERS Of the association, whose terms expire
with this convention, together with the
length of time they have held their posi-
Gowan, Buffalo, N. T., length of service
II years; supreme first vice-president, Mrs
Mary A. Flanagan, Syracuse, n. Y, II
Years; supreme second vice-president, Mrs
Mary Marzolf, Buffalo, N. Y, 3 years
supreme recorder, Mrs. Joanna A. Roger
Erie, Pa, II years; supreme treasurer, Mrs,
Felice M. Giradot. Detroit, Mich, auditor
3 years. treasurer 6syears-12 years; su-
preme marshal, Mrs. Anna Cotringer,
Niagara Falls, N. Y, 3 years; supreme
guard. Miss Mary O'Neill. Titusville. Pa,
years.; supreme trustee. Miss Alicia
trustee, Miss M. f. Gallagher, Port Jervis,
N. Y. auditor, 2 years, trustee IA years-1t
years: supreme trustee, Miss Julia A
Ward. Chicago, ILL.,, guard 2 years, trustee
10 years-12 years; supreme trustee, Miss
X. Ganchran, Cleveland. o., guard 2 years,
second vice-president 2 years, trustee il
years-14 years; supreme trustee, Miss
Elizabeth Burns, New York, 6 years: SUI
preme auditor, Mrs. Margaret A. Farrell,
Manchester. N. H., 6 years.
The two principal offices are those OF
supreme president and supreme recorder
II will be observed that those two offices
have been held by the same officers since
the association was organized In 1864
period of seventeen years-and ii would
seem on the general principle of rotation
In Office, if no other reason could he adj
duced, that a change In these offices would
commend itself to thinking delegates.
That the Ladies' Catholic R~enevoleat
Association is managed with extravagance
Is apparent on a superficial glance at
the official reports. In the report of the
supreme president, given at st. Paul. In
the association is given out at fifty cents
per member.
an the year 1906 the cost of Management
had leaped to seventy-seven cents per
member.
"The cost of management per member
may be easily determined by dividing the
total cost of management by the total
membership. The total cost of manage
men for the year 1905 is given in the
Fraternal Leader, the official leader Of
the association, as $72, 962. "a. The total
membership Is given in the same number
as 94,439. This maxi a total cost per
member of ~seventy-seven cents, an In
oroa ~ IA nar paDf nNor tho mot In