Evening star., 1907-10-22

nothing per year. Now the tendency o.
the time is in the opposite direction. Ex
perlence and past service are a handicap
to election, and under the retroactive con
struction of the bylaws even a bar tc
eligibility. The theory seems to be thai
the position of director is no longer mere
ly an opportunity to work, which the
board should force upon the men who
among all the members are best fitted to
do the best work for it, but had become
4 personal honor which is to be passed
around among as many men as possible
in the shortest time. for their personal
and selfish enjoyment.
II do not think that past service in the
board of directors should either compel
a members perfunctory rejection or be
a bar to eligibility to reelection. | th.ni,
the board should have the privilege of
voting for the two best directors, new or
cd, who appear among the nominees. and
should not be barred from electing any
body who is thought by a majority of
the voters to be the right man for the
place. I think it is foolish for the board
to pass self-denying ordinance; to
limit itself; to tie its own hands in the
matter.
Should Be No Prohibition.
"Re-elect:on was the rule and a new
election the exception in the past. 1t
may be we'll to make rejection the ex-
ception and new election the rule; but
the members of the board should not alb
solutely prohibit themselves from voting
for reelection when the interests of the
board demand it.
"A director of two terms service may be
serving his first term as president of the
board. Such man. though highly efficient
in that capacity. would under the retro
active construction of the amendment be
absolutely barred by the expiration of his
term as director from serving another
term IS president though every member
OF the board might conCede that it was
to the boards interest to re-elect him.
Should the vote of fifty or sixty mem
bers last December be construed or per-
mitted to forbid the seven hundred mem
bers of the board from voting for any one
member the list of existing directors,
terms. as follows: John Joy Edison,
Abram p. Pardon, Archibald Greenlaes,
George II. Harries, James B. Lambie,
Thomas p. Morgan, Crosby S. Noyes,
William Fl. Saunders, Ellis Spear. w. P.
Van Wickle. whose terms expire this
year; or the following, whose terms ex-
pire in 1908: Adds B. Browne, Albert F.
FOX William G. Henderson, E. Southard
Parker. Cuno II. Rudolph. William II.
singleton, Thomas w. Smith, George
Truesdell, John NJ. Wilson and 8. w
Woodward; or these, whose terms expire
in 1869: Scott c. Bone, William 7. Calf
her, Robert N. Harper. John B. Larner
theodore w. Noyes, r. Ross Perry Fred
eric l.. Siddons. J. H. Small, tr., Brainard
II. Warner and John l.. Weaver?
The board doubtless does wisely to
profit by the enthusiasm and activity CT
It's new blood, but it will not act wisely
If it docs not also profit by the counsels
of experience and long service, by retain
ing whether they wish 1t or not, d certain
proportion of the older and more ex-
hlt-c IL,
A Future Difficulty.
The difficulty hereafter, however the
bylaws may be made to read, will be in
getting old directors, for whom ma
jority of the board would surely vote, to
run the gauntlet of reelection after it
has been intimated to them that their
services are not appreciated, and that
they are viewed as obStructing the way
or other men who are entitled to their
places. If director has not made good
do not think he ought to be considered
Tor even one successive term. If he has
made good. and is willing to remain l do
not think the board should be prohibit ed
from voting for him.
1T Is wholesome thing for interest to
be shown in the elections; for many
nominations to be made. both of old and
new members, and then for the board
absolutely unrestricted in it's choice, to
select the ten men, new and old, who
lest represent the opinions, wishes and
enthusiasm of a majority of the board.
What the Board of Trade has accom-
plished has been largely due to persistent
continuity of policy, to patient labors year
after year in the same direction and in
large measure, for several seasons in sue
cession, by the same individuals This
policy has had the effect of cumulative
force consistently applied for the good of
Washington, and, in view of the excel
lent results achieved, 1t seems plain that
there should now be no radical change in
the manner of selecting the agents for
carrying on the work"