Evening journal., 1912-04-11
DIR. BOWERS
THE PRESIDENT
Succeeds DR.. Sheridan as
Head of Peninsula N. P.
Church
ELECTION COMES
AFTER FOUR BALLOTS


DR.. John 5. Bowers, the pastor OF
Allnut Church, Baltimore, president
OF the Maryland Annual Conference
OF the Methodist Protestant Church
which held its first meeting Of the
eighty-fourth session here yesterday.
II was declared by some of the old
est conference members to be the hot
test contest in their memory, and L
was not until the third ballot that
the insurgent forces, led by the Rev
Or +. H. Lewis, were broken. The
Rev. w r. Graham. pastor of Sails
bury Md Church, was their candi-
date Once il was seen that he was
losing ground, many OF the members
who had only been kept in line by the
forceful campaign waged by Dr.
Lewis, swung to Dr. Bowers, and on
the fourth ballot he led Dr. Graham
by II votes, having then, however
only two more than were necessary
10 election.
In determined effort TO put their
ticket through, the insurgents had
managed to keep the regular forces
split among several candidates. Even
the announcement by Or. Phillips
that he was not a candidate failed TO
change them. only one vote being lost
by him on the fourth ballot.
Dr. Bowers, who looks much like
President Taft was then escorted to
the rOstrum.
For the last time the Rev Dr. John
NJ Sheridan presided. For five years
ne has been president OF the confer
ence, but he retires this year by time
unit The secretarys report and the
announcement of standing committees
were listened TO In a perfunctorv
manner EVERYBODY was on edge for
lhe announcement of the balloting for
president. The crack of the presi.
dents gavel at the conclusion of the
reports brought an instant silence
over the auditorium.
As TO Time Limit.
Are you ready to ballot for nresi-
denty' asked DR.. Sheridan.
Immediately the question was asked
whether the three-year limit that a
previous conference suggested should
pe placed on the time a president
could serve would 90 into effect with
this election.
The parliamentarians of the con.
ference, the Rev. Dr. Thomas II Lewis
and the Rev. DR.. +. r. Little. took is
sue with the ruling of President Sheri-
dan, contending the previous action
was merely an expression of opinion
and not binding. II was finally de-
cided that the conference could choose
Whatever limit under five years II
saw ft. Due to the keenness of the
contest II was moved that the roll
be called and the mon como 10 Inc
altar and deposit their ballots
Az ihr ha llAfs. a
that the clever engineering of DIR
Lewis. who was backing Or. Graham
against Dr. Bowers. had succeeded n
splitting the opposition ticket. Il wa,
freely contended some of the sun.
porters OF Dr. Bowers that DR. Phil.
lips and Dr. Haddaway had beer
brought into the contest merely fol
the purpose OF splitting the Bowers
contingent
The Eastern Shoremon were all
most solidly for Dr. Graham. and the
clever management of Dr. Lewis in
splitting the ticket caused the first
ballot to be ineffective. There wer,
seven candidates ON the first ballot
but even with this lead Dr. Graham
ran three behind DR. Bowers. who re
ceived 103 of the 227 votes cast.
On the second ballot there were bu
three candidates. DIR. Bowers pulled
mp eight votes. there being 227 ballots
cast. with ia necessary 10 elect DR.
Bowers got Ill, DR. Graham 104 ant
Dr Phillips. 10
The third ballot showed that tht
tide had begun to turn. Or. Bower
held his own aud gathered an addi
tional vote Dr. Graham fell bacl
two. The Phillips contingent stoo,
pat. Il looked like "A deadlock, when
AT the suggestion Of a delegate. DI
Phillips reiterated his announcement
that he was not a candidate. This hal
but little effect as only one maj
changed from Or Phillips ON tn
fourth ballot in which 222 votes wer
cast Dr. Bowers received ia, ID
Graham falling back to 97
Or Bowers was declared elected b
DR. Sheridan. who. In stepping froi
the chair, paid final tribute to Oh
support given him by the conferenc
and besought the same support for ID
Bowers.
AS the retiring president turned
DR. Bowers with the gavel, DR.. Bower
was given a rousing welcome by th
conference
81 come to you not as stranger
said he. for 81 years ago I presente
myself to you, trusting TO the grea
Head Of the Church for that wisdoI
which comes from Him. 7 promise I
do my best
The first act of the new presiden
was to take up the application of th
retiring president that he be excuse
TO attend the funeral of his brother
in-law. This was granted
Following the heated contest 70
president the Rev w. S Phillips. q
Newark. n. who for II years ha
acted as secretary of the conference
was unanimously reelected.
J. ;. Straughn Assistant.
To shut on any further election tn
conference adjourned lmmediatel
upon his election Dr. Phillips name
the Rev. S. Straughn, pastor d
Broadway Church. Baltimore, as hi
hrst assistant. Mr. Straughn ha
served in that capacity ever since ID
Phillips was first elected.
In nc gentle terms. DIR Sheridan r,
icrred to the assassination of III
Local Option bill by the Marylan
Legislature IN his report at the morr
ing service
The report showed that 30 charg,
had increased their pastors salarl,