The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-05-16
ATTACK ON FARM EXTENSION WORK ENDS IN DEFEAT
Edward A. 0'NeaI Succeeds Charles w. Rittenbour As
 President
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD
Montgomery. Ala, May 1I

Charles w. Rittenbour of Montgom cry, president of the Alabama farm bureau federation was defeated for reelection by Edward A. O'Neal of Florence at the closing session of the federation Tuesday afternoon, This put opponents of the present policy of the federation officials into complete control of the organization. Mir. O'Neal received 40 votes to 21 for MT. Rittenbour.
 With the defeat of Mr Rittenbour the controversy between the fedora tion and the farm extension service at Auburn was brought to an end.
 Mr. Rit.enbour and Roy (, Bishop. secretary manager, in public state ment recently charged that l.. N. Duncan. director of the extension work, had changed his policy of CO., operation into policy of domination.
 Mir. O'Neal. who was vice. president and member of the board of direc- tors of the federal ton. took thes sside of Mr. Duncan and contended that the charges brought against the ex- tension service were improper.
 To Name Bishops Successor.
 The board of directors will name the successor of Mir Bishop as secre tary-manager The defeat of MT Rittenbour had been expected as test votes at the opening session Monday indicated that supporters of the pol icy of the farm extension service were far in the majority. MT. ONeal was nominated for pres i ident by s. r. Storrs of Elmore coun- ty, while MT. Ri,tenbour was nomi-
 mated by D. D. Jayne of Baldwin
 county. When the result was an
 nounced after the secret ballot, presi-
 don't Rittenbour welded the chair to i MT O'Neal and shook his hand. The | federation adopted resolution
 thanking President Rittenbour for his
 fairness while presiding over the | meeting. eHa4a
 John R. Witt of Limestone county
 was elected first vice president as
 the successor of MT, O'Neal. R. F.. l Groom of Conecuh county was named l second vice p' csdtnt.
 | The federation also voted to in- cl ease the membership in the board of directors from five to nine ana ! the following persons were named 10
 membership on the board: President O'Neal. vtce-nresidents Wltt ,,inn ana | Groom, John s. Kernachan of Flor- cnce C. w. Rittenbour s. r. storrs
 uf Elmore w. Beasley of Pickens; J. Ilcyd Abbott of Mobile and T. J..
 whatley of Lee. c. Kirkpatrick or Selma and w. G. Ueebles of Limestone were named deleSateS to lHe aHiu" meeting of the American farm bureau l federation.
 one of the last acts of the fedora ton was to adopt a resolution urging i the legislature to place severance tax on all minerals and natural re-
 sources of the state. Dill ieNylne the tax Is pending In the legislature and has been submitted to the recess finance committee for recommenda- | tion.
 IndOrse Ford's offer.
 | Henry Fords offer for Muscle l Shoals also was indorsed and the ha- tlonal government was urged to ac- cept the proposal at the earliest pos | inle moment.
 Work of the recess committee on agriculture and of J, M Moore, com
 missioner of agriculture, was In dorged.
 The battle between the outgoing administration and incoming admin
 istration continued to the end of the
 meeting. A resolution was offered l prohibiting the payment of more ! than 5000 as salary to the secre tary- manager and $2.400 to the presl-
 dent of the federation, but It was defeated by vote of 20 to '. A reso- mtion requiring the notification of all county farm bureaus when salaries are increased also was defeated The constitution was amended so as to provide that any member or the federation who becomes a candl- date for public office. shall auto matically lose his membership. l During the meeting D. D. Jayne or Baldwin county charged that Dr. Spright Dowell president of the Ala bama Polytechnic institute. had de- clined to permit him to examine the expense accounts of the extension service. He said he went to Auburn in an effort to obtain the intorma- tIon after he had failed at the capitol and that Dr. Dowell personally de- nlinod tn nermit the examination.