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American ^Philatelist
Vol. IX.
. . . and Year Book of the ...
American Philatelic Association,
I
;. $. fj_lfcr«cl\t 2c fo.,
90 Nassau $t., J^«W ^©rl$ ^>ifjj.
. . . publications ...
Pocket Catalogue of the U. S. Stamps, bound in cloth, third issue, January, 1896, price'25 cents.
Copies of first and second issue together for 10 cents.
To compare the prices of the U. S. stamps quoted in the two catalogues is of great interest to collectors, and will readily convince them that the stamps of our country will always prove to be a good investment.
* Vest Pocket Catalogue of the Stamps of British North America and the West Indies, third issue (May, 1895), bound in cloth, 25 cents.
Stamp Holder, vest pocket size ; a most useful little receptacle for safe-keeping of stamps in your pocket ; price 15 cents.
Surpassing Hinges. — The best thing in the market. Price 15 cents per 1,000. All careful collectors use them. (We are now prepared to quote wholesale prices to the trade.)
.Examination Department. — Send for circular.
Approval Sheet Department. — Our sheets and books are priced according to our own views of the value of our stamps — some far below, some higher, however, than catalogue prices. Many collectors have told us that the biggest bargains they ever found on our sheets were just such stamps as we had marked above the usual cata- logue prices, because our doing so convinced them that these stamps would rise consid , erably— which always proved to be, correct. All stamps on our sheets are in Al condition and belong to the class of stamps which steadily increase in value and which dealers in general are not over-anxious to sell. Write us, giving satisfactory reference if unknown to us and we shall be pleased to serve you.
. . . f*Jucfion ^ales . . .
'Our auction record is unprecedented on both sides of the water, and parties wishing to offer for public competition their collection of stamps or single rarities are invited to correspond with us. Our facilities for reaching bona fide buyers are unsurpassed and the good results achieved at our sales are acknowledged by all the owners of the stamps thus marked. We have compiled an Epitome of the prices being realized during the four seasons (1892-1895), which has been unanimously received with much praise by the philatelic press and collectors. The president of > the American Philatelic Society, the world-renowned philatelist, Mr. John K. Tiffany, wrote us in reference to the book : " It is not often that I speod an hour and a half upon a catalogue for the pleasura of it. I want to have them so that I can sit down and look anything up when it interests me to do so, as is often the case. - But I confess I did look the Epitome carefully through, for there are auctions and auctions, and manipulations and manipulations, and catalogue values and I know rot what all, that only go to show what might be or what is desired to be, and not as this book does — what is and is not on the square ! I am really much obliged for the copy and have learned no little from it."
The whole secret of our success in the Auction Department could not be pointed out much plainer : — Our sales are fair and square Auctions, and not manipulations, and col- lectors knowing this by their own experience send us bids by the score; consequently sellers and buyers alike are best served by patronizing our sales. If your name is not on our mailing list write us. For any information you wish to receive in the stamp line write to
R- W' fJIbr<JCr\f Sr ^>0., No. 90 Nassau St., ^f«W |^OP^ ^if^.
THE
AMERICAN PHILATELIST
Annual Number, February, 1896.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
President, J. K. TIFFANY, 421 Security Building, St. Louis, Mo.
Vice-President, ALVAH DAVISON, 176 Broadway, New York, N. Y.
Secretary, C. W. KISSINGER, Reading, Pa.
Treasurer, N. W. CHANDLER, Collinsville, Ills.
International Secretary, W. C. STONE, 384 Union St., Springfield, Mass.
APPOINTIVE OFFICERS:
Purchasing, Sales and Exchange Manager, G. D. Mekeel, Station C, St. Louis, Mo. Literary Exchange Manager, Dr. G. N. Campbell, Hopkinsville, Ky. Counterfeit Detector, J. W. Scott, 40 John St., New York, N. Y. Librarian, H. E. Deats, Flemington, N. J.
INTRODUCTORY.
Immediately after the adjournment of the Convention at Clayton, on the 16th of August last, the Official Board was called together, all the members being present, was duly organized, and appointed the several officers named above. It was thought by the Board that the wave of harmony which had rolled over the Convention might have swept away the objections of Mr. J. D. Bice to taking up the burden again that he had borne so heroically and successfully, and the Secretary was therefore instructed to tender, in be- half of the Board, the appointment of Chairman of the Literary Board to Mr. Bice, and the naming of the other members was postponed for the time being. The correspondence that en- sued spread over so long a period, for various reasons, that the Board finalrv adopted, and the President certified on December 2, 1895, the following reso- lutions:
Whereas, the appointment of Chair- man of the Literary Board was ordered by resolution of the Official Board, at their meeting at Clayton, N. Y., to be tendered to Mr. J. D. Bice of Trenton, N. J., and, after considerable corre- spondence with him. the Secretary re- ports that Mr. Bice is still unwilling to accept the appointment;
And, whereas, the time for issuing the annual number of the American Philatelist is at hand, and the Official Beport of the Convention and list of members are ready for the printer; be it resolved, that the annual number for 1895 consist only of said matter, in- cluding the papers read by Mr. Mekeel and Mr. Krauth before the Convention, and that the manuscript be put in the hands of the Mekeel Printing Com- pany and printed at once. '(Signed.)
JOHN K. TIFFANY,
President.
ALVAH DAVISON,
Vice-President.
CLIFFOED W. KISSINGEE,
Secretary.
N. W. CHANDLER,
Treasurer.
W. C. STONE,
International Secretarv.
It was found, however, upon getting the estimate of the cost of printing the lengthy manuscript, that an unusual burden would be imposed upon the Treasury of the Association, and an ar- rangement was made by which the printer, with the assistance of the Treasurer, undertook to solicit the usual advertisements, and though this has somewhat delayed the publication, the success met with will, we think, justify the delay. It was then decided to improve the interval by a revision of the lists of members, so as to present the names of all persons who have, at any time, been stockholders of the As- sociation, and at the same time indi- cate all those who, for any cause, have ceased to be members, and those who are now in good standing, separately. This, we regret, is the more necessary, as there are persons who still persist in signing or otherwise representing themselves to be members of the Asso- ciation, who, though at some time con- nected with the original Society, have never been stockholders of the Associa- tion, or having formerly been stock- holders, have long since severed their connection with lis.
All these things have taken, and must necessarily take time, but the work has not been neglected. Force of circumstances has thus caused the present number to be prepared with- out the aid of a Literary Board, and we hope that the result will demon- strate, as "has often been asserted in Convention, that the work can be done quite as well by the Official Board and at no greater expense than under the former arrangement, necessitated by the publication of other matter than such official matter as must necessarily be prepared by those in charge of the several departments, so that at the next Convention regulations may be adopted providing for the publication in the same manner as this Annual. The Board could then prepare for the issue beforehand, and it could be in the hands of members much sooner.
The prominent events in the history of the philatelic world, while they have a marked influence upon the action of our Conventions, rarely are very con-
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
spicuously presented in the reports of our proceedings. The year 1894-95 was far from an uneventful one; in fact, in some respects, it was an era of revolutions in the entire philatelic world. The attendance at the Conven- tion, the unusually elaborate pro- gramme of the Entertainment Commit- tee, the generous financial provision made in response to their call for carrying out their plan, show very con- clusively that the general depression of business interests in the United States have but slightly affected, and by no means diminished the interest of our members in our pursuit. The somewhat too intense interest taken in the election of our Directory for the present year culminated at the Con- vention in a demonstration of the read- iness of all parties to lay aside mere personal considerations for the general good of the Association, however warmly we may have advocated our own views; while another proof was thereby furnished of the importance of these annual conferences, in the preservation of mutual good under- standing.
The interest taken in the discussion upon the indorsement of the Society for the Suppression of Speculative Stamps, and the action taken to de- termine the exact character of certain stamps alleged to be fraudulent, and brought to our attention by the Yertrauliclies Korrespondenz-Blatt, all go to show that the collectors of the pres- ent day do not intend to be hood- winked, and are resolved to take the most effective means to guarantee the character, both of their specimens and their members.
The manifest tendency of the times is towards specialism. Collectors of each nation naturally are most inter- ested in the stamps of their own country. It might be supposed, therefore, that the bonds which have been bringing- all tog-ether would be- come loosened as each became more ab- sorbed in his specialty. There were j>robably few of those who were pres- ent at Clayton who had much direct personal interest in the character either of Seebecks or French Colonials.. It is the more gratifying, therefore, that all were prompt to stand together to assist those who do take a personal interest in those particular specialties, and that thus is brought forcibly to the foreground the advantage of the maintenance of strong associations. Many a day, and even year, may pass
and no particularly marked result may be accomplished by any one society, but when emergencies arise there is the organization ready to act, without waste of time in organizing.
The most satisfactory feature was, perhaps, the readiness with which it was shown the different organizations could and would act together. The work of relegating unnecessary and fraudulent varieties to the proper ob- livion is only outlined as yet. Stamj) societies cannot, and probably will not, attempt to control individiial tastes and proclivities, but they can, and will, form a public opinion which will ulti- mately determine the relative interest and importance of the various kinds of stamps, and specialties, just as the art societies have crystalized opinion as to the relative importance of the various schools of painting and stat- uary, or the relative merit of the can- vas, the fresco, the steel engraving, lithograph and chromo.
The work so well carried on by that union of societies that finds its expres- sion in the Yertrauliclies Eorrespondcws- Blatt, will assume more and more im- portance and command more and more interest. That these societies of three different nations should have been in- terested in the same question, is a fea- ture of the year. Of the personal character of the collector or dealer, ex- cept so far as it effects his character as a stamp-man or his standing in the stamp world, the societies, as such, have, perhaps, little right to inquire, but each society has a right to know whether, as a collector or dealer, each of its members is truthful, careful, honest, alike in his statements, with hils specimens, and in his financial transactions. It is a g'ood sign of pro- gress that other societies have beg*un to hold each society responsible for the "stamp character" of its members, and that the societies ai'e willing' to coun- sel.each other in such matters.
If we are not mistaken in these con- clusions, the following record of the Convention of 1895, may show us more clearly than ever, the good that may be accomplished in the near future, and the possibilities of obtaining' more marked results by a more thorough prosecution of our work by ourselves and in conjunction with our sister so- cieties.
For the Official Board.
JOHN K. TIFFANY, President American Philatelic Associa- tion.
BY-LAWS OF THE AMERICAN PHILATELIC ASSOCIATION.
(Incorporated January 20, 1S92, under the Laws of West Virginia.)
As adopted at its Seventh Annual Convention, August 15, 16 and 17, 1892, and amended at its Tenth Aanual Convention, August 13-16, 1895.
AKTICLE I.— Capital Stock.
Section 1. Every certificate of stock issued by this Association shall be for a single share only, and shall be sub- ject to the following' terms and condi- tions, which shall be expressed upon its face : That the holder thereof has agreed with the Association and ac- cepted the said certificate with the un- derstanding- that it can be issued or transferred only to a person who has been duly elected a member of the As- sociation in the manner provided by its By-Laws, and who is not the holder of any other share or certificate of its capita] stock. That no transfer of said stock or the certificate thereof shall be valid unless made upon the books of the Association and signed by the member transferring- the same, or his lawful attorney, and attested by the Secretary, and upon return of the outstanding- certificate, which shall be canceled and filed by the Secretary. That the holder is liable for the pay- ment to the Association of the annual dues provided for by the By-Laws, un- til the said stock and certificate is surrendered to the Association, and is not entitled to vote said stock so long- as he is in any manner indebted to the Association. * That the Association has a first lien on the said stock and all increments thereof for all indebt- edness of the holder to the Association and that no transfer thereof shall be permitted so long as the holder is so indebted to the Association; and that the possession of said certificate shall not be regarded as evidence of the own- ership of the holder, or his right to participate as a stockholder, unless it appears upon the books of the Associa- tion that all said conditions have been duly complied with. That the own- ership of said stock shall at all times be subject to the provisions of the By- Laws.
Sec. 2. Every certificate of stock shall be signed by the President and
countersigned by the Secretarj-, and sealed with the corporate seal of the Association, and shall be duly num- bered and entered in the stock book to be kept by the Secretary for that pur- pose.
ARTICLE II.— Membership.
Section 1. Any person may become a member of this Association by filing with its General Secretary an applica- tion in the form prescribed from time to time, signed by at least two members of the Association, and accompanied by the sum of one dollar, for a certifi- cate of stock, and the amount of the dues for the remainder of the fiscal year (ending Aug. 31), the whole to be refunded if admission is refused; and if the applicant has not attained the age of twenty-one years he must ac- company his application with a guar- antee from some responsible person that the guarantor will be responsible for the proper fulfillment of the appli- cant's promises and obligations to the Association, in case the applicant is admitted. The General Secretary shall cause the name and address of each applicant, his references and guaran- tor, to be published in the next Official Circular sent to members, and if no objection to his admission shall be re- ceived by the Board of Vice-Presidents within one month after such publica- tion, the applicant shall be considered elected. In case the Board of Vice- Presidents shall receive any ob- jection to the admission of any appli- cant, they shall notify the General Secretary thereof, and proceed to in- vestigate the case, and accept or re- ject the applicant, in their discretion, and shall certify their decision to the General Secretary, who shall thereupon proceed accordingly.
Sec. 2. As it is important to the well-being and prosperity of this As- sociation that all members thereof should be persons of good repute, every person applying for admission
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
thereto agrees to become subject to such rules of discipline as may be pro- vided by the By-Laws from time to time. All charges of improper con- duct on the part of any member of the Association shall be addressed in writ- ing to the Board of Vice-Presidents, who shall investigate and determine the same under such rules as they may prescribe; and they may, in their judgment, suspend or expel such mem- ber and require him to surrender his stock, if he be a stockholder, and their action shall be final and binding on all parties. Should the Board of Vice- Presidents deem it advisable, they may, however, certify the case for consider- ation to the next Convention of the As- sociation, giving notice of their inten- tion to do so in the Official Journal, and such Convention shall have the same powers in the case as the Board of Vice-Presidents.
Sec. 3. The dues of all stockholders shall be one dollar per annum, payable annually in advance, on the first day of September, when the fiscal year shall commence. New members shall pay dues for the remainder of the year only, computed from the beginning of the month in which they shall have been elected. No other assessment or dues shall be exacted of any stock- holder, except by the amendment of this section of the By-Laws in Conven- tion or other general meeting.
Sec. 4. In case any member fails to pay the annual dues within thirty days from the time the same are due, the Treasurer shall notify such delin- quent member, and xmless such dues are paid, or the stockholder presents his resignation, and surrenders his certificate of stock, within thirty days thereafter, his name shall be stricken from the roJJs, and his stock declared forfeited to the Association. Anv stockholder whose name shall have been stricken from the rolls for non- payment of dues, may, on the payment of all back dues, be re-instated and have his stock re-issued to him, at the discretion of the Secretary, who, may, however, refer any case of doubt to the Board of Vice-Presidents, whose decision shall be final in the matter.
Sec. 5. Any stockholder in good standing may at any time tender his resignation to the Secretary, and sur- render his stock certificate to the As- sociation. All resignations received by the Secretary shall be published in the next Official Circular, and if no objections are received within one month of the date of the publication, they shall be duly accepted by him, to take effect from the date of their re- ceipt, but no stockholder will be per- mitted to resign while indebted to the
Association. In case the Secretary is in doubt as to the advisability of ac- cepting- the resignation of any stock- holder, he shall refer the matter to the Board of Vice-Presidents, who shall have power to decide the case, and, if they deem advisable, to prescribe con- ditions on which the resignation shall be accepted.
No stockholder of the Association who has not attained the age of twenty-one years shall be eligible to any office.
AETICLE III.— Meetings.
Section 1. The annual meeting of the stockholders of this Association, to be designated as the Annual Conven- tion, shall be held each year at such date and at such place, within or with- out the State of West Virginia, as may have been selected by the last preced- ing Annual Convention, and the publi- cation in the Official Circular of the proceedings of the Convention, nam- ing such time and place, shall be deemed sufficient notice of such meet- ing; but the President shall also cause a call for the Annual Convention, stat- ing the time and locality of the con- vening thereof, to be published in the number of the Official Circular issued next prior to the holding of such Con- vention.
Sec. 2. Special meetings of the stock- holders of this Association may be called by the Official Board, or by one- tenth of the stockholders of this As- sociation. Notice thereof shall be mailed to each stockholder, at his last known address, at least thirty days be- fore the date fixed for holding said meeting, and a copy of such notice shall be published in the number of the Official Circular issued next be- fore the time of holding' such meeting.
Sec. 3. If in the opinion of the Board of Directors it should be advisable at any time, or in case one-tenth of the stockholders so request, the President shall call for a general vote of the shareholders upon any desired ques- tion. Notice that such call has been issued shall be given in the number of the Official Circular published next before the date when the vote is to be counted. The vote should be in the form designated by the President, with the assent of the Board of Vice-Presi- dents. The call and the form shall each state the tinje and place at which the count is to take place, and a copy of each shall be mailed to every per- son appearing upon the books of the Association as entitled to vote as a stockholder thirty days before the vote is to be counted. The vote shall be signed by the stockholder and sent to
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
the Board of Vice-Presidents; and no vote shall be counted unless in the form prescribed, and sig-ned by stockholders at the date when the call was mailed. Any stockholder shall have the right to be present and witness the count. The result shall be certified by the Vice-Presidents to the President, who shall announce the result in the next number of the Official Circular. A majority of the votes cast shall deter- mine the question submitted, but the By-Laws can be amended only as here- inafter provided.
Sec. 4. All stockholders of the As- sociation who are present at any of its meetings shall be entitled to partici- pate in the proceedings ; but only those not indebted to the Association shall be entitled to vote in person, or by proxy, at any Annual Convention, at any called meeting-, or upon any ques- tion submitted to a general vote.
Sec. 5. A quorum for the transac- tion of business at any convention or special meeting-, shall consist of one- half the stockholders there repre- sented in person or by proxy; but the By-Laws can be amended only as here- inafter provided.
Sec. 6. No Director of this Associa- tion shall be permitted to act for or vote as proxy for any other stockholder of this Association.
Sec. 7. No stockholder of this As- sociation shall be permitted to act for or vote as proxy for more than fifty other stockholders at any Annual Con- vention thereof.
Sec. 8. At all meetings of the Asso- ciation, all questions of order and par- liamentary law shall be determined by reference to Roberts' Pules of Order.
Sec. 9. At the Annual Convention of the Association the President shall appoint the following Standing Com- mittees, of three members each: Cre- dentials. Standing- Rules, Finances, Li- brary, Exchange and Purchasing De- partment, Official Journal, Branch Societies, and a Committee of five mem- bers, of which the President shall be ex-officio Chairman, on the By-Laws. The following shall be the order of business:
I. Call to order.
II. Appointment of Committees on Credentials and Standing Rules.
III. Announcement of opening of the Polls.
TV. Recess and Election.
V. Report of Committee on Stand- ing Rules.
VI. Report of Committee on Cre- dentials.
VII. Roll Call.
VIII. Reading- of Minutes.
IX. Reports of Officers.
X. Communications. XL Unfinished Business.
XII. New Business.
XIII. Reports of Standing- Commit- tees.
XIV. Adjournment.
Sec. 10. At all special meetings of the Association, the President shall appoint such of the foregoing commit- tees as are necessary, and the foregoing Order of Business shall be followed so far as the necessities of the occasion will permit.
ARTICLE IV.— Directors.
Section 1. The Board of Directors of this Association shall be designated as the Official Board, and shall consist of nine members who shall all be citi- zens of the United States.
Sec. 2. Each Director shall be a stockholder of the Association, and shall hold his office until the close of the next Annual Convention and until his successor shall have qualified. At least three of their number shall be col- lectors and not dealers by profession. And at least six of their number shall be residents of different States.
Sec. 3. Immediately after the an- nual election of Directors, those chosen shall proceed to choose from their number a President, First, Sec- ond and Third Vice-Presidents, Secre- tary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, International Secretary, and Super- intendent of Purchasing, Sales and Exchanges, and to select such officers as are required by the By-Laws to be appointed by the Official Board.
Sec. 4. The Board of Directors shall meet at such times as they from time to time determine, or whenever called together by the President by a notice addressed to each Director at his last known address, by mail or telegraph, a sufficient time beforehand to enable him to reach the place of meeting. Three members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Sec. 5. The objects of this Associa- tion requiring that its Directors shall be residents of different States, in order to facilitate the transaction of busi- ness and provide for a rapid decision of questions requiring the action of the Official Board of this Association, the stockholders direct that instead of convening in a meeting, the following proceeding's may be had: Whenever any member of the Board shall desire to submit any matter for their action, he shall reduce the same to writing, in the form of a motion, and mail a copy thereof, upon a sepa- rate sheet of paper, to each member of
6
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
the Board. Any comments or obser- vations he may desire to make thereon must be on a different sheet. Upon the reception of such motion each member shall write upon the bottom or back thereof his decision for or against the same, or any correction or amendment thereof he may wish to make, and forward the same by return mail to the President, who shall, in case any amendment shall be offered, forthwith mail, or cause to be mailed, a copy of the motion as amended to each member of the Board, who shall return the same by return mail, with his vote for or against the same, or the expression of his preference for the original motion. The President shall, upon receiving- the votes of the other members, certify to the Secretary the result, accompanying the certificate with the original votes. The Secre- tary shall file the same and record the vote, notifying the other members of the Board of the result.
Sec. 6. The Official Board shall ex- ercise a general supervision over the affairs of the Association and all its officers; may make rules for the con- duct of business in the several depart- ments not inconsistent with these By- Laws; may require special reports from any officer from time to time; may remove any officer appointed by them, as provided by statute, fill any vacancy in their own number arising from any cause except removal by stockholders, as provided by statute, and generally manage and control the business of the Association, as pro- vided by law.
AETICLE V— Duties of Directors.
Section 1- President. — The Presi- dent, in addition to the general duties of his office, shall preside at all meet- ings of the Association, appoint all committees, sign all certificates of stock and membership cards, and all warrants on the Treasurer for moneys required by the Association, as well as contracts, deeds, bonds, notes and other obligations entered into by the Asso- ciation. Prior to each Annual Con- vention he shall issue the call therefor, as provided for in Article III., Section 1, and shall appoint a Committee of Arrangements to provide suitable rooms and make other preparations for holding said meeting, the expenses incurred by such Committee in the performance of their duties to be de- frayed from the General Fund of the Association. At each Annual Conven- tion he shall address the Association on such matters of interest as he shall determine.
Sec. 2. Vice-Presidents. — The First Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the President in case of the absence, death or inability of the President. He shall preside over the Board of Vice-Presidents, which shall decide all questions arising as to the admission of applicants for membership, as provided in Article II., Section 1; all questions of discipline, as provided in Article II., Sections 2, 4 and 5, and all other disputes and dif- ficulties between members or officers of the Association, and their decision of all such matters shall be final. They shall see that proper notices of all elec- tions, meeting's, nominations, forms, etc., are sent to members as provided in these By-Laws. They shall keep a "black list" of all individuals known to have ever dealt in counterfeit stamps, or aided in their production; and it shall be their duty to give any information, in their possession in re- gard thereto, to any member of the As- sociation who shall ask therefor. The Vice-Presidents shall keep a list of "bad debtors" for the same purpose. They shall charge members fifteen cents for each copy of said list, the amount to be paid for in advance. The Board of Vice-Presidents shall make a full report of their proceedings to the Annual Convention.
Sec. 3. Secretary. — The Secretary, in addition to the ordinary duties of his office, shall keep a true record of all proceedings of the Association and Board of Directors, conduct all corre- spondence, have the custody of and preserve all documents, have custody of the corporate seal of the Association, seal all documents required to be sealed therewith, keep proper books of issue and transfer of stock certificates, issue all stock certificates and receipts, countersign, register and attest all documents signed by the President. He shall, under the supervision of the President, edit and publish monthly the Official Circular; provided that if there shall be a disagreement between the President and Secretary as to the advisability of the publication of any matter, such matter shall be sub- mitted to the Official Board. He shall also receive all applications for mem- bership, make publication thereof in the Official Circular, and conduct all correspondence in reference thereto, as provided in Article II., Sec- tion 1, and notify applicants of their election. He shall furnish a copy of the Charter and By-Laws and the list of members of the Association to each member in good standing. He shall receive all resignations and applica- tions for re-instatement, etc., as pro-
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
vided in Article II., Sections 4 and 6, and perform all such other duties as are incident to his office. He shall pay all funds collected by him from any source to the Treasurer each month. He shall perpare and present to each Annual Convention, and to any special meeting-, when so required by the Of- ficial Board, or the stockholders calling the same, the general report of the condition of the Association, required by law to be made by the Directors. He shall cause to be published in each number of the Official Circular, in ad- dition to the list of applications, resig- nations, etc.. of members, a report of all proceedings of the Board of Direc- tors, or of the Association, since his last published report. He shall at all times be subject to the direction of the President or Directors in the perform- ance of his duties. He shall be paid all transportation expenses to and from the Convention, and $5.00 per day dur- ing the session.
Sec. 4. Assistant Secretary. — The Assistant Secretary shall perform all the duties of the Secretary in case of the death, absence or inability of the Secretary and shall perform such parts of the duties of Secretary as shall be agreed upon between them.
Sec. 5. Treasurer. — The Treasurer shall receive and take charge of all moneys, property and securities of the Association, and shall report to the Secretary monthly the balance in his hands. He shall collect all dues and make monthly reports of his receipts and disbursements, showing balance of cash on hand in each monthly cir- cular. He shall pay out no money except on warrants reg'ularly drawn on him by the President and General Sec- retary, and shall present to the Annual Convention a complete financial state- ment of the transactions of his depart- ment for the year, accompanied by the proper vouchers. He shall deposit all moneys in some bank, to be designated by the Official Board, to the account of the Association, and shall give bond to the Association in the sum of not less than $1,500, to be approved by the Official Board.
Sec. 6. International Secretary. — The International Secretary shall conduct all correspondence for the As- sociation or the Official Board, with individuals or societies in foreign countries. He shall, whenever called on to do so, assist the General Secre- tary, or any other officer of the Asso- ciation, in their correspondence con- cerning the business of the Associa- tion and their several departments. He shall perform all the duties of the Assistant Secretary whenever the lat-
ter is absent or temporarily unable to perform his duties. He shall present to the Annual Convention a full report of the jn-oceedings of his department for the year.
Sec. 7. Superintendent of Purchas- ing, Sales and Exchanges. — This offi- cer shall conduct the Purchasing, Sales ■ and Exchange Department of the Association under such rules and regu- lations as may be approved by the Official Board, the same to be an- nounced by him in the Official Circu- lar. He shall be entitled to a commis- sion of 10 per cent, on all sales, ex- changes and purchases, and pay all his own expenses. 'The Superintend- ent of Purchasing, Sales and Ex- changes shall give bond to the Asso- ciation in the sum of $20,000, to be ap- proved by the Official Board.
Sec. 8. This Association cannot and does not guarantee any member from loss sustained in the usual and custom- ary manner, in exchange of stamps among- members through the depart- ment of the Association, except in such cases where loss accrues to a member through such gross negligence or dis- honesty of an officer as would render him liable under his bond in the Asso- ciation for the amount of the loss; neither does the Association guarantee its members ag'ainst such losses as are commonly incident to the business of buying, selling and exchanging stamps. Any loss accruing to members from unavoidable accidents or the dishon- esty of a fellow member which could not reasonably have been foreseen and prevented by the officer in charge of the transaction must be borne by the member and does not constitute a claim against the Association. But, if any member sending in stamps shall pay to the Superintendent of Pur- chasing-, Sales and Exchangees the sum of one per cent, of the value of the stamps sent in as a premium for in- surance, the Association undertakes to re-imburse him after proper investiga- tion by the Board of Trustees for sixty per cent, of any losses on such stamps, as far as the fund so accumulated shall be available. All sums received for in- surance shall be turned over monthly by him to the Treasurer, who shall keep the same as a separate g-uarantee insurance fund, subject to the provis- ions of this By-Law.
Sec. 9. In case of death or resigna- tion of any member d? the Official Board the Board shall fill the vacancy, and all vacancies caused by the re- moval of a Director shall be filled by election, as provided by the statute of the State of West Virginia.
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
AETICLE VI.— Elections.
Section 1. All elections of Directors or other officers to be elected by the stockholders shall be conducted under the supervision of the Committee on Credentials, appointed by the Presi- dent for that x^urpose, which shall con- sist of three stockholders. The form of ballot to be used shall be designated by the President and approved by the Vice-Presidents, shall be signed by the stockholders voting- and enclosed in a sealed envelope inscribed "ballot," and directed to the Committee on Cre- dentials, and may be sent to the Com- mittee in any manner desired by the stockholder, and at any time before the closing of the polls for that elec- tion. At all such elections a plurality of the votes cast shall elect, but no vote shall be counted that shall not have been received before the closing of the polls, nor shall any stockholder be permitted to vote in any other than the prescribed form, or by proxy, or to change his vote after it has once been received by the committee. The sealed envelopes shall be opened only after the closing of the polls, and at the time the official count is made, and in the presence of a majority of the Com- mittee.
Sec. 2. At all elections taking place at the time of the Annual Convention the polls shall close at noon of the first day, of the Convention, and at all special elections at such time as shall be named in the call for the election.
Sec. 3. The Vice-Presidents shall cause blank forms for the ballot and proper envelopes for enclosing the same to be mailed to the last known address of each stockholder entitled to vote, at least thirty days before the date fixed for closing' the polls, and the form of the ballot shall be designated in all published notices of the election.
Sec. 4. The special elections to fill vacancies in the Official Board, pro- vided for by the statute of the State of West Virginia, in the case of the re- moval of a Director by the stock- holders, or in case of the want of a quorum of qualified Directors, shall be conducted, as far as pos- sible in the same manner as other elections; but in case the election is called by the stockholders, they may prescribe and send out the form of bal- lot, necessary envelopes for enclosing the same, and notice of the election, which shall, however, as far as possi- ble, conform to the ordinary forms in use in the Association
Sec. 5. All special elections of offi- cers to be elected by the stockholders shall be conducted in the same manner as other elections, but shall be called
by the President, and notice thereof shall be mailed to the last known ad- dress of each stockholder entitled to vote, at least thirty days prior to the date fixed for the counting of the vote, and shall be accompanied by the form of the ballot to be used, proper enve- lopes for enclosing the same, and shall designate the time and place of hold- ing- the election, the persons who are to act as Committee on Credentials, and such other information as shall facilitate the sending of the vote to the Committee.
Sec. 6. Prior to every annual or special election, nominations for the office or offices to be filled may be sent by any member of the Association to the editor of the Official Circular, and all such nominations received by him shall be published in the number of the Official Circular nearest to thirty days prior to the date for closing the polls.
AETICLE VII.— Officers.
Section 1. In addition to the nine Directors, or Official Board, the officers of this Association shall be: A Liter- ary Board, consisting- of three mem- bers; a Superintendent of Literary Exchange, a Counterfeit Detector, an Examiner of Exchangees, a Librarian, a Collecting Agent, and such Eesident and State Vice-Presidents and Auction Purchasing Agents as the Official Board may appoint.
Sec. 2. All of the officers mentioned in Section 1 of this Article shall be ap- pointed and subject to removal by the Official Board, as provided for by the laws of West Virginia, and shall make a full report of their proceedings to the Annual Convention and to the Official Board or any special meeting of the Association, when called upon so to do. Their terms shall expire when their successors shall have been appointed and qualified. In case any such officer is temporarily prevented by sickness or other cause from per- forming his duties, the Official Board may, however, in their discretion, ap- point a substitute to act during such incapacity. No expense shall be in- curred by any officer appointed by the Official Board, except for postal and express charges, until the same is authorized by the Board of Directors.
Sec. 3. Literary Board. — The Liter- ary Board shall select its own' chair- man, who shall be its editor and chief.
They shall edit the American Phil- atelist and supervise all literary pub- lications and official reports.
The American Philatelist shall be published annually and shall contain
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
9
annual reports of the officers, pro- ceedings of the Convention, list of members, by-laws and all such other official matter as the Literary Board shall determine. The Official Board shall make an annual appropriation of such sum as they see fit towards the defraying of the expenses of this publication.
Sec. 4. Superintendent of Literary Sales. — The Superintendent of Liter- ary Sales shall receive lists of such philatelic books and publications as may be desired by members of the' Association. He shall also receive lists of such philatelic books and pub- lications belonging to members as they may send him from time to time for sale at fixed prices, and he shall notify any member desiring such pub- lication from whom it can be obtained.
Members making use of this depart- ment must defray all incidental ex- penses.
Sec. 5. Auction Purchasing Agents. — The Auction Purchasing' Ag'ents shall, in person or by proxy, attend all auction sales of stamps held in their respective vicinities, and shall pur- chase for members at a commission not to exceed 5 per cent., and subject to such rules and regulations as he himself may prescribe, such stamps as these members request him to pur- chase for their account.
In no instance shall any Auction Purchasing Agent perform any act conflicting with duties of any other Auction Purchasing Agents.
Each Auction Purchasing Agent shall give bond to the Association in the sum of one hundred dollars, to be approved by the Official Board.
Sec. 6. Counterfeit Detectors. — The Counterfeit Detector shall, when called upon to do so, pronounce upon the genuineness, and, as far as he can, when asked, the value of the speci- mens sent him by member, charging therefor three cents for each specimen, up to the number of fifty sent to him at one time, and two cents for every additional specimen. For making' estimates of the value of collections, etc., he may make an agreement as to terms with the owner. Postage or expense of carriage must be in all cases defrayed by members.
Sec. 7. Examiner of Exchanges. — The Examiner of Exchanges shall pass upon the genuineness of all stamps, envelopes, post cards, etc., that may be sent to the Superintend- ent of Exchanges, before such stamps, envelopes, post cards, etc., are put up- on the exchange circuits.
All stamps, envelopes, post cards,
etc., considered counterfeit or reprint (with the exception of reprints sold by the governments originally issuing them, and receivable for postage at the time of their sale) by the Super- intendent or the Examiner of Ex- changes, shall be removed from the sheets and covers and placed in sep- arate envelopes, marked with the price or prices placed thereon and the name of the owner, and shall not be circu- lated, but returned by the Superin- tendent with the exchanges from which they were taken, and on the square on the sheet or place provided on the cover he shall stamp the words "Specimen Removed."
When a counterfeit is removed the Examiner of Exchanges shall stamp the word "Counterfeit" in indelible ink on the back of the specimen.
When a government reprint, receiv- able for postage at the time of its issue, is found on a sheet or on a cover, he shall stamp the word "reprint" be- low the square on the sheet or the place provided on the cover for the specimen.
Sec. 8. Librarian. — The Librarian shall keep a list of all works, etc., in his possession, and a record of the same.
Sec. 9. Eesident Vice-Presidents. — A Resident Vice-President shall be ap- pointed for any locality upon the re- quest of ten or more members of the Association residing therein, and for such foreign States and countries as the Official Board may deem advisable. Each Resident Vice-President shall exercise a general supervision over the section in which he resides. He shall examine the case of all applicants for membership in his vicinity and shall advise the Trustees of any reason that may exist for rejecting the application, or any conduct on the part of any member in his vicinity, that might render such person unworthy of mem- bership in the Association, and make an annual report to the Convention.
He shall call a meeting of the mem- bers in his district at least four times a year for the discussion of matters of interest to the Association and cause a report of such meetings to be published in the Official Circular.
Sec. 10. Collection Department. — The Collecting' Agent shall organize a department for the collection and settlement of any claims that may be sent him by members of this Associa- tion against any persons whatsoever, or the recovery of any stamps, etc., that they are unable to secure the re- turn of. It shall also be his duty, when so ordered by the Official Board,
10
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
to see that proper steps are taken and the proper authorities notified to se- cure the prosecution of any manu- facturer of or dealer in forged stamps, etc.
ARTICLE VIII.— Branch Societies.
Section 1. Whenever ten or more stockholders resident in the same locality, or twenty-five stockholders resident in the same State shall notify the Official Board that they have asso- ciated themselves tog-ether as a branch society, adopted a name and rules for their government, and have selected one of their number as a Resident or State Vice-President, and shall have submitted a copy of their rules to the Official Board; the Official Board, if satisfied that the formation of such branch would be advantageous to the Association and that said rules are not inconsistent with the Charter and By-Laws of the Association, shall issue a charter or certificate, under the seal of the corporation, to said stockholders that they have become a Branch or State Society, as the case may be, and shall appoint the member selected a Resident or State Vice-President, as the case may be. Such local and State Branches shall be numbered in regular order in separate series, and each society shall be known by its number, in addition to the name selected by it, provided that the name of a State Branch shall include the name of the State for which it is chartered. Any existing- local society having the requisite number of stock- holders among its members may be- come a branch society upon the same conditions.
Sec. 2. Branch societies so or- ganized shall admit to membership only persons who are stockholders of the Association or who shall have made application for admission as such.
The Resident and State Vice-Presi- dents shall make to the Official Board, from time to time, and to each Annual Convention sugg-estions as to any matters that they may consider advis- able for official consideration, and shall file with the Secretary of the Association a report of each of their meetings.
Sec. 3. Any branch society so or- ganized may from time to time, if it so elect, subscribe for, acquire and hold, in the name of such branch, one share of the capital stock of this Asso- ciation for every ten stockholders who are members of such branch, and not already included in the number who may have acquired stock in the name of some other branch society, and shall vote the same by proxy, duly in- structed, or through their Resident Vice-President.
ARTICLE IX.— Property.
Section 1. All officers shall, at the expiration of their terms of office, de- liver to their successors all books, pa- pers, moneys, and other property in their possession, belonging- to the Association, and they shall not be re- lieved from their bonds or oblig-ations until this requirement be complied with.
ARTICLE X.— Amendments.
Section. 1. The By-Laws of this Association may be altered or amend- ed only by the consent of two-thirds of the stockholders voting- on such alteration or amendment, and provid- ing- that such two-thirds shall consti- tute a majority of all the members of the Association entitled to vote. Amendments may be made at the An- nual Convention^ any special meeting, or by a general vote, as provided for in Article III., Section 3, and the action of the Annual Convention or special meet- ing- in amending the By-Laws shall be final, if such proposed amendment shall have been published in the Official Journal at least thirty days prior to the date of such Convention or meeting. But any amendment to the By-Laws adopted by any conven- tion or special meeting which was not so published, and any Rules or By- Laws passed by the Board of Directors shall be submitted to a general vote, as provided by Article III., Section 3, in case one hundred stockholders en- titled to vote shall so request of the President within sixty days from the publication of the same in the Official Journal.
AMERICAN PHILATELIC ASSOCIATION.
Tenth Annual Convention.
The Tenth Annual Convention of the American Philatelic Association was held at Clayton, N. Y., August 13-16, 1895.
The following stockholders were present:
J. K. Tiffany, President, St. Louis, Mo.
Hugh C. Barr, Davenport, la.
J. M. Bartels, Alexandria, Va.
A. W. Batchelder, Boston, Mass.
Joe F. Beard, Muscatine, la.
Alfred L. Becker, Buffalo, N. Y.
Prank H. Burt, Newton, Mass.
C. E. Cummings, M. D., Pittsburgh, Pa.
N. W. Chandler, Collinsville, 111.
Alvah Davison, New York.
H. E. Deats, Flemington, N. J.
E. Doeblin, Allegheny City, Pa,
Dr. Percival J. Eaton, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jacob W. Fox, Pottsville, Pa.
Chas. E. Green, Pittsburgh, Pa,
Henry Grenrmel, New York.
V. Gurdji, New York.
W. K. Hall, Peterboro, Ontario.
J. Oakley Hobby, New York.
Geo. A. Holland, Montreal.
H. F. Ketcheson, Belleville, Ont.
Clifford W. Kissinger, Reading-, Pa,
C. P. Krauth, Pittsburgh, Pa.
P. J. Kranz, Toledo, O.
John Lehmann, Paterson, N. J.
John N. Luff, New York.
Gus. J. Luhn, Charleston, S. C.
C. H. Mekeel, St. Louis, Mo.
G. D. Mekeel, St. Louis, Mo.
Fred Michael, Chicago, 111.
E. M. Miller, New Chester, Pa.
L. G. Quackenbush, Oneida, N. Y.
J. D. Eice, Trenton, N. J.
Geo. W. Eode, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Edw. Eosenthal, Chicago, 111.
John W. Schaefer, Buffalo, N. Y.
J. A. Schiedt, Philadelphia, Pa.
J. W. Scott, New York.
Arthur F. Stone, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
Wm. C. Stone, Springfield, Mass.
Adalbert Strauss, St. Louis, Mo.
Eugene Thwing', Brooklyn, N. Y.
E, O. Williams, Buffalo, N. Y.
The proxy representation at the opening- of the convention was re- ported by the Committee on Creden- tials, as stated below. Several addi- tional proxies were received during the convention by various members, and transfers of proxies made, as ap-
pears by supplementary reports of the committee, but not materially al- tering- the total representation.
PEOXY HOLDERS.
C. H. Mekeel 54 (a)
G. D. Mekeel 50
A. Strauss 50
L. G. Quackenbush 50
Joe F. Beard 50
H. E. Deats 50
C. W. Kissinger 50
Henry Gremmel 49
J. W. Scott 48
Charles E. Cumming's. . . . 41
Frank H. Burt 35
C. P. Krauth 34
P. J. Kranz 16
A. W. Batchelder 8
Edward Eosenthal 7
J. D. Eice 6
Fred Michael 5
John N. Luff 4
J. Oakley Hobby 4
Eugene Thwing 3
E. M. Miller 3
V. Gurdji 1
John Lehmann 1
A. L. Becker 1 620
Stockholders present .... 43
Total representation 663
The following applicants for mem- bership (who have since become stock- holders of the Association) were in attendance :
Herbert S. Gerding, Kirkville, N. Y. J. H. Stebbins, Jr., New York. C. B. Warner, Syracuse, N. Y.
The following visitors were also pres- ent and took part in the social fea- tures of the convention week.
Mrs. Barr, Davenport, la.
Mrs. A. W. Batchelder, Boston.
Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Carpenter, Salem, IVIass.
Mrs. N. W. Chandler, Collinsville, 111.
Miss Chandler, Collinsville, 111.
Mrs. H. E. Deats, Flemington, N. J.
Mrs. E. Doeblin, Allegheny City, Pa,
Mrs. Alvah Davison, New York.
Mrs. J. Oakley Hobby, New York.
Mrs. J. W. Luhn, Charleston, S. C.
Mrs. C. H. Mekeel and three child- ren, St. Louis, Mo.
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THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
Miss. Jessie McClintock, Memphis, Tenn.
Mrs. George D. Mekeel and two child- ren, St. Louis, Mo.
Mrs. J. D. Eice, Trenton, N. J.
Mrs. J. A. Schiedt, Philadelphia.
Mrs. J. W. Scott, New York.
Miss Scott, New York..
Mrs. A. F. Stone, St. Johnsbury, Vt.
Mrs. A. Strauss, St. Louis, Mo.
The Committee on Entertainment, appointed in pursuance of a suggestion made at the previous meeting, con- sisted of Messrs. C. P. Krauth, Georg-e W. Eode and E. Doeblin.
The programme for the business ses- sions of the convention and the excur- sions and social events of the week was carried out in the following- order, being substantially as arranged by the Committee on Entertainment:
PIEST DAY.
Tuesday, August 13th.
10:10 A. M. — F,irst session of the convention; annual address of the President; election of Directors and Trustees.
2:25 P. M. — Second session; appoint- ment of committees; reading of re- ports of officers; communications.
7:15 P. M. — Searchlight excursion by steamer New Island Wanderer among the Thousand Islands to Alex- andria Bay and return.
SECOND DAY.
Wednesday, August 14th.
9 A. M. — Third session; adjourned to await report of Committee on Cre- dentials.
1:55 P. M. — Fourth session; report of Committee on Credentials and an- nouncement of result of election; com- munications and reports of officers; new business.
3 P. M. — Daylig-ht excursion of fifty miles around the Islands.
9 : 10 P. M. — Fifth session ; reports of committees.
THIED DAY.
Thursday, Aug-ust 15th.
9 A. M. — Excursion to Bartlett's Point; fishing and sailing; picnic.
2 P. M. — Sixth session; adjourned until evening.
8:15 P. M. — Seventh session; reports of committees.
9 P. M. — Informal dance at the Hub- bard House.
FIFTH DAY.
Friday, August 16th. 9:20 P. M. — Eighth session; execu- tive session to consider case of Georges
Carion; address by C. H. Mekeel on "The Stamps of St. Louis;" address by C. P. Krauth on "Mechanical Appli- ances for the Stamp Collector."
3 P. M. — Ninth session; reports of committees; miscellaneous 'business; adjournment sine die.
9 P. M. — Banquet at Hubbard House.
FIEST SESSION.
Tuesday morning, August 13th.
The convention met in Odd Fellows Hall, Clayton, at 10:10 a. m., President Tiffany in the chair, and the attend- ance before stated.
The President (upon calling the con- vention to order), the order of busi- ness being the appointment of the Committee on Credentials, read the statutes of West Virginia governing the elections of the corporation as fol- lows:
"The stockholders may in general meeting, by a by-law, prescribe the number of which the Board shall con- sist; but unless a different number be so prescribed, there shall be five direc- tors. They may also, by by-law, pre- scribe the qualification of directors; but if it be not otherwise provided, every director must be a resident of this state (that is, the state of West Virginia) and a stockholder. The directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders, or as soon thereafter as practicable, and shall hold their offices until their suc- cessors are elected and qualified. The stockholders in general meeting may remove any director and fill the va- cancy; but any vacancy not caused by such removal may be filled by the Board." (Code 1887, ch. 53, sec. 49.)
"The annual meeting and other meetings of the stockholders * * * shall be held at such place as may be prescribed by the by-laws, or if there be no such by-law, then at the principal office or place of business of the cor- poration." (Code 1887, ch. 53, sec. 48.)
"In all elections for directors or managers of incorporated companies, whether in other respects governed by this chapter or not, every stockholder shall have the right to vote in person or by proxy for the number of shares owned by him for as many persons as there are directors or managers to be elected, or to cumulate said shares and give one candidate as many votes as the number of directors multiplied by the number of his shares of stock shall equal, or to distribute them on the same principle among as many candi- dates as he shall think fit; and such directors or managers shall not be elected in anv other manner." (Code 1887, ch. 53, sec. 44.)
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
13
Having- read the above, the Presi- dent said: "As I have been informed, that statements have been circu- lated among members of the cor- poration with regard to this mat- ter of proxies, I have read this law in order that you may see that it is the law that prescribes that voting for directors by proxy shall be permitted; and it was on ac- count of that provision of the law that our proxies are worded so as to permit the holder of the proxy to vote for his principal. Personally, I have always been of the opinion that it would be much better if all the votes for all the dirctors were to be cast by the stock- holders themselves. As a general rule of law, I sui:>pose it may be said that either the stockholder must be present himself in person, or he must be pres- ent by a written proxy. I think very few corporations exist in the United States.wherewhatwe call in this Asso- ciation the mail vote is allowed — that is, where the stockholder is allowed to mail his vote to the tellers of the election when he does not attend in person. In this corporation we have made that provision, and it was siib- mitted to the proper legal authorities of the State of West Virginia when we applied for our charter, and therefore I suppose we have that privilege. But if the question which has been asked me with regard to that matter comes from anything more than mere specu- lation, the fact that we have incor- porated that provision into our By-Law is likely to present some very compli- cated questions. That will not, of course, affect more than a proxy here and there. It is stated in a foot-note appended to our form of proxy that our rule is that the proxy bearing the latest date shall be the one recognized and counted by the tellers. Such a question as this has been put to me: Suppose a member fills out his ballot and mails it to the committee, and his representative then appears in the convention with a proxy in full form and casts a ballot which conflicts with that made by his principal, which one shall the tellers count? You can see at once that that is a very difficult question, and it being- the case that so few corporations have any such provi- sion, I presume it would be impossible even by a careful search to find any authoritative decision. I have been asked to state, before the announce- ment of the Committee on Credentials, my own impression about the matter. I should think that the decision would be that the party not being here himself, and having at a later date than the making' of his original
vote given the power to somebody else to appear here and represent him, the courts would hold that the vote cast under the proxy, although it differed from that cast by the principal, would be the vote that would have to be counted. (Applause.)
The question has also been put to me, and I have been asked to state my impression about it: Suppose a gentle- man, before leaving home, mails his vote to the committee, and after ar- riving at the convention desires to change it, and presents a new ballot to the committee, who will, of course, find in their envelopes the original vote and the vote of a subsequent date, which vote shall be counted? That is another question that would arise very seldom, for the same reason. I am not speaking of proxies — I am speaking of ballots. My impression would be that the latest ballot pre- sented, provided it were presented be- fore the closing of the polls, would be counted. And yet a decision was made in one of our States the other day that a stockholder, having once voted, could not change his vote, and the court com- pelled the tellers in that case to return as the Board elected, those men chosen upon the count of the original ballots and not of the others. While that may be true in an ordinary corporation, I think the safest rule for us to follow is the one which I first stated, and to count the last ballot. (Applause.)
It has also been stated, as I am in- formed, that it is necessary that the proxy should be sealed. It has also been stated that it is necessary that a proxy should be witnessed. I appre- hend, gentlemen, that such is not the law of the State of West Virginia. The only provision that I And there is that the ballot shall be cast "in person or by proxy." Nothing is said as to the form of proxy, and so far as I am in- formed, the custom in West Virginia is, as it is in almost all of the Western States, not to witness that sort of document.
I think I have now answered to the best of my ability all the questions that have been put to me with regard to the matter of proxy voting. In accordance with the law we have made a by-law. It is so fully stated in the form of proxy which was sent out, and which, you will recollect, our By- Law requires to be drawn by the Presi- dent and approved by the Board of Trustees, that I hardly need recall its provisions further. I have, perhaps, taken up more of your time than you wish, already, but I had been told that there were a good many members who wished to be informed on these points.
14
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
and I have endeavored to answer the questions to the best of my ability.
COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.
1 will appoint as the Committee on Credentials, Mr. H. E. Deats, of Fleni- ington, N. J.; Mr. Joe F. Beard, of Muscatine, la., and as a gentleman familiar with the signatures of you all — and i am accustomed to put such a person on the committee — I will ap- point Mr. C. H. Mekeel.
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESI- DENT.
And now, ladies and gentlemen and fellow-members, if you will give me your attention a few moments, I pro- pose to read my annual report, the reports of officers being in order. x The President proceeded to read his annual address, a copy of which is filed in the archives of the Associa- tion. The reading of the address was concluded at 11:30 o'clock, and was received with applause.
HOUR OF NEXT SESSION.
The President: To what time shall the convention take a recess?
Mr. Stone: Mr. President
The President: It is only a few minutes before the polls for the elec- tion must close.
Mr. Stone: I would like to make a few announcements before the con- vention adjourns.
The President: If you wall please wait a moment, Mr. Secretary, let us fix the time to which the convention shall adjourn. Shall it be 2 o'clock? Is it your pleasure, gentlemen, that when we adjourn it shall be till 2 o'clock? If so you will please mani- fest it?
("Aye.")
It is so ordered.
Mr. Doeblin moved to adjourn, which was carried.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Mr. Krauth, as chairman of the Committee on Entertainment, an- nouncing the foregoing programme for the entertainment of members and guests, added: None of these entertain- ments will be accompanied by any ex- pense, whatever, as the expenses will be met by the liberal contributions which have been made on the part of the members.
The President: If there are any persons present who are entitled to vote, they will find the Committee on Credentials ready to receive their bal-
lots. As the time is very brief, ballots should be handed to the Committee with as little delay as possible.
SECOND SESSION.
Tuesday afternoon, August 13th.
The convention met in Odd Fellows Hall at 2:25 p. m., President Tiffany in the chair and a quorum present.
The President called the convention to order.
At the request of the Secretary, Mr. Quackenbush was elected Assistant Secretary.
Mr. Burt was appointed as sten- ographer of the convention.
APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES.
The President then announced the following committees:
Oh Standing Rules: Messrs. Scott, Hobby and Lehmann.
On By-Laws: Messrs. Rice, Davison, Stone and Chandler.
On the Official Circular: Messrs. Kissinger, Luhn and Ketcheson.
On Branch Societies: Messrs. Kranz, Thwing- and Gurdji.
On Finance: Messrs, Batchelder, Green and Schaefer.
On Exchange and Purchasing- De- partment: Messrs. Strauss, Eaton and Williams.
On the Library: Messrs. Luff, Mich- ael and Becker.
The Committee on Credentials is al- ready announced.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS.
The President: The report of the Secretary is now in order.
The Secretary, Mr. W. C. Stone, read the following report:
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. Mr. President and Felloio Members:
Once more we are gathered together in convention to consult concerning the welfare of the Association and to listen to the reports of the work ac- complished or attempted by the dif- ferent depai-tments of our corporation. The Secretary, I find, is required to render a general report of the condi- tion of the Association, and I will therefore commence with a brief state- ment of the gains and losses among our membership.
Since the incorporation of the Asso- ciation in January, 1892, there have been 1,109 persons who have qualified as stockholders. Of that number 100 have since dropped out, either through death or non-payment of dues, or by expulsion for g-ood and sufficient rea-
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
15
sons. This leaves the present mem- bership at 1,009, a gain over the figures reported last year of 239. There are in addition twelve shares of stock owned by Branches, which brings the voting- strength of the Association up to 1,021.
During- the past year there have been received 308 applications for member- ship, and 314 persons have been ad- mitted as members. Five members have been re-instated, 36 have been dropped, 25 have resigned, and three were expelled by the Trustees. Under the rule adopted last year requiring the deposit in advance of the dues as well as the price of the share of stock, the qualifying- of new members has be- come a much easier task. Formerly members would frequently delay one, two and perhaps more months before becoming- fully entitled to the privi- leges of membership. There are in- cluded in the list of those admitted during the past year the names of sev- eral of those persons who were accepted previous to our last convention but who had not been qualified. A thor- ough revision of our membership list has recently taken place upon the com- pletion of new certificate reg-istert? for the Secretary and Treasurer, and errors in former enumerations have been discovered. By the present sys- tem of registration all such errors will be avoided in the future.
An unusual number of deaths have been reported the past year, no less than eig-ht members having- gone to their last rest. I annex a list of the deceased and recommend the appoint- ment of a Committee on Obituaries to report, as last year, in the Annual :
Thomas W. Ludlow, M. A. Swanbeck, E. Wuesthoff, Gilbert Harrison, B. T. Sturges. Lieut. James A. Turner, J. A. Shindel and Fernand Collucci.
I would also suggest that provision be made for the appointment of a Com- mittee on Obituaries, to serve during the year and to report suitable sketches and resolutions to the Convention.
Of the members who have severed their connection with the Association only about 20 have surrendered their certificates, as required by the By- Laws. T would suggest that the Trustees be instructed to call upon those who have not complied with this requirement to return their certifi- cates. T would also request that some action be taken to determine whether members surrendering- their certifi- cates shall receive the sum they origi- nally paid for them. I have received several requests during the year.
Last year at the convention atten- tion was called to the fact that our rec-
ords were in a very imperfect and scattered condition. My predecessor, Mr. Davison, turned over to me the cer- tificate books, a numerical list of the stockholders, an alphabetical list of the same as printed in the Animal, with additions to date, two books of warrants, a book for recording receipts of application, and a large number of applications. These constituted the archives of the Association and were all that had been turned over to Secretary Davison by his predecessor, Mr. Walton. I at once entered into correspondence with Mr. Walton and after a long delay received from him the long- missing charter of the Association together with numer- ous books and papers belonging to the office. Such of these as related to fin- ancial matters I at once forwarded to the Treasurer and have the rest now in my possession. Of the stenographic reports of our various conventions we have copies of the meetings of 1892 and 1894. The others were probably sent to the printers. I have succeeded in securing for the office copies of all the membership lists issued by the Associ- ation as well as the various editions of the By-Laws, etc. The office file of the American Philatelist is not complete, but I hope to be able to fill it up at no very distant date. But for the fact that my personal set is complete I should have often been at a serious dis- advantage the past year. All corre- spondence received by me during the year has been preserved, and I have also several letter files filled with the correspondence received by Messrs. Davison and Walton during their terms of office. Much of this matter is of no value whatever, consisting-, as it does, of requests for applications, notices of change of residence, and the like. I would respectfully ask permis- sion to cull out the chaff and destroy it and thus make the residue more ac- cessible.
I had hoped during the past year to find time to sort out and have suitably bound the larg-e number of application papers which have accumulated during the nine years of the existence of our Association. b\it it was not possible.
The task will remain for the incum- bent of the office during the coming or some future year.
T*ie financial report of this office may be rendered in a very few lines. The total expenses for postage, ex- pressage, printing- and incidentals up to the first of August has amounted to $61.10, which sum has been paid by the Treasurer, as shown by warrants in his possession. The amounts re- ceived from applicants for diies and
16
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIS'l .
shares of stock will be found duly re- corded in his report, all money iiaving been turned over to him monthly.
Branch Societies.
I have endeavored during the year to awaken as much interest as possible among our Branches, and have met with some success. New Branches have been formed at Toledo, 0., Kansas City, Mo. and Kas., Portland, Me., Worcester, Mass., and State Branches in Ohio and Colorado. The New York and Chicago Branches have been re- organized and the organization in Philadelphia is soon to awaken from the long sleep it has been indulging- in.
Early last month I sent blank forms to each Branch with the intention of presenting to the convention a detailed statement of the condition of each Branch. Responses have been received from most of them and the returns are herewith briefly presented.
Branch No. 1 is located in Chicago, and was re-organized January 15, 1895. Its Branch charter bears no date, and the Society does not own any of the Association stock, althoiigh its mem- bership of 46 would entitle it to four shares. Seven meetings have been held during the past year, with an av- erage attendance of twelve. Charles B. Gadsden is the Resident Vice-Presi- dent and W. Paul Steinbrecher the Secretary.
Branch No. 2 is the New York branch, which was re-organized June 18, 1895. It has a membership of 51 and is owner of four shares of Association stock. Two meetings have thus far been held, but a regular time of holding sessions will be adopted in the fall. J. M. An- dreini is the Resident Vice-President and W. P. Gregory the Secretary.
Branch No. 3 is the Pacific Philatelic Society of San Francisco, Cal. The Branch was organized November 24, 1884, as the California Philatelic Society and adopted its present name in December, 1888, upon re-organiza- tion. Its Branch certificate was lost, and no record appearing upon the books of this office as to its original date, I gave it the date of January 5, 1895, when I issued it. The member- ship of the Society is 26, of whom 23 are members of the Association. A dozen meetings have been held during the year, with an average attendance of ten members. H. B. Phillips is the Secretary and William E. Loy the Resi- dent Vice-President.
Branch No. 4 is the St. Louis Branch. It was organized in 1893 and its cer- tificate bears the same date. The
membership is 46, all of whom are members of the Association, and the Branch owns four shares of the capital stock. Four meetings have been held during the year with an average at- tendance of 12. W. F. Muenninghaus is the Secretary and Chas. H. Mekeel the Resident Vice-President.
Branch No. 5 is located at Pitts- burgh, Pa., and was organized August 1, 1892. The Branch certificate was issued in February, 1893. The mem- bership now numbers 30, all of whom are members of the Association. Three shares of the capital stock are owned by the Branch. Thirteen meetings have been held, with an aver- age attendance of 13. Adam E. Daum is the Secretary and Eugene Doeblin the Resident Vice-President.
Branch No. 6 is the Staten Island Philatelic Society, and is one of those from which I have no return. From other sources I have compiled the fol- lowing facts which give a sketch of the Society. It was organized March 19, 1894; its Branch certificate is not dated, but from its number must have been issued in 1892. A recent list of members sent by its secretary contains the names of 93 members, giving it the first place among our Branches, as far as numbers are concerned. About 40 of the members are members of the Association. I should say, however, that a large number of these are non- resident or corresponding members. Meetings have been regularly held every month, I believe. Robert S. Leh- man is the Secretary and R. F. Albrecht the Resident Vice-President.
Branch No. 7 is the Garfield-Perry Stamp Club of Cleveland, O., which was organized in March, 1890. Of its admission as a Branch no record is at hand. Its present membership is 46, of whom 20 are members of the Asso- ciation. Twelve meetings have been held, with an averag'e attendance of 14. W. H. Barnum is the Secretary and G. J. Bailey the Resident Vice-President.
Branch No. 8 is the Philadelphia Branch, and I was informed last fall by the Resident Vice-President that it had never been formally organized. Recently I received a subscription for a share of the capital stock in the name of the Branch, but have not yet issued it, pending the result of my inquiry as to its membership, etc.
Branch No. 9 is the first of our new Branches, the Pomeroy Philatelic So- ciety of Toledo, O. It was organized August 14, 1894, and its charter was is- sued to it October 8th of the same year- It has a membership of 18, all being members of the Association. Eighteen meetings have been held during the
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
17
year, with an average attendance of 50 per cent, of the members. P. J. Kranz is the Secretary and P. E. Rood the Resident Vice-President.
Branch No. 10 is the Kansas City Philatelic Society, organized August 22, 1893, and reorganized as a Branch October 22, 1894. The present number of members is 26, of whom 14 are mem- bers of the Association. The Branch owns one share of the capital stock. Twenty-six meetings have been held during the year, with an average of 11 members present. F. J. Bescher is the Secretary and Resident Vice-Presi- dent.
Branch No 11, is the Portland, Me., Philatelic Association. It was organ- ized October 30, 1894, and was chartered as a Branch December 1, 1894. No re- port has been received from this So- ciety, but its membership is about 30, two-thirds of whom are members of the Association. Sterling T. Dow is the Secretary and G. E. Raymond the Resident Vice-President.
Branch No. 12 was organized March 4, 1895, under the name of the Worces- ter (Mass.) Philatelic Association and was issued a Branch certificate June 10, 1895. Its membership numbers 17 and there are 11 members of the As- sociation. Eight meetings have so far been held, with an average attendance of 10. A. C. Woodward is the Secre- tary and J. Everett Toombs the Resi- dent Vice-President.
Early this year steps were taken to form an organization in the State of Ohio, which finally culminated in the holding- of a convention at Toledo, June 1. There were 28 members represented in person or by proxy and an organization was perfected under the name of the Ohio Philatelic So- ciety. Its Branch certificate bears date July 5, 1895. and is numbered 13. The request of the Society to be char- tered as "State Branch, No 1," could not be granted, as the By-Laws state that Branches shall be numbered con- secutively. In the July number of the Official Circular were published some proposed amendments to our By-Laws which will authorize this special fea- ture desired by the Branch.
The present membership of the Branch is 40, of whom 36 are members of the Association. W. J. Babcock is the Secretary and P. E. Rood the Resi- dent Vice-President.
Another Branch has just been organ- ized by the Official Board. Colorado collectors held a meeting June 28th and formed a Branch, which will be known as the Colorado State Branch. Its number for the present is 14. It has a membership of 10, all of whom are members of the Association. The
By-Laws adopted by this Branch com- mend themselves for their brevity and' comprehensiveness, and I would ad- vise their incorporation into our own as a form to be followed by future Branches. A copy of them is herewith annexed.
And now just a word on a subject which properly belongs to our worthy International Secretary to report about. It is probably news to many of our members that we have any cor- responding societies, but such is the fact. At the Boston Convention, in 1888, the Internationalen Philatelisten Vereins of Dresden was elected a Cor- responding Society of this Association, and at New York, in 1891, the Oester- reichischer Philatelisten Club of Vi- enna and the Societe Francaise de Tim- brologie were similarly chosen. Ow- ing- to the tariff on stamps our rela- tions with these societies have con- sisted mostly of an empty exchange of compliments, but I trust that, now the hindrance is removed, we shall enter into more intimate relations with these and other foreign societies.
The Philatelic Protection Associa- tion and the Society for the Suppres- sion of Speculative Stamps seem to me to be particularly deserving of our sup- port, and I urge the adoption of resolu- tions showing our sympathy with their work and pledging our support in aiding- them to carry out the pur- poses for which they were organized.
And now in closing this long and. I fear, tedious report, let me thank the members, collectively and individu- ally, for the support they have given me in conducting the Secretary's office during the past year. It has not been a bed of roses, but I have realized that it has been for the good of the cause, and have persevered and will leave it for you to say whether it has been satisfactory or not.
Respectfully submitted,
WM. C. STONE. Secretary.
The reading of the report was fol- lowed by applause.
Mr. Doeblin: Read it again.
The President: Unless objection is made this report will g-o to the regular committee.
The next thing- in order is the report of the Vice-President, Mr. Davison.
Mr. Davison read the following re- port :
REPORT OP THE VICE-PRESIDENT.
Mr. President and Fellow-Members:
As far as I am aware, there has been no written report from the Vice-President since the organiza- tion of our society, owing- to the fact, as you probably all understand, that
18
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
the vice-presidency is more of an honor- ary position than any other. In the light in which I look at it, the vice- presidency is simply the shadow of the presidency. If any unforseen cir- cumstances should carry the President away, the shadow would assume a sub- stance. We hope that such a calamity will never occur. But should it come to pass, the vice-presidency would probably become of more importance. My office for the past year has been a very easy one. All matters from the Board of Directors that have come to me have had my best consideration and have promptly been forwarded to the next director. There have been very few such matters, and in every- thing- that has passed among- the Board of Directors, the best of feeling, I am happy to state, has prevailed among us all. Begarding the financial side of my office, I should say that the ex- penses were probably two or three
dollars paid out in postage and ex- press charges. As I could not con- scientiously render a bill without hav- ing kept account of every postage stamp, and as the time required to keep such an account would have been worth much more than the amount of my expense, we will simply charge it up to the good of the Association. That is all, Mr. President, that I have to say. (Applause.)
The President: The next thing- in order is the report of the Treasurer, Mr. Chandler.
The Treasurer, Mr. N. W. Chandler, read the following report:
BEPOET OF THE TEEASUEER.
To the President and Directors of the American Philatelic Association:
I submit my report for the current year— August 1, 1894, to July 31, 1895:
GENERAL FUND.
1894. Receipts.
August 31, d\ies collected
September 30, dues collected
October 31, dues collected
November 30, dues collected
December 31, dues collected
1895.
January 31, J. A. Wainwright, electrotype
January 31, dues collected
January 31, J. D. Rice, Chmn. Lit. Bd. acct. adv. Am. Ph..
January 31, S. Leland, Chmn. Lit. Bd. 1893-4, on acct..
February 29, S. Leland, Chmn. Lit, Bd. 1893-4, on acct
February 29, J. D. Rice, Chmn. Lit. Bd. acct. adv. Am. Ph
February 29, dues collected
March, dues collected
April, dues collected
May, dues collected ,
June, dues collected
July— E. B. Sterling by trustees $8 88
Leg's remittance C. H. Lyon $ 13
Less remittance, J. W. Risdon 1 75
Credited dues, J. W. Risdon 3 50 5 38
|
; 29 |
01 |
|
250 |
37 |
|
155 |
04 |
|
88 |
71 |
|
93 |
97 |
|
3 |
00 |
|
44 |
86' |
|
124 |
13 |
|
2 |
49 |
|
21 |
46 |
|
30 |
35 |
|
48 |
30 |
|
36 |
22 |
|
25 |
95 |
|
17 |
05 |
|
6 |
01 |
J. W. Risdon, back dues . . J. D. Rice, Chmn. Lit. Bd.
Dues collected
Balance
acct. adv. Am. Ph.
3 50 3 50
18 84 14 89 91 85
$1,109 50 1894. Expenditures.
August 1 — To balance due Treasurer $ 89 63
October — A. Davison, Sec'y Exp. & P. O. Cir., July and August. . . 17 89
A. Davison, Sec'y Expenses to Conv. Niagara Falls 35 50
Negative for photograph of Convention 10 00
Donation to Yer. Eor.-Blatt 10 00
Postage, Official Circular, September 8 26
W. C. Stone, Sec'y, expense acct 8 03
Env. for Official Cir. and postage for Nov. Cir. and Sun . 28 05 Printing bill, acct. receipts, env. and postage, and postage
for October Circular 50 47
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST. 19
Expenditures — Continued.
December — Compton lath. Co., stock certificate 53 50
Eeport of Convention, 1894 66 00
Claim of E. F. McKae allowed by Trustees 3 28
Trustees' expense account 5 85
Postage American Philatelist and December Circular 42 08
W. C. Stone, Secretary, office expense 10 54
Mekeel Co., copies of By-Laws, members' list 23 15
Printing' American Philatelist 364 00
1895.
January — Postage January Circular 9 17
February — Postage February Circular 8 76
Dues returned, applicaton not accepted 68
Treasurer, office expenses, postage, sundries 10 02
West Virginia annual State tax 10 00
March — Postage March Circular 8 77
Trustees, card index of pres ent and former members 20 00
April — Postage April Circular 8 93
May — W. C. Stone, Secretary, office expense January to April 17 97
Postage May Circular 9 15
Printing account of Literary Board 4 00
Envelopes for Official Circu lar 16 50
Register for Secretary 13 00
Printing Trustees' circular to present and former mem- bers 13 10
Postage and mailing 47 70
June — Postage, June Circular 10 28
Stamped Envelopes for Pres ident and Treasurer 5 45
Printing ballots, envelopes and proxies 9 35
Register for Treasurer 11 00
July — Postage July Circular 10 75
Dues returned, application declined 51
Claim of Peeke allowed by Trustees 16 28
Treasurer's office expenses, postage, sundries 19 90
Stock fund for two shares, issued to foreig'n members by
order of Convention, 1893 2 00
$1,109 50 July 31, 1895 — Balance due Treasurer $91 85
Stock Fund.
Balance at credit July 31, 1894 $ 799 00
Received for stock subscriptions $286 00
Less returned for applications declined 2 00
284 00
Amount at credit July 31, 1895 $1,083 00
Interest Fund.
Balance at credit July 31, 1894 $ 55 05
Interest on stock fund to July 31, 1895 55 70
Amount at credit July 31, 1895 $ no 75
The total exj)ense for the current current year cannot be expected to be
year has been $1,016.68. Of this the of any less magnitude and contain
postag'e and wrappers of the Official the same amount of matter as now,
Circular was $143.01, the j>rinters hav- the Circular having increased from
ing donated the paper, printing and eight to sixteen pages during- the past
labor of addressing and mailing. year.
With the constantly increasing list The largest item of expense to the
of 'members the cost of the Official Association is the American Philat-
Circular to the Association for the elist, the cost of the last number, in-
20
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
eluding- the Convention report, being $460.72. This sum was reduced by the collections from advertisements so far reported by the Official Board as $173.32, leaving $287.40 as a net cost to date of this publication. No report as to the value of advertising- con- tracts for this number having been made to the Official Board, I am un- able to say if this sum can be expected to be reduced by any further collec- tions from advertising'.
It is to be regretted that many of the members neglect to properly remit within sixty days from September 1, as provided by the By-Laws, Article IT., Section 4. If the provision author- izing the names of such delinquents to be dropped from the roll at the ex- piration of that time be enforced, the number then remaining in the Asso-- ciation will be but a small minority of the total number. In many cases three or four notices have been sent, and still there are some who hold back. But some of these, while they forg'et to remit their indebtedness to the Association, do not forget to use the Sales Department while in arrears for dues, giving rise to the suspicion that this is an intentional mode of obtaining benefits of the Association free of expense. By the repeating of these notices, the cost of collection of the whole is therefore much increased, and during the past year has averaged about 7 cents a member. The general expense account this year embraces some special items that will not be re- quired to be again provided for for several years, notably a supply of stock certificates, the Trustees' circular to present and former members and per- manent registers of stockholders for the Secretary and Treasurer, these amounting', to something over one- third of the total general expense.
I am gratified in being able to re- port that the last non-certificate hold- ing member has been eliminated from the roll of the Association. The ex- istence of two classes of members, one holding certificates and the other not, has been a source of g'reat annoy- ance and labor both to the Secretary and Treasurer, as well as confusion to the members at large. Repeated in- quiries have been received from mem- bers that their member's number as advertised did not coincide with the number of their certificate, and in- quiring' if a mistake had not been made. This was caused by the non- certificate holding members being numbered in regular order with those holding certificates, and was unavoid- able under the system of two classes of members. Each member'should be
known by the number of his certifi- cate.
It has been apijarent to the Treas- urer that a change should be made in the existing financial relations between the Literary Board and the Official Board. As those relations now exist, the Literary Board has full power, within certain lines, to contract in- debtedness, and after using the re- ceipts of its Department, may call on the Official Board to meet any deficit that may exist, and as it reports only to the Association at the Annual Con- vention, it is entirely independent of the Official Board. It would seem that its authority should be eliminated, as future Literary Boards may not al- ways consist of members who are as efficient as at present, and may not always be guided by as prudent a busi- ness mail as the present chairman. I believe that the Official Board should have full control of all financial mat- ters pertaining to the Association.
The expenses on the percentage basis will stand about as follows:
Per cent.
Official Circular $143.01 14.04
Collections 48.00 4.72
American Philatelist.. 463.72 45.64
Sundry Expenses 342.39 33.60
Claims Paid 19.56 2.00
100.00
As stated before, there were some special items amounting to about one- third of the entire Sundry Expense Ac- count.
Omitting these particular items leaves the general expenses to be about 20.15 per cent. I have observed that special items always come every year in some form or another, so it is not prudent to assume that our Sundry Ex- pense Account will be reduced next year to this extent.
The leading item will be seen to be the American Philatelist. Deducting the receipts so far from advertise- ments, $173.32 or 17.09 per cent., from the total cost, we have left 28.55' per cent, as the actual net cost of the last annual number.
Some time since the Official Board authorized the Treasurer to tempo- rarily transfer the Interest Fund to the General Fund, for the payment of cur- rent expenses, in the event of the Gen- eral Fund being' exhausted. This was then impracticable, as the amount at the credit of the Interest Fund was drawing interest, and the interest for the year 1894-5 was not due. The amount required to meet the Associa- tion expenses has been advanced, as shown by the report.
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
21
The Trustees recommended the pay- ment of certain claims for stamps lost through the Exchange Department previous to 1893. Without alluding to the liability of the present Associa- tion for claims' against the unincor- porated Association, the Treasurer has been unable to meet these items without drawing on the Stock Fund, the use of which was practically pro- hibited by the last Convention at Ni- agara Falls, and later, the Official Board instructed the Treasurer to hold that fund intact. It seems desirable that some means should be provided to settle these items and that the As- sociation be placed beyond annoyance therefrom. The Trustees have issued a circular to all members, both present and former, that all claims will be barred unless presented to them on or before July 31st, last.
N. W. CHANDLER, Treasurer. Collinsville, Ills., August 1, 1S95.
The President: This report goes under the rules to the Committee on Finance.
The next report in order is the re- port of the International Secretary, Mr. Doeblin.
Mr. Stone : Mr. President, Mr. Doeb- lin has turned his report over to me to read. It is written in English. (Laughter.)
Mr. Stone read the following report:
REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY. Pittsburgh. Pa-, August 5, 1895. To the Officers and It embers, American
Philatelic Association :
The completion of another year since we met beside the foam and thunder of Niagara adds to my already arduous duties the hardest of all — writing- an annual report. When the crowned heads of Europe address their Parlia- ments upon assembling, it is customary to assure the nation that they are at peace with foreign nations, and I am happy to be able to imitate my illus- trious compeers and to assure you that our Association during the past year has enjoyed profound peace with the philatelists of the world.
Each succeeding year is bringing the collectors of the world closer together, and it no longer excites astonishment when stamp dealers flit from one hem- isphere to another. Several of our members have been abroad since our last convention, and the visits to this country of Stanley Gibbons and his managing- partner, Mr. C. .T. Phillips, have been fully described in the phila- telic papers.
The abolition of the duty on stamps
has led to a more active exchangee with foreign members, and I have received and forwarded to the Superintendent of Sales and Exchanges a number of books of stamps. I look confidently forward to an increase of these ex- changes, and can only congratidate the Association upon the altered con- ditions which render them possible.
It has been my pleasure during the year to forward to the Secretary eight applications for membership from for- eign countries, and I hope and expect that the future will show even larger gains in membership from foreign sources.
I have reported the admission of new members to the Vertrauliches Korrespondenz-Blatt, and our Associa- tion has had no cause to be ashamed of its list of new members when com- pared with similar lists of foreign so- cieties. Permit me to again urge upon you the importance of the work which the Ycrtraulichcs Korrespondenz-Blatt is doing in protecting collectors not only from the wiles of the counter- feiters but also from dishonest collec- tors who prey upon their fellows. During- the past year a plan has been evolved of having- each society contri- bute annually a small fixed amount in proportion to its membership for the support of the Vertrauliches Korre- spondenz-Blatt, which, if done, will as- sure its continued publication and in- crease its ability for g-ood work. Last year this Association donated $10.00 as a free contribution to its support, but we did not bind ourselves to any fur- ther support. I recommend that this Association join in the proposed plan and subscribe annually a sum based upon its membership) as determined December 31st of each year. As a member of the Board of Directors I made a proposition to this effect to the Board, but have not yet heard of the action taken, if any, iipon it.*
The foreign philatelic literature of the year has been rich in new books, of which the most important and valu- able has been "Krotzsch's Beibuch," with its wealth of original research and its excellent photographic illus- trations.
I have presented several cases to the Board of Trustees which seemed to de- mand their attention, and feel assured that the thoroug-h and impartial in- vestigation which they have made can only redound to the credit of the Asso- ciation abroad.
"Kohl's Catalog'ue of the Stamps of Europe," is another important work which has been completed.
*The Secretary stated that the proposi- tion was rejected by the Board of Di- rectors.
22
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
That the coming year may increase the influence of our body throughout the world and prove a stepping stone for us to the proud position of being the larg-est, most progressive and most influential philatelic society of the world, is my sincere desire and the end for which I shall always work. Eespectfully,
E. DOEBLIN, International Secretary.
EEPOET OF THE EESIDENT VICE-
PEESIDENT FOE ALLEGHENY
COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
To the President and Members of the American Philatelic Association: In accordance with provisions of the By-Laws, I beg leave to submit the fol- lowing report as Eesident Vice-Presi- dent of Alleg-heny County, Pennsyl- vania:
During- the year I have signed, either as reference or Eesident Vice-Presi- dent, 19 applications, eight of which were from gentlemen residing in for- eign countries.
Pittsburgh Branch, No. 5, held 13 regular meetings during the year, at all of which there was a good attend- ance. The Branch now numbers 31 members, but the Association has 14 members residing in the County who are not members of the Branch, thus giving us 45 members in all.
Last fall our local society, The Twin City Philatelic Society, had an exhibit of stamps at the Pittsburgh Exposi- tion, which attracted considerable at- tention. Arrangements are under way to have another exhibit at the opening of the Carnegie Free Library in No- vember next, which cannot fail to be of great interest to all philatelists re- siding in this vicinity, and which I trust will be the means of gathering many collectors into our local society and the American Philatelic Associa- tion. E. DOEBLIN,
Eesident Vice-President. Allegheny, Pa., August 10, 1895.
The President called for the re- ports of Eesident Vice-Presidents Mr. G. J. Bailev, Cleveland; Mr. P/ E. Eood, Toledo; Mr. F. S. Bescher, Kan- sas City; Mr. G. E. Baymond, Port- land, Me.; Mr. J. E. Toombs, Worces- ter. Mass.; Mr. E. H. Hall, Colorado.
The Secretary: Mr. President, I would like to state that I inserted a notice in the Official Circular that an- nual reports would be expected from all these officers and Mr. Doeblin's is the only one that has been handed in to me.
The President: The next report in order is the report of the Board of Trustees.
Mr. Eode: Mr. President, I have the report of the Board of Trustees, and will ask Mr. Krauth to read it.
Mr. Krauth, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, read the following re- port :
EEPOET OF THE BOAED OF TEUSTEES.
Pittsburgh, August 1, 1895. To the Officers and Members of the American Philatelic Association, Tenth Annual Convention, Clayton, N. Y., August 13, 1895:
The Board of Trustees beg- to make the following report of business trans- acted by them since the last annual convention :
We have not been able to obtain pos- session of any minute book of any former Boards, and have only the most fragmentary records of individual cases which have been brought to the attention of former Boards. In addi- tion to the claims of Messrs. Haldy, Wylie, Kost, Phillips, Steffan, Wyer and Albrecht, mentioned in our report of August 20, 1894, we have received a number of claims against the Associa- tion, some of which had previously been presented but not adjusted, and of most of which we were obliged to make careful investigation to get at the facts. These claims were as fol- lows :
Mrs. B. A. Sterling, for books lost
on circuit $22.12
W. H. Peeke, Jr., for books lost
on circuit 16.28
J. H. Houston, for books lost on
circuit 24.15
S. C. Smith, for books lost on
circuit 17.71
J. W. Lowry, for books lost on
circuit 6.79
After careful investigation the Board of Trustees recommended, No- vember 14, 1894, in a report to the Board of Directors, that the claims of Haldy, Wylie, Kost, Phillips, Steffan, Albrecht, Peeke, Houston, Smith and Lowry be paid, and that suit be brought against W. H. Atwood to re- cover theamountof the Sterling claim. We further recommend that the Col- lecting Agent inquire into the feasibil- ity of bringing suit against W. B. Hale to recover the value of a circuit, for the disappearance of which he was considered responsible. April 10,
1895, the General Secretary advised the Board that the Directors had ap-
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
23
proved our report by a majority vote, and April 23 warrants on the Treas- urer were received lor the amounts due the various claimants, and for- warded May 8 to the Treasurer and the claimants notified. The Collecting- Agent was also instructed by the General Secretary to in- vestigate the subject of bringing suit against Atwood and Hale, and has written the Board in regard to the last named case.
New claims were received as fol- lows : G. D. Mekeel, Supt., vs. S. C.
Smith $21.08
B. F. Levy, for books lost on
circuit 37.20
After consideration of the circum- stances, Mr. Smith was held respon- sible for the loss of a circuit, and his contra claim of $17.71 having- been al- lowed by the Directors, the difference was deducted from the amount due him by Superintendent of Sales and Exchanges, on stamps sold, and the claim adjusted.
Mr. Levy's claim is an old one which arose under the Caiman administra- tion, and has recently been favorably reported to the Official Board, of whose decision we are not yet advised. With this action all claims ag'ainst the As- sociation, of which this Board has any knowledge, have been passed upon.
The following- claims have been paid : W. H. Peeke, Jr., June 27, 1895,
for lost stamps $16.28
J. W. Bisdon, June 27, 1895, for
stamps sold 3.50
J. H. Lyons, June 25, 1895, for
stamps sold 13
J. I. Wyer, Jr., Nov. 26, 1894,
for stamps sold 0.05
B. F. McBae, Dec. 3, 1894, for
stamps sold 3.28
These are all claims arising- under the Sterling- administration of the Ex- change and Sales Department, and full particulars are given in the Trustees' Beport presented at Chicago in 1893.
The freedom from claims under the present active and businesslike man- agement of the Sales Department goes to show that the many claims arising in former years were to some extent due to laxity in the Department, and this Board considers them as debts of honor of the Association which every consideration of fairness and policy should lead the Association to settle promptly. With these debts paid and the lesson they convey fully learned, we can move forward in fu- ture unhampered by the drag which they have put upon us in late years. The circular ordered by the last annual
convention was drawn up, submitted to each member of the Board of Direc- tors for suggestions, and was issued May 1, 1895, and sent to every past and active member of the Association. About two thousand copies were mailed, of which about 10 per cent, were returned by the" Postoffice De- partment as undeliverable. This cir- cular clearly defines the position of the Association in regard to its liability to members, in the following words:
"This Association being an aggre- gation of persons interested in the same pursuit for mutual assistance and intercourse, the Association, per se, cannot and does not guarantee any member from loss sustained in the usual and customary intercnange of stamps among- themselves through the Departments of the Association, except in such cases where loss ac- crues to a member through such gross negligence or dishonesty of an officer as would render him liable under his bond to the Association for the amount of the loss. When the officers of the Association perform their duties with due care, the liability of the Associa- tion on their behalf ceases. Neither does nor can the Association guaran- tee its members against such, losses as are commonly incident to the busi- ness of buying, selling and exchang- ing- stamps. The Association has made laws for the guidance of its officers in the performance of their several duties, and has demanded from some of them heavy bonds for the performance of their duties under its laws. Any loss accruing to a mem- ber from unavoidable accident or the dishonesty of fellow-members, which could not reasonably have been fore- seen and prevented by the officer in charge of the transaction, must be borne by the member and does not constitute a claim against the Asso- ciation."
As the promulgation of this circu- lar was not followed by the filing of any claims, it is fair to assume that none such exist.
In the matter of discipline the Board has endeavored to use its powers with discretion and yet protect the Association. We have found it neces- sary to expel K. C. Miner for failure to pay honest debts, and E. C. Farns- worth and Max Maitret for more ser- ious offenses. The applications of W. H. Hollis, F. N. Massoth and J. Carion for membership were rejected on re- ceipt of charges which seemed to mai<e caution necessary. The Board has been severely criticised by friends of the rejected applicants, but has held the view that it is both better and
24
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
easier to keep out applicants to whose admission apparently valid objection has been received, than to admit them and subsequently discover that their admission was an error.
G. Guittari of Italy was dropped from the rolls, as he was a fugitive from justice and in public bad odor, but no specific charges were received.
It is one most unpleasant experience of the Trustees' that they are obliged to consider so many cases of alleged dishonesty on the part of members, and the conviction is forced on us that we have a number of names on our rolls which must shortly be dropped. Eecognizing the fact that as the judicial officers of an incor- porated society we must be very sure of our ground before making any pub- lic announcement which will bring a member into disgrace, we yet feel that in several cases now before us it will be necessary to consider the welfare of the Association in preference to the individual, and where complaints have been received from widely dis- tinct sources against a member we must act upon the moral certainty if wTe are unable to obtain legal proof. In two cases now before us we have placed the evidence of wrong-doing in the hands of the Post Office Depart- ment, and hope to' secure the convic- tion of the offenders. As these cases are still under investigation, it would be obviously improper for us to give any further details which might defeat our object by publicity.
As matters of general interest to the members, we report that we have had a complete card index of all past and present members prepared, which is revised each month on the appearance of the Official Circular. A nominal sum of $20.00 was paid Mr. F. D. Ecker for the preparation of this in- dex, but the careful and extensive work done was worth many times that sum, and the sincere thanks of the Board and of the Association are due him for his unselfish and thorough work.
Of the Auction Agents appointed last year, only Mr. Gregory qualified by giving- the required bond. Mr. Wolsieffer declined to furnish the bond and tendered his resignation on the ground that "the Auction Agent takes all the risk and the Association none. The Auctioneer holds the Agent responsible, while the Agent has. no protection from loss, by mail or sub- stitution, on lots that may be returned as rejected on account of fancied de- fects. The Agent must pay the Auc- tioneer within a stated period, while the purchaser takes his time. The
financial risk is all on the side of the Agent, and yet the Association de- mands a bond instead of giving one." The arguments advanced by Mr. Wol- sieffer are so log-ical that a careful consideration of Article VII., Section 7, is recommended to the Convention.
The lack of past records has been a great drawback to the Board, and al- though the Secretary in his periodi- cal reports has asked ex-Trustees to send in any papers in their possession, the request has met with meag'er re- sponse. Information is especially de- sired concerning the case of A. A. Bartlett's claim for substitution of a stamp or stamps on his circuit book, ' also the claim of R. P. Zobel of a simi- lar nature, and the case of S. C. Stevens, who claims j.iDel on the part of the Association, but does not fur- nish details.
The Board is anxious to secure a complete set of the printed reports of the Association, but has no funds avail- able for their purchase. The list comjjrises:
Official Circulars, Nos. 1 and 2.
American Philatelist, Vol. I.
Official Circulars, Nos. 3, 4 and 5.
Western Philatelists for July, August and September, 1887.
American Philatelist, Vol. II.
American Philatelist, Vol. III.
American Philatelist, Vol. IV.
Official Circulars, Nos. 7 and 8, Octo- ber and November, 1890.
Metropolitan Philatelist, Vol. I.
American Philatelist, Vol. V.
American Philatelist, Vol. VI.
American Philatelist, Vol. VII.
We recommend the appropriation of the amount necessary to procure these printed reports.
We have been to considerable per- sonal expense in providing approved files and records, and now have the records of this Board in a shape where they will be of permanent value.
We recommend that all records of every department be placed in the Association Library, for permanent keeping, after such a lapse of time as will enable the heads of departments to dispense with frequent reference to the records of their predecessors.
In the July Official Circular notice was g-iven that the charges of the So- ciete Philatelique Francaise of Paris, Prance, against Georges Carion of San Francisco, Cal., would be referred to the Association in convention for action. A special report on this case will be read when presenting the records in the case.
The Board has written and received over five hundred letters since its
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
25
last report, and its correspondence has extended to nearly every quarter of the globe, biit while the amount of de- tail work has been enormous, it has been cheerfully performed in the hope and belief that it is tending- towards the improvement of the morale of the Association. Many frivolous and some querulous letters have been re- ceived, but we have tried carefully to sift out all good grain from the chaff, and hope that our efforts have been attended with some good to the Asso- ciation.
GEO. W. EODE, Chairman.
IGNAZ STAUFFEB.
C. P. KEAUTH, Secretary.
The President: This report, unless objection is made, will go to the Com- mittee on By-Laws.
The next report is the report of the Superintendent of Literary Exchange, Dr. Campbell.
The Secretary: I have received no report from him.
The President: The next thing in order is the report of the Auction Purchasing Agent.
The Secretary read the following- report :
EEPOET OF AUCTION PUECHASLNG AGENT FOE NEW YOEK.
New York, August 6, 1895. In view of the g-reat number of auc- tions held in this city and their impor- tance, it is strange to say that so few members avail themselves of the ad- vantages of this department. I have received bids during- the year from eighteen members only. Sixteen of these have been able to secure some- thing. The total amount purchased was $1,612.01, a large part of which was business coming to me from my regular patrons, so that the actual amount of business coming to me as Auction Agent is very much less than above amount. The purchases made seem to have been quite satisfactory, only three stamps having been re- turned. The coming season will bring great opportunities to auction buyers, and they should not neglect them.
W. F. GEEGOEY. Auction Purchasing Agent, New York.
The President: Are there any other reports of Auction Purchasing Agents ?
Mr. Ivrauth: No other has qualified.
The President: The next thing in order is the report of the Counterfeit Detector.
Mr. Scott: I was not aware that there was any report to be made and I have not prepared one ; but I can write one if desired and submit it in a very short time.
The President: It can go over with the other reports that will be read to- morrow. The next is the report of the Librarian.
The Librarian (Mr. Deats) being- occupied on the Credentials Commit- tee, the Secretary read the report.
EEPOET OF LIBEAEIAN.
Only the usual routine work of this office has been followed during the past year and but little of that. Twen- ty-one donations have been received and there have been forty-three calls for the loan of literature from the Li- brary, but only about one-half of these requests could be granted, as the books desired were not in the Library. The twenty-one donations were made by ten persons. All the donations were prepaid. Where books were loaned the borrowers paid the postage both ways, so that there is but little expense for this year.
The bill for my first term as Libra- rian has not yet been paid.
I have received from the old Literary Board of the Association the stock of copies of the American Philatelist, of which a detailed list is attached to this report. This shows a total of 5,521 papers, inclusive of 98 numbers of the Western Philatelist, which was the Official Journal during three months. As will be seen by the list, there are complete files of only Volumes Land V. I would like instructions as to these papers, whether they are to be kept, or sold. I have sold some of the odd numbers where they did not conflict -with the making- up of complete files.
I was instructed by the last Conven- tion to prepare a catalogue of the Li- brary. This is not entirely finished, but sufficiently so for my own use. Eespectfully submitted, H. E. DEATS, Librarian.
The Secretary: Accompanying this is the list of numbers of the American Philatelist referred to, and Mr. Deats' bill, dated August 12, 1895, showing a balance due him of $4.55.
The President: The next thing in order is the report of the Collecting- Agent.
The Secretary read the following re- port:
EEPOET OF COLLECTING AGENT.
Northampton, Mass., August 1, 1895. William C. Stone, Secretary:
Dear Sir — I herewith present my an- nual report as Collecting Agent of the American Philatelic Association.
During the year just ending I have received claims numbering 158 and amounting to the sum of $1,709.05, and
26
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
I have during the same time collected claims amounting to $285.40. I have sent four claims to the Post-office in- spectors in various places, but that is all the good it has done, for they never report except to send back the claims in some cases, on one pretext or an- other. I am informed by the Post- office authorities in more than one place that the Inspectors will not take up stamp fraud cases unless absolutely driven to do so, and my own experi- ence justifies the information. I re- new my recommendation of last year that the Association petition the Post- Office Department to appoint an In- spector to have charge of stamp frauds. In this way only can our interests be thoroughly protected from such ras- cals as Quigley, etc.
Eespectfully submitted,
J. ARTHUR WAINWRIGHT,
Collecting Agent.
Mr. Rice: Mr. President, I would like to state for the benefit of the com- mittee to which this report is referred, that Mr. Wainwright probably does not use the proper methods. Two cases were referred to me, one by Mr. Clark of Belleville and the other by Mr. Grevning of New York, relative to a certain person whose name I do not care to mention, for the reason that I believe him to be a certain swindler whom we do not want to become aware of what we are after. I was able to secure a Post Office Inspector, and they are working the country for him. Mr. Wainwright simply does not adopt the right methods. '
Mr. Scott: I have simply notified the Post Office Department, and they have investigated the case and fre- quently sent me checks for the amount lost.
The President: I will state, as long as statements are being made about this matter, that all the claims that I have ever turned over to the Depart- ment have received most careful atten- tion and prompt and efficient investiga- tion; and I cannot understand the character of this report.
Mr. Stone: Mr. Wainwright has stated to me that some of the com- plaints that have been sent to him for investigation, and which he has turned over to the Department, have been re- turned with the statement that noth- ing whatever could be found of the parties; and that they have come back so quickly that they could not possibly have done anything- but read the letter and answer it.
Mr. Rice: Why, Mr. President, I would state that in the two cases I mentioned I went to the postmaster one day and told him what I wanted.
and three days later the Inspector had been there.
The President: Unless objection is made we will refer this report to the Committee on Finance, with instruc- tions to report whether any action of the Association is advisable. There seems to be unanimous consent.
I am informed that there are two re- ports from the Literary Board.
Mr. Rice: Who informed you to that effect, Mr. President?
The President: I understood from you that you had one, sir.
Mr. Rice: I don't believe I have mentioned the words "report" to you at all, Mr. President.
The President: I so understood you.
Mr. Rice: I don't believe — if the President will refresh his memory — I don't think the question of report ever entered into our conversation.
The President: I agree with the gentleman; the gentleman is correct; the word did not, but I got that impres- sion. I also got the impression — I don't know the words that were used — from another member of the Board that there were two reports. If I am wrong aboiit it, of course I stand cor- rected, and was simply about to ob- serve that as I thought that was the state of the case, I would pass the mat- ter, and that we would listen to the reports to-morrow morning, one of the gentlemen having- stated to me that the report which he desired to read had not yet arrived by mail, but would get here this afternoon. That report is not here and will go over.
Mr. Rice: One moment, Mr. Presi- dent. What is the object of waiting for some other report? The Chairman of the Literary Board is prepared to report — is prepared to read a report.
The President: I understand that the two other members desire to read a report. In that case the Chairman's report would be a minority report.
Mr. Rice: I desire to differ with the President on that, for the fact that a minority report must be dissension from the report, and inasmuch as I am the Chairman and the only one who has the financial report to make, I fail to see how the other report can be a majority report. I have the financial statements, and no one else, and how this Association can receive a report that is not a report passes my compre- hension. I am not much of a parlia- mentarian.
The President: I supposed the gentleman would have no objection to having it go over. If the gentleman prefers to present his report — I simply made the statement that the Chairman of the Board might know why I did not call upon him. That was all.
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
27
Mr. Rice: I would state, Mr. Presi- dent, for the benefit of yourself and the gentlemen present that this dis- senting report is being made at my suggestion. As you are mostly all aware, I fear no one and don't ask any one to fear me — I am harmless; but as the Chairman of the Literary Board I have a report to present, and I desire to present that report to-day.
The President: Then I will call on the gentleman at once.
Mr. Eice: I am perfectly satisfied that the other report shall be read, but I want the report that I have to pre- sent read first.
The President: That would have been the case to-morrow morning. I simply thought that it was proper to lay the whole matter before the Asso- ciation at one time.
Mr. Eice: I think the President understands why I prefer to have it read to-day.
The President: I don't, sir. Mr. Doeblin: Explain. Mr. Eice: I thought that was Doeb- lin over in the corner. If there is no objection, I will read it. Of course, if there are objections, I will have to lay it over.
Mr. Doeblin: Let us take a vote on it.
Mr. Eice: I presume that silence gives consent, Mr. President. Mr. Doeblin: No. The President: I don't know how we can get consent any other way, Mr. Eice.
Mr. Eice: I understand that fully. Mr. Doeblin: I move that we take a vote whether he shall read it or not.
Mr. Eice : I don't see how we can do that, Mr. President.
The President: I have always ruled that until the report of the Committee on Credentials is presented no motion is in order and no vote can be taken.
Mr. Eice: That is just the reason, Mr. President, why I want to read my report.
The President: Well, I have called on the gentleman to read the report, and unless some manifestation of dis- sent is made we will hear the report.
Mr. Eice : I want to state, Mr. Presi- dent, by way of preface, that whatever I have to say concerning any officer of this Association is merely a criticism of the officer and not of the person.
Mr. Doeblin: If you say anything about me vou will find it out. (Laugh- ter.)
Mr. Eice read the following re- port:
EEPOET OF THE LITEEAEY BOAED Clayton, N. Y., August 13, 1895.
To the Officers and Members of the American Philatelic Association : Your Literary Board beg leave to
present the following report on the
Year Book of 1894:
Contracts for advertising $218 35
Paid N. W. Chandler,
Treasurer $160 9S
Expenses 35 87
Due for advertising. . 21 50 $218 35
We have also collected old accounts amounting- to $12.34, which has been paid to N. W. Chandler, Treasurer. We believe the above amount, $218.35, to be the largest ever secured by any philatelic magazine for one number, and we hereby thank the various ad- vertisers who so very liberally sup- ported us.
The Board would sug'gest that the dues be raised twenty-five cents per year and that amount placed to the credit of the Literary Board, to be ap- plied to the publication of the Year Book. It is evident that with the dues as at present, and the amount of adver- tising to be secured, some step must be taken that will place the Treasury on a better footing, as our publication has been a load for the Association to carry ever since its inception.
The Year Book of 1894 consisted of one-hundred and twenty-four pages, including the cover, of which twenty- three pages were advertisements. The cost of the two thousand copies, ex- clusive of postage, was $364.
The Board this year have adopted a new plan in the advertising depart- ment. Heretofore advertisements have been placed at the end of the book, and the dealer rarely, if ever, derived a benefit from his investment. This year they were printed on colored sheets and inserted throug-hout the body of the book. Judging from the letters received from some of our ad- vertisers the plan has proved a success, and the Chairman of the next Board should have no difficulty in securing at least forty pages of advertising.
The Board points with pardonable pride to the fact that the Year Book was in the hands of the members with- in three months after the Convention, an improvement of two months over the preceding number.
J. D. EICE. Chairman.
Mr. Eice: T would state that the rea- son for the printing' of two thousand copies was that we desired to use the surplus for missionary work, inasmuch as the difference between the printing of the usual number and the two thou-
28
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
sand would not amount to over $35.00 I do not recall the exact amount.
Mr. Doeblin: You could have read that to-morrow ; , you needn't have kicked so much about it.
Mr. Eice: I may not be alive to- morrow.
The President: The last of the re- ports of officers is the report of the
Mr. Eice: Excuse me, Mr. Presi- dent; is that report not to be referred?
The Secretary: To the Committee on Official Circular.
The President: AVe can refer it now or when the rest of it comes in. I am waiting for the rest of it.
Mr. Eice: I prefer to have it re- ferred, Mr. President.
The President: We -will refer this report to the Committee on Official Circular.
The report of the Superintendent of Purchasing', Sales and Exchanges is in order.
Mr. George D. Mekeel, Superintend- ent of Purchasing-, Sales and Ex- changes, read the following report:
EEPOET OF THE SUPERINTEND- ENT OP PURCHASING, SALES AND EXCHANGES.
To the American Philatelic Association: I now present my annual report to the Convention of the American Phi- latelic Association for the fiscal year commencing August 1, 1894, and end- ing July 31, 1895: The value of the stamps on hand and in circulation at the beg'inning' of the year
was $13,461.28
During the year received 1,467
books to the value of 37,151.11
$50,612.39 Retired during the year 1,200
books valued at. '. 28,587.16
Total value of stamps now on
hand and in circulation. . .$22,025.23
Total sales in this depart- ment for the fiscal year was. $10, 387. 63
The sales from the books re- tired during the year amounted to ' 8,392.04
And the balance of the sales,
amounting to $ 1,995.59
are from books that are still in circu- lation.
The percentage of sales from the books retired was about 29y2 per cent., which is a very good showing.
The Department has referred some minor matters to the Trustees for ac- tion, but has made no claim against
the Association for any loss. I believe that this Department can be conducted on business principles without cost- ing the Association one cent, and I further believe that it will grow in im- portance and will become a source of revenue to the Association. At its present stage it is in a self-supporting- condition, although all of the commis- sions have been, up to this point, nec- essary for the payment of salaries, postage and other expenses.
With regard to the Purchasing De- partment, new issues have been sup- plied to members during the year amounting to $3,370.50.
This Department is yet in its in- fancy, and I expect a very large im- provement during the next year. It takes time to perfect connections with foreign countries for the prompt re- ceipt of new issues. And not until the present time have we been able to guarantee our membership good ser- vice.
We now have a Working Capital Fund established of $1,460.00 and have forty-six regular subscribers to the Department, divided as follows:
Five in Class A, who have each de- posited $100.00 and receive every new issue reg'ardless of denomination.
Five in Class B, who have each de- posited $50.00, and subscribe for each and every new issue up to and includ- ing $5.00 face value.
Twelve in Class C, who have depos- ited $35.00, and subscrbe for every new issue up to and including $1.25 face value.
Five in Class D, who have each de- posited $20.00, and subscribe for every new issue up to and including 50c. face value.
Nineteen in Class E, who have each deposited $10.00, and subscribe for every new issue up to and including 25c. face value.
I urg'e upon the membership of the Association to consider these facts and join one of these classes. An oppor- tunity, too, is given to secure the newly issued stamps far below the ordinary dealer's prices, because the stamps are supplied at the actual cost to the Department, with the addition of 10 per cent, commission, which is only enough to defray the cost of the cleri- cal labor and expenses connected with same.
The general condition of the Depart- ment in regard to commissions and ex- pense account, may be summarized as follows:
Deficit August 1, 1894, account
of books and control stamps. $ 43.11 Postage and Express account 245.94
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
29
Expense of stenographer and
printing- 339.52
Salary of accountant 1,107.24
Total $1,725.81
The commissions for the year of the Sales Department
have been $1,038.76
Commissions in the Purchas- ing' Department." 337.05
Cost of control stamps on hand, 53.50 Cost of blank books on hand. . 180.00 Cost of books, stationery and
other supplies on hand.... 116.49
Total $1,725.81
I am glad to be able to say that these Departments have been the means of a large increase of our membership dur- ing' the past year, and we are con- stantly adding' to our ranks collectors who are joining' the Association for the direct benefits that they are able to re- ceive from a Department of this kind; and I hope that this report will arouse some interest among' the older mem- bers who have never manifested the proper interest in these Departments. GEO. D. MEKEEL,
Superintendent.
The President: This report goes in due course to the Committee on Ex- change and Pui-chasing Department.
We are ready to receive now the re- port which, I am informed, the Secre- tary has received from the publishers of the Official Circular. The report from the Secretary of the World's Fair Committee does not come under this head. Have you the report to read, Mr. Secretary, from the publishers of the Official Circular?
The Secretary: Yes, sir.
The Secretary then read the follow- ing report:
REPORT OF PUBLISHERS OP OFFICIAL CIRCULAR. To the American Philatelic Association:
At the Annual Convention held in Chicago in 1893. our proposition to publish the official matter monthly in the Philatelic .Journal of America was accepted, and since that time we have supplied the Association with their Official Circular free of cost. Our proposition for the publication of the Official Circular in this manner was made in the belief that it would bring the Association before collectors, and have a tendency to increase its mem- bership. In this we have not been dis- appointed. The membership at the time this arrangement was made was 490, and to-day it is 1,014, an increase
of 524 members. And we are glad to say that a very large proportion of this increase can be traced directly to the advertising' the Association has re- ceived through our publications.
Inasmuch as this matter was pub- lished in the Philatelic Journal of Amer- ica, the reprint in the form of a circu- lar was done at a nominal cost, and we were very glad to be of service to the Association in this way; and the ar- rangement was continued through the past year.
With the June number of 1895 the Philatelic Journal of America ceased publication as a monthly magazine. And as it will be issued semi-annually hereafter, the same conditions do not exist that made our original propo- sition possible. In order, however, to complete our arrangement, we have published the July and August reports in MekeeVs Weekly Stamp News, but on account of the increased quantity of matter that has been deemed advisable by the Literary Board to publish, we should be unable to continue this ar- rangement in our weekly publication, as it would crowd out other more im- portant matter.
As the Association will have to make new arrangements with regard to the publication of its Official Circular, we hand herewith a proposition with re- gard to its publication, and also a statement of the actual cost of the publication of the Official Circular as it appeared during the past two years. These figures are only furnished for the information of the Committee to which this report will probably be re- ferred as to the approximate cost to the Association of the Official Circular should it be printed by them indepen- dent of any other publication. It will be observed that for the first year the average cost of publication for the Official Circular was $12.40 per month, while for the last year it has been over $26.89 per month. The difference in cost is largely made up of reports of local philatelic societies, and other matter that is of trifling importance, and should not be a matter of expense to an Association of this kind. For instance, the reports of some of the
' philatelic societies, notably that of the Chicago society, published in the Official Circular for July, should have been liberally treated by the "blue pencil." In fact, all of the official matter needs editing, and very little has been done by the present Literary
■Board; and our proposition herewith for the publication of the official mat- ter anticipates the insertion only of the regular reports of the different officers. The publication of the pro-
30
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
ceedings of Branch societies in detail end editorial matter would not be un- dertaken. We remain,
Yours very truly, C. H. MEKEEL STAMP & PUBLISH- ING COMPANY, C. H. MEKEEL, Pres.
PEC-POSITION. The American Philatelic Association:
Gentlemen — In consideration of the appointment of MekeeVs Weekly Stamp News as the official organ of the Amer- ican Philatelic Association, we shall be very glad to devote such space as is necessary under a regular weekly head for the announcements of all officers of the Association. Sixty-five per cent, of the present membership of the Association are regular paid-up subscribers to this publication, and in order that all members shall receive the official matter containing the monthly report of the Treasurer and the monthly report of the Secretary, including' applications for member- ship, we shall print this matter on a separate slip, and mail it once a month to every member of the Association, the cost to the Association to be one cent per member per month, the Association to be at no expense what- ever for the printing- of the matter. We remain,
Yours very truly, C. H. MEKEEL STAMP & PUBLISH- ING COMPANY, C. H. MEKEEL, Pres.
The Secretary: Annexed is a state- ment of the cost of printing the Official Circular for the past two years, from July, 1893, to July, 1895, giving the cost per month, which I do not think it will be necessary to read, but can be referred to the committee for their information.
The President: This report will go to the Committee on the Official Cir- cular.
This is all the business that should properly come before the convention until after the report of the Commit- tee on Credentials.
Mr. Batchelder: When we adjourn this afternoon I would like to have the Committee on Finance meet imme- diately in this place. The committee consists of Messrs. Batchelder, Green and Schaefer. I would also like to have the reports that are to go to us handed in here.
TELEGRAMS.
The President: There are in the hands of the Secretary two telegrams
received by the President, which would properly be read under the head of communications, but having been wired here I will call for their reading. The Secretary read the following telegram :
Harper's Ferry, W. Va., Aug. 13, 1895. To John K. Tiffany, President, Hubbard
House, Clayton:
I wish you all a pleasant and har- monious convention.
ADOLPH LOHMEYEB,
The Secretary: The other one 1 shall ha-ve to ask our International Secretary to read, as I am not German. It is from one of our members who never forgets us.
Mr. Doeblin read the following tele- gram :
Carnegie, Pa., Aug. 13, 1895. To John E. Tiffany, President, Hubbard
House, Clayton, N. T.:
Besten Glueck wunsch American Philatelic Association Convention, 1895. Bitte Abwesenheit zu Ents- chuldigen. IGNAZ STAUFFEE.
(Applause.)
Mr. Gurdji and others: What is it?
Mr. Doeblin translated the telegram, as follows:
"Hearty congratulations to the con- vention of the American Philatelic Association of 1895. Excuse my ab- sence."
WOELD'S FAIE COMMITTEE.
The President: Although it is not strictly in order, we have so much time that, unless the gentlemen pre- fer to spend the afternoon otherwise, I will call for some of these matters which are practically routine matters and let them go to the proper com- mittees. Is there any objection? Then I will call for the report of the Committee on the World's Fair Ex- hibit.
The Secretary read the following report :
EEPOET OF THE SECEETAEY OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE WOELD'S FAIR EXHIBIT OF THE AMEEICAN PHILATELIC ASSOCIATION.
Since my report last year ,the Chair- man and the Secretary of this Com- mittee have attended to what little work needed to be done. In Novem- ber, 1894, the Treasurer, Mr. George H. Watson, turned over to me the bal-
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
31
ance, $12.95, remaining' in his hands. Since that time I have personally paid the following bills:
Insurance on cases while stored
in New York City $ 10.20
Carting- in New York City 10.00
Freight on cases, New York to
Fleming-ton 30.00
Carting in Flemington 3.50
Labor 1-00
$54.70
Leaving a deficiency of $41.75.
In addition to this we are indebted to John B. Hobby's Son & Co. for stor- ing the cases from the time they were received from Chicago up to July 15, 1895, a balance of $287.88, which amount includes the freight and carting from Chicago to New York. Vouchers for all items mentioned above are sub- mitted herewith for the examination of those who desire.
The cases are now stored in Fleming- ton, where they can be kept at less than one-third of what it costs in New York, and even in New York we were paying- less than half the regular charges for storage.
We have had a number of calls for information regarding- the cases, but have been unable to make any sales. If they cannot be disposed of other- wise, the glass can be sold for an amount nearly equal to the present indebtedness, but we hope to do better than that. Eespectfully submitted.
H. E. DEATS, Secretary.
Mr. Krauth: Mr. President, if any remarks are in order, I would say that there are present a joint committee of Branch No. 5 of Pittsburgh, the Twin City Philatelic Society and the Pitts- burgh Club, and we hope to be able to make a proposition to Mr. Deats, which will enable him to dispose of some of these cases for the opening of the Car- negie Library in Pittsburgh, about No- vember 1. (Applause.)
AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS.
The President: There are two pro- posed amendments to the By-Laws which have both been printed in the Official Circular. These will naturally go to the Committee on By-Laws. Da you care to have them read?
Mr. Doeblin: We will hear them afterwards.
The President: Then they will go without being read.
The Secretary: For the informa- tion of the members I might state that one of them is an amendment propos- ing an insurance fund to insure stamps
in the Exchange Department. The other one is in regard to Branch So- cieties.
TIME OF NEXT SESSION.
The President: The Chair would like an expression of the desire of the convention as to what time adjourn- ment shall be had to to-morrow morn- ing.
Mr. Krauth: Mr. President, I would move that when we adjourn, we ad- journ to re-assemble at 9 o'clock to- morrow morning-. We go to-morrow afternoon on an excursion, and we shall probably have a good deal of business to attend to and shall want to adjourn early in order to get lunch in time for the excursion. I think we should convene at 9 o'clock.
The motion was seconded.
The President: This being a privi- leged question, involving- only the com- fort of the members present, I will put it to vote. (Putting the question.) It is so ordered.
The Secretary has two resolutions.
SALE OF PEEIODICAL AND POST- AGE DUE STAMPS.
The Secretary read the following communication :
National Philatelic Society of New York, Boom 26, Bible House, Secre- tary's Office, 11 Park Bow, New York, June 18, 1895. Mr. W. C. Stone, Secretary American Philatelic Association: Dear Sir — You are respectfully re- quested to present the enclosed resolu- tions to the Convention of the Ameri- can Philatelic Association for consid- eration, and we hope, favorable action. Eespectfully,
W. F. GBEGOEY.
Whereas, There is a patriotic desire on the part of American stamp collec- tors to possess sets of all stamps issued by our Government, especially the new series of Periodical and Postage Due stamps ;
Whereas, There seems to be no valid reason why these stamps should not be sold at face value by the Post Of- fice Department;
Whereas, The sale of these Periodi- cal and Postage Due stamps would af- ford a very considerable source of rev- enue to the Government; therefore, be it
Eesolved, by the National Philateli- cal Society, that the Postmaster-Gen- eral be respectfully requested to care- fully consider the advisability of put- ting the same on sale.
Eesolved, That copies of these reso- lutions be sent to the various philatelic
32
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
societies in this country for their con- sideration and co-operation.
W. F. GREGORY, Secretary.
The President: There seems to be no necessity for the consideration of this motion by any committee what- ever. The Association can discuss the matter and act upon it to-morrow, when we shall be in a condition to vote on it.
COMMUNICATION.
Mr. Krauth: Mr. President, I hold here a card of congratulation from one of our foreign members, and with your permission I will read it. (Reading.)
Elberfeld, 30 Juli, 1895. Geehrter Herr — Ich bitte Sie freund- lichst, die zur Jahre sver samnlung dort vereinigten Mitgleidern der A. P. A. meine besten Gluckwunsche und herzliche Grusse aussju-echen zu wol- len. Hochachtungsvoll,
RUDOLPH Kost, A. P. A., 181.
(Dear Sir — I beg that you will con- vey to the members of the American Philatelic Association in annual con- vention assembled, my best congratu- lations and hearty good wishes.)
LITERARY BOARD.
The President: Are there any fur- ther communications ?
Mr. Kissinger: Mr. President, now that the Committee on the Official Cir- cular has been appointed, and there is only one report — two reports in fact, but only a minority report, the report of the chairman
Mr. Rice: That is no minority re- port, Mr- President. I would like to instruct the committee.
The President: The Chair differs from the gentleman as to that.
Mr. Doeblin: The gentleman? Who is it? (Laughter.)
Mr. Rice: Mr. Doeblin would like to have the Century Dictionary to define that word.
The President: The report is not here. Are there any further remarks?
Mr. Rice: Why, Mr. Chairman
Mr. Doeblin : President.
Mr. Rice: I accept the correction. Just by way of information I should like to know what the report of the Chairman of the Board is to be desig- nated as?
The President: The report of the minority, if a report of the majority comes in, as I understand it.
Mr. Rice: How does it stand at the present moment?
The President: At the present mo- ment we have received it.
Mr. Rice: What is it designated as?
The President: I don't know as it is known to parliamentary language by any particular name.
Mr. Rice: It has merely been re- ceived as a document?
The President: It is read as one of the reports received from a committee.
Mr. Rice: From what committee?
The President: From a committee.
Mr. Rice: From what committee?
The President: From the Literary Board. If two members of a board of three ag-ree to a report, then that re- port is the report of that board. The Chairman certainly does not outride the other two members. It is a waste of time, I think, Mr. Rice, for us to en- ter into any discussion of the matter.
Mr. Rice: Well, I don't want any discussion at all, Mr. President; I don't propose to discuss it. I merely want a little information from the Chair as to what the report read by the Chairman oi the Literary Board is ; that is all, for the future.
The President: I do not know, sir.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Rice: The Chair, then, does not know what to designate it as?
The President: I do not know that there is any parliamentary designation of the matter, as it now stands.
Mr. Rice: You then contend that the report signed by one is a minority report?
The President: I make no conten- tion about it.
Mr. Rice: Is that your ruling?
The President: I make no ruling about it.
Mr. Rice: The Chair then evades the question, I presume?
The President: The Chair simply says that the Chair cannot rule on the point until the other report is before the house.
Mr. Rice: Well, inasmuch as there is no other report before the house, what then?
The President: The Chair is still unable to rule on it, so long as he is in- formed there will be another one.
Mr. Rice: But the Chair cannot take any information; the Chair can accept present facts only. What is to be has no bearing
The President: The gentleman is out of order. Please sit down.
Mr. Rice: I —
The President: I think the gentle- man is out of order. Please sit down.
Mr. Rice: I will take my seat, but I desire it placed upon record that I object to the proceedings.
The President: Is there any further matter that can be laid before the as- semblage? If not, the Chair will en- tertain a motion to adjourn till to-mor- row morning at the time specified.
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
33
Mr. Kissinger: Mr. President, I move we adjourn till 9 o'clock to-mor- row morning'.
Seconded by Mr. Burt and carried; and the convention accordingly, at 5 minutes past 4, adjourned till 9 o'clock Wednesday morning-.
THIRD SESSION.
Wednesday morning-, August 14th.
Met pursuant to adjournment. No quorum being present, and the Com- mittee on Credentials not being- ready to report, the convention adjourned till 1 p. m. to-day.
FOURTH SESSION.
Wednesday afternoon, August 14th.
The convention met in Odd Fellows Hall, at 1:50 p. m., President Tiffany in the chair and a quorum present.
Mr. Deats read the following report:
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.
Clayton, N. Y., August 14, 1895.
Gentlemen: Your Committee beg to report that fifteen hours of steady hard work has been reqrured to reach the figures that are now given.
We recommend that steps be taken in future to hold the annual election one week prior to the convention, in order that this work shall not be im- posed upon any committee during- the period of the convention at such a great sacrifice of valuable time.
We have certified to the result of the ballot as tellers before a Notary Public, and the certificate of election of four directors and three trustees has been filed with the Secretary.
The total membership of the As- sociation, according to the re- port of the Secretary, August 10th, was , 1,013
The Treasurer reports members
delinquent 56
Total number of stockholders in
g-ood standing- 957
The total number of votes cast in this election was 667; each being- en- titled to five votes for Directors made the total number of votes possible 3,335.
The result of the ballot is as follows:
FOR DIRECTORS.
John K. Tiffany, recommended for President 711
N. W. Chandler, recommended for Treasurer 626
C. W. Kissinger, recommended for
Secretary 530
Alvah Davison, recommended for both President and Vice-Presi- dent 467
E. Doeblin, recommended for In- ternational Secretary 431
W. C. Stone, recommended for
Secretary 391
H. B. Phillips, recommended for
Vice-President 130
Scattering- votes for Directors .... 44 Our By-Laws, Article IV., Section 3, prescribes that "each director shall be a resident of a different State." C. W. Kissinger and E. Doeblin both being- residents of the State of Penn- sylvania, we certified to the election of C. W. Kissinger, who received 530 votes.
Another ballot will be necessary to elect another Director, as E. Doeblin is not eligible.
FOR TRUSTEES.
C. P. Krauth, G. W. Rode and I. Stauffer, of Pittsburgh, Pa 289 each.
Scattering vote for Trustees, 33
The sug-gestion comes from 243
members that the Board of Trustees
be abolished and the duties discharged
by the Board of Directors. The following suggestions were
made regarding appointive officers:
G. D. Mekeel, Supt. Sales and Pur- chasing Department 292
Scattering for Supt. Sales and Pur- chasing Department 13
H. E. Deats, Librarian 58
J. A. Wainwright Collecting Agent 47
J. W. Scott, Counterfeit Detector. 38
Dr. G. N. Campbell, Literary Ex- change Manager 42
Literary Board: Messrs. Rice, Severn and Quackenbush 35
Recommendations to abolish Lit- erary Board 8
W. F. Gregory, New York, Auction Agent l
Recommendation to appoint no one a shareholder in a stock company dealing in stamps 1
Of the 667 ballots cast in this elec- tion 497 were voted by proxies and 170 by the individual members. Mr. John K. Tiffany received the larg-est person- al vote, and in no case did the cumula- tion of votes change the relative posi- tion of the candidate in the result.
PROXIES FOR CONVENTION.
The Committee report 624 proxies for representation in convention, 577 of which entitle the holders to vote in
34
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
the next ballot for Director. They are distributed as follows:
1st. Class. 2d Class. C. H. "Mekeel, 50 for
stockholders, 4:, as
Vice-President of
St. Louis Branch.. 5-4 54
G. D. Mekeel 50 50
A. Strauss 50 50
L. G. Quackenbush . . 50 50
J. F. Beard 50 34
H. E. Deats 50 47
C. W. Kissinger 50 44
Henry Grenimel 49 47
J. W. Scott 4S 46
C. E. Cumming's 41 41
P. H. Burt 35 32
C. P. Krauth 34 . 25
P. J. Kra.nz 16 16
A. W. Batchelder.... 8
E. Rosenthal 7 5
J. D. Bice 6 5
F. Michael 5 5
J. N. Luff...., 4 4
J. O. Hobby 4 4
E. Thwing 3 3
E. M. Miller 3 3
V. Gurdji 1 0
G. J. Bailey 1 0
A. L. Cassino 1 1
F. J. Bescher 1 1
C. E. Linsley 1 1
J. Lehmann, Jr 1 1
A. L. Becker 1 1
a624 6577
ffFor use in convention. bFor next ballot for Director.
Mr. Mekeel has a checked list of the entire membership certified to by the Secretary, upon which the Committee have made their notations, and from which he can answer to proxies or give any information about the dis- position of proxies or votes that were in duplicate, or for other reasons were not in proper form.
H. E. DEATS, Chairman.
JOE F. BEARD.
C. H. MEKEEL.
Accompanying the report the Com- mittee on Credentials filed a certifi- cate of election, signed by the three members of the committee and sworn to before A. A. Warner, Notary Public, and setting forth that J. K." Tiffany, N. W. Chandler, C. W. Kissinger and Alvah Davison were elected Directors, anl C. P. Krauth, G. W. Rode and Ignaz Staxiffer, Trustees, and that there remained one Director to be elected.
Inquiries being made by several members as to certain proxies handed in by them the President ruled that such questions had better be asked of
the committee out of convention. If the gentlemen were not satisfied they should then report to the convention. On motion of Mr. Rice, the roll-call was dispensed with, and the minutes of the last convention, as printed in the American Philatelist, were adopted as if read.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON STANDING RULES.
Mr- Scott: We beg to recommend that the rules which have governed former conventions shall be in use at this one.
Adopted, on motion of Mr. Rice.
INVITATION FROM SAN ANTONIO.
The President then called for com- munications, and the Secretary read a communication from Julius Jermy, Official Correspondent of the Met- ropolitan Philatelic Club of San Antonio, Texas, transmitting- to the American Philatelic Association the invitation of the Metropolitan Phi- latelic Club of San Antonio, signed by Edward W. Heusinger, Presi- dent, Henry A. Reeves, Vice-Pres- ident, John G. Roth, Secretary, and E. G. Cervantes, Treasurer, constituting the Executive Commit- tee of the Club, cordially asking the American Philatelic Association to hold its convention of 1896 at San Antonio; also the invitation of the city of San Antonio, signed by Henry El- mendorf, Mayor, and E.- R. Norton, City Clerk; also the invitation of the Business Men's Club of San Antonio, signed by J. T. Burnett, Chairman of the Convention Committee, and H. L. Benson, Secretary; also an invita- tion signed by Edward W. Heusinger and forty-one other philatelists, resi- dent in San Antonio, all of like pur- port. Also a printed list of places of interest in the city of San Antonio, and a letter from Edward W. Heusin- ger, President of the Metropolitan Philatelic Club, stating that a rate could be secured of about one and one^ third fares for the round trip to San Antonio and return, and that there were special excursion rates from June to September. Accompanying- this was sent a package containing some illustrated works on San An- tonio.
The consideration of this communi- cation was deferred until the question of the selection of a place for the next convention should come up.
There being no other communica- tions and no unfinished business from last convention, the President ruled that the report of the committee ap-
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
35
pointed at the last convention to con- sider and report on the proper pro- nunciation of certain words called for by Mr. Krauth would be in order under the head of Keports of Standing- Committees.
The Secretary read the following reports of officers:
ANNUAL EEPOET OF SUPERIN- TENDENT OP LITERARY EXCHANGE.
Hopkinsville, Ky., Aug-. 9, 1895.
Mr. President and Members: I am, first, very sorry indeed that I cannot be with you, and wish you all as good a time as I had at the conventions of 1892 and 1893; I cannot wish you more.
As to an official report, I have only a short one. I have sold some papers for members and whenever I could do so I have been g-lad to accommodate them, with no charge for services. I have also compiled a list of all the better class of philatelic papers, with prices, when I could do so, either from publishers' lists or exchange lists. This I hope to extend in the future and it is always at the disposal of members. I have answered from seventy to eighty letters this year con- cerning philatelic papers, the Associa- tion, stamps, and even letters about other fellows' standing — in the last case, all philatelists are good philat- elists with me, so I could say nothing but good of them. All these letters I answered as best I could, and while I also received some inquiries that were beyond my knowledge and I did not answer, I hope those who received no replies will rest assured that it was only because I knew no proper an- swers. I have received and made men- tion of Mr. Frankel's list of German papers, Mr. E. B. Jones' list of United States and Canadian papers, and also Mr. Tiffany's list of English stamp journals, all of which are great aids ' to the collector of philatelic literature. This is
about all I have to report, but, if the Convention will allow, I would like to add a few words, as an old member.
I would like to see the Convention meet in Cleveland, or some large cen- tral city. It is all very well for the city members to want to take a vaca- tion in the country, but on the other side, we who live in the country, or the next thing to it, like to "go to town" for a holiday ; so I think it is our time next year.
Also, I would like to suggest that the Stock Fund be kept just as it is and no changes be made in its manage-
ment or investment, unless by a two- thirds vote of the Association".
I have seen a notice also, I think in the Official Bulletin, that it would be proposed to again divide the Exchange and Sales Department. As neither prospered when under different man- agers and all work successfully now under one head, it seems to be best to make no changes.
Hoping the Convention will pardon these suggestions in a report, which I would not put in writing- if I could be present, and which are only made in my humble opinion for the good of the Association, I respectfully submit this report and wish all possible suc- cess to the American Philatelic Asso- ciation, and a delightful time to each member who may be so fortunate as to be able to be present at the Tenth Annual Convention.
Respectfully, GEO. N. CAMPBELL, Literary Exchange Superintendent, A.
P. A., No. 83.
This report was referred in regular order to the Committee on the Li- brary.
The Secretary read the following- report :
REPORT OF RESIDENT VICE-PRES- IDENT, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
The Resident Vice-President at San Francisco desires to report briefly a healthy, prosperous condition of phi- lately in his jurisdiction. Leaving the innumerable throng of new recruits in the juvenile ranks out of the ques- tion, the older collectors are as assid- uous in the pursuit as at any time since the organization of the American Phi- latelic Association. The only branch society in or near San Francisco — the Pacific — has enrolled as members the principal philatelists in the city and in the suburban cities of Oakland, Ala- meda and Berkeley. The officers and members of the Association have been apprised at regular intervals by the reports of the Secretary and Manager of our branch of the proceedings. Its meetings are usually well attended, and the papers and discussions are of a high order. The membership has from the first been restricted to gentle- men who had passed the first stages of the pursuit, those who had shown by years of study and devotion that they appreciated its benefits and privileges, and thus it has grown in numbers as fast as some other branches.
The matter of changing the name of the American Philatelic Association so that the initials could not be con- founded with any other society or or-
36
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
ganization has been informally dis- cussed. This confusion can always be avoided by writing' the name in full instead of abbreviating it. Is there not a disposition on the part of the members to abbreviate too much? It is certainly better to write the name in full on all occasions, and the time and sj>ace consumed thereby is more than counterbalanced by the dignified ap- pearance on the printed or written page. However, if a change is made, it has been suggested that the word "Society" be substituted for "Associa- tion," and the writers who have not time to spell the name out can use ab- breviations which have not yet been appropriated by any j>olitical organi- zation. Then, too, the objects are suf- ficiently specific and circumscribed to make the word "Society" the more suitable of the two.
If members could be induced to pre- pare books for circulation to branch societies and on individual circuits a twofold purpose would be served. On the one hand members would dispose of duplicates, and, on the other, add to their collections. The Superintendent of Sales and Exchange cannot circulate books unless they are sent him.
Wishing the annual assembly all success and harmony in its proceed- ings, I am.
Very respectfully,
WILLIAM E. LOY,
Eesident Vice-President, 2431 Ells- worth Street, Berkeley, Cal.
EEPOETOF EESIDENT VICE-PEESI- DENT FOE CLEVELAND, O.
Cleveland, 0., August 10, 1895. John K. Tiffany, President American
Philatelic Association:
Dear Sir — I have the honor of pre- senting the following brief report as Eesident Vice-President for the Cleve- land, O., District:
We have received four new members during the past year. None have re- moved, died or resigned. Present membership 20.
Cleveland Branch, No. 7, is in a very flourishing condition and the prospects of enlarging our A. P. A. membership from the ranks of the local society, which now numbers 60 members, is very encouraging, and we expect to show good results during the coming year.
' The Cleveland members extend a hearty invitation to the Association to meet here next year.
For obvious reasons we would recom- mend that the name of the Association be changed to THE AMEEICAN PHI- LATELIC SOCIETY. Also that the
publication of the American Philate- list as a literary feature be resumed. Eespectfully submitted,
G. J. BAILEY.
EEPOETS OF BEANCH SOCIETIES.
The Secretary: From the Pomeroy Philatelic Society, Branch No. 9, we have the following report:
We have doubled our membership since the last convention, with bright outlooks for the coming year. We have one application on file and several col- lectors interested, who will join us in the fall. Philately is on a firm footing here in Toledo. Our membership con- sists larg'ely of business men. who are interested in not only the local but also the national Association.
P. E. EOOD, Eesident Vice-President.
Branch No. 10, Kansas City Philatelic Society, reports as follows :
During the last year the Society has shown marked improvement, more in- terest being taken in attending meet- ings. The Society is purely local, all members except two being residents of the two Kansas Citys. During the year the Society has lost two of its most active members by death. They were both members of the Association: M. A . Swanbeck, A. P. A., No. 429, and B. E. Sturgis, A. P. A., No. 759.
F. J. BESCHEE, Eesident Vice-President.
Branch No. 13, the Ohio Philatelic Society, sent the following report:
Our Branch is in a nourishing con- dition and we are getting a few new members each month. Since July 1, three members have been admitted. We urge all candidates to fill out an American Philatelic Association appli- cation when we receive the applica- tion to the State Branch. Success is assured. P. E. EOOD.
Eesident Vice-President.
The next order of business being New Business, Mr. Gremmel said: Mr. Presi- dent, I would like to rise to a point of law. I represent Mr. P. M. Wolsieffer of Chicago and hold his proxy, and I hold a letter here in my hand, which contains, I believe, 14 or 15 £>roxies which have been transferred to Mr. Wolsieffer; and I wish you would rule whether I am entitled or whether I have the power to transfer these prox- ies to any party as the attorney of Mr. Wolsieffer.
The President: If the Convention will kindly indulge me, I will express my opinion. These proxies, signed by various members of the Association,
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
37
are transferred, most of them if not all, by Mr. Bailey to Mr. P. M. Wolsieffer. I understand the gentleman to state that he holds Mr. Wolsieffer's proxy. Now the form of our proxy is: "Know all men by these presents, that I here- by make, constitute and appoint of
the American Philatelic Association, my true and lawful attorney and agent, for me and in my name, place and stead, to represent me and to do and perform all acts and things, and to vote for me upon all questions, at the Convention and at the stock- holders' meeting' of said corporation, to be held," etc. The language seems to be, and, I think, was intended to be, broad enough to cover this case; and I should, as a matter of personal opinion, think that the g'entleman holding- Mr. Wolsieffer's proxy, these proxies hav- ing' been transferred to him, would be entitled to transfer them to some one else. That would be my opinion of it. I have no authority to accept the prox- ies.
Mr. Rice: Mr President, you rule, then, that the proxies can be voted by Mr. Gremmel as attorney for Mr. Wol- sieffer ?
The President: Can be transferred by Mr. Gremmel.
Mr. Rice: Can be transferred?
The President: Yes, sir.
Mr. Rice : Doesn't that put them back into the hands of the Committee on Credentials?
The President: I should think so, sir.
Mr. Rice: Now the question arises: The Committee on Credentials have those in their hands, and do not de- liver them to Mr. Gremmel until after the polls are closed or until after they have reported. What effect does it have iipon the ballot?
Mr. Deats, Chairman of Committee on Credentials: Mr. President, the let- ter was with the ballots that wei-e de- livered to me by the postmaster this morning'.
The President: I think that settles the question.
Mr. Rice: That is all right.
The President: I will say in this connection that in general it is becom- ing' more and more established as a principle of law by the decisions of our courts that the rights of a stockholder g'iven him by the statute in regard to „ voting shall not be in any manner abridged. I think that every new de- cision strengthens that doctrine. Some of the older decisions, for in- stance, allowed various provisions of By-Laws to control those rights, but those distinctions are being rapidly wiped out by the courts. In accord- ance with the belief that that is the
law and will be so established, it is my custom to rule on all occasions in such a way as to carry out, as far as possi- ble, the desires of the stockholders and to give them the opportunity of being represented in the convention without the construction of any sort of techni- cal distinctions, except in such cases where the courts have held that those distinctions ought to be observed.
Is there any other new business?
Mr. C. H. Mekeel: Mr. President, I think in justice to the Committee it had better be explained that this let- ter which was supposed to have been in the hands of the Committee on Cre- dentials has not been in their hands, legally, and I do not know by what au- thority these proxies are in the Con- vention. The letter was delivered by the postmaster, sealed, and addressed to Mr. P. M. Wolsieffer, and not to the Committee on Credentials, and was re- turned, as it was improperly delivered. We had no authority whatever to open that letter, and as a matter of fact those proxies have not been in our possession legally. Probably the gen- tleman who has broken the seal and opened the letter addressed to Mr. Wol- sieffer had full authority to do so, but the Committee, of course, had no such authority. The letter was a personal letter addressed to him and under the seal of the United States stamp.
Mr. Rice: Mr. President, I want to assure the Committee that I fully un- derstood that they did not open that letter.
Mr. Mekeel: I want you to under- stand that the Committee did not have those proxies ; they merely had a letter which was mis-delivered.
Mr. Rice: I understand that.
PROXIES OF MINOR STOCK- HOLDERS.
Mr. Thwing: Mr. President, there is a case of three minors who are stock- holders in this corporation. These three minors I am the legal representa- tive and guardian of. I have the rig'ht under the law to sign the names of these three minors to any documents involving- their ownership of stock. The proxies of these three minors, signed by me as guardian of the said minors, were made to me and handed to the Committee on Credentials. They have not been mentioned in the report of the Committee and I am credited with holding three proxies, whereas it should be six proxies. I ask for a ruling on that point.
Mr. C. H. Mekeel: Mr. President, as a matter of information, the g'en- tleman has made a mistake in his state- ment. He did not sig'n for these
38
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minors as guardian; lie signed as guarantor. He has guaranteed their responsibility to the Association, and that name carries with it no legal authority. And in throwing- out these proxies we have simply followed the precedent that has been estab- lished in this Association and has been followed by previous Committees on Credentials. There was a parallel in- stance of Mr. Millard F. Walton, our former Secretary, who had the Asso- ciation's welfare so much at heart that he put his babies and children in and attempted to vote their proxies in the Convention as their father. I think he even voted them as guardian. It was brought up before the Convention, and it was decided that they should be thrown out. So that the Committee, in taking this course, have simply fol- lowed the precedent that has been es- tablished and imitated an action that has been taken in the Association in a similar case heretofore. I will say fur- ther that a g'reat many of our stock- holders are minors ; it is not necessary that a party should be 21 years of age to hold stock in the Association; we issue stock every day to boys 16 or 17 years of age, and it has always been deemed necessary by the Committee on Credentials to have the signature of the party in every case to the proxy; and that has been the precedent established and followed by the Committees on Credentials for the last nine years.
Mr. Thwing: Mr. President, I want to thank the gentleman for his explanation, but I am not yet quite clear on this point. I understood the President to state just now that the right of stockholders was not to be limited by technicalities, and I also understand that every share of stock has a right to be represented in the election of officers. Those two facts being accepted, I cannot see why, in equity, these three votes or these three proxies should be thrown out because of the use of the word "guarantor" in place of the word "guardian." While I acknowledge that the use of the word "guardian" would have been more correct, the meaning- is evi- dently the same, and the difference is so small that I think the case comes clearly under the President's ruling that the right of the stockholder is not to be abridged because of techni-' calities. If every share of stock has a right to be represented if it wishes to be represented, I feel that these three proxies should be recognized.
Mr. Scott: Mr. President, in regard to the remarks made by Mr. Mekeel, I was on the Committee on Credentials at the time he refers to. The reason why the vote of Mr. Walton's baby was
thrown out was because the father signed the child's name — I think at the time it was possibly under a month old, or at any rate very young- — he signed it in the child's name, and not as proxy or attorney or as guardian, or anything- else ; and as that was man- ifestly impossible, it was thrown out. If he had sig-ned it with a mark, or as attorney or guardian, it would have been passed.
The President: Are there any fur- ther remarks?
Mr. Mekeel: Mr. President, as a member, individually, I think that any guardian of any member of this Asso- ciation has a perfect rig'ht legally to cast a vote for the stock. I think there is no question about that in law; and I think that in handling these proxies we have simply followed the precedent that has been established. If we are going to change our mode of procedure we want to know it, and it is time to take action in the Convention, so that all future Committees on Credentials shall be guided. But heretofore we have treated all members as if they were able to vote. Every young man in this room under 21 years of age. could present a proxy signed by his guardian and would have a right to vote on it, because, legally, the stock belongs to his guardian until he be- comes 21 years of age.
Mr. Thwing-: I think there is every sig-n of our coming together on this point without any trouble. I think there is no question but "what a hurt- ful and unjust precedent should be repudiated, and if it is merely a ques- tion of recognizing a precedent, if we see at once that that precedent is un- just, illegal, and injurious to the stock- holders, we should abolish it at once and establish a new precedent.
The President: Gentlemen, the word "guarantor" does not carry with it a right to vote. The word "guard- ian" in almost all States does carry with it the right to vote the stock of the minor, and therefore my ruling would be that the gentleman should make out his proxies in proper form and submit them to the Committee, and I have no doubt they will be passed to his credit.
Mr. Thwing: Well, what.will be the effect of that in this case and in other similar cases in this present conven- tion and election?
The President: It centainly, sir, cannot affect the election, because they certainly were not in proper form prior to the election. But it will give you the right to vote on all questions that come before the Convention.
Mr. Thwing-: Half a loaf in this
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39
case is not better than no bread. If it is just that those proxies
The President: The Chair has de- cided the point. The gentleman will please sit down.
Mr. Thwing-: Mr. President, I beg- to appeal frorn the decision of the Chair. Will you kindly put it to vote ?
The President: Well, the decision of the Chair was that the question was decided, therefore — although the Chair did not say it — the gentleman is out of order in proceeding with any further remarks. The decision of the Chair is appealed from. Those in favor of sus- taining the decision of the Chair that the gentleman is out of order in pro- ceeding' with remarks after the Chair had announced that the question was decided, will signify it in the usual manner.
Mr. Eice: You don't appeal from that, do you?
Mr. Thwing: I do not appeal from that ruling of the President. It is a misunderstanding.
The President: I beg the gentle- man's pardon. What is the misunder- standing?
Mr. Thwing: Your ruling, as I un- derstood it, was that these proxies, on being- technically corrected, would be operative in the new business of this Convention, but that the same proxies, on being- corrected in the same way, would have no effect on the election it- self. I appeal from that decision.
The President: I beg the gentle- man's pardon. I beg to say to the gentleman before putting the question that I cannot see how the decision of that appeal will affect the matter at all. That is a question which the As- sociation cannot control. It is a ques- tion which must be decided in a court of law.
Mr. Thwing: May I be pardoned if I state the matter in other words?
The President: Certainly.
Mr. Thwing: If those proxies which were in the hands of the Committee on Credentials before the closing of the. polls are to be recognized under any condition and have no effect, it will be manifestly unfair not to give them their full effect both on new busi- ness and on the election. If they can- not be given their full effect on the election, since they were in hand be- fore the polls closed, it will be mani- festly unfair to give them any recog- nition at all in new business.
The President: The Chair under- stands the gentleman's position, and the Chair still reiterates. While the Chair will put the appeal if the gentle- man desires as to the
Mr. Eice: Mr. President, before that vote is taken on sustaining the Chair,
I would like to have the privilege of explaining to the gentleman. I do not think he quite understood the idea. What I understood from the Presi- dent's ruling- is that the three ballots, not having been made out in proper form, were not available for ballots; but the proxies, having also been made . out in improper form, were not leg-al but can be corrected. The polls having- been legally closed, we cannot legally re-open the polls to correct the ballots. The President: The gentleman states the position of the Chair a little more fully, and I thank him for it.
Mr. Thwing-: Well, I see the matter in a little different light, and I with- draw the appeal.
CASE OF GEOEGES CAEION.
The President: Is there any other new business? Is there any other gentleman who desires to lay any mat- ter before the Association?
Mr. Krauth: The Board of Trustees in their report made mention of a spe- cial report which they proposed to lay before the Convention- They availed themselves of a provision of our By- Laws to refer to the Convention the case of the charge of the Societe Philatelique Francaise against Georges Carion, a member of this Association. The Board has examined his case and there is a great deal of evidence on both sides which it desires to have the Association pass upon. I would move, sir. that it be made a special order of business for Friday morning, and that this Convention then go into executive session to consider the report of the Board of Trustees on the case of Mr. Carion and take action upon it and several matters before the Board of Trustees which require executive ac- tion.
The motion was seconded and car- ried.
The President: Is there any other new business or other matter that any gentleman desires to call up now?
Mr. Thwing-: Mr. President, there are a few remarks that I wish to offer merely as a member of the Association, and would ask the courtesy of the mem- bers for that purpose. The remarks which I wish to make are preparatory to a motion which I desire to offer.
The President: The gentleman has the floor, by unanimous consent, I pre- sume.
MB. THWING'S ADDBESS.
Mr. President, Members of the American Philatelic Association :
Gentlemen — I ask your patient atten- tion to a few remarks before proceed- ing with the further business of this
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Convention. We came together as phi- latelists, members of the American Philatelic Association, an organization that we want to see dignified and made prosperous at our hands.
Underneath all the unpleasant ve- neering of apparent animosity, petty jealously and spite, there is, after all, a solid and abiding love of our common weal. We do love fair play, We would be a good deal happier if wrangling' and unpleas- ant recriminations could be dispensed with. There is a good deal more genu- ine satisfaction in making friends than in besting an enemy. It is my belief in these principles that encoiirages me to ask your attention to remarks that may at first be thought somewhat gra- tuitous.
I am only one member in an Associa- tion of over 1,000 members. The only right I have to speak is the right of any individual member. Unfortunately for my standing in the estimation of some of you, I am classed among the "Wise Men of the East." I frankly acknowledge that I am endowed with a full share of local feeling. I have worked hard in my limited way for the success' of that ticket which repre- sented my end of the country; but if there has been any trace in my heart of animosity against any persons, I cast it out as unworthy. If there has been the slightest wish to discredit any per- sons, I repudiate it as unworthy of a g'entleman and a member of the Ameri- can Philatelic Association.
Let us bury the hatchet. It is not the work of gentlemen to hurl biting and abusive epithets at each other. Let it not be said that we, the members of the American Philatelic Association, are lost to all sense of parliamentary dignity and even the claims of decency.
Let there be no more talk on the one hand of the American Philatelic Asso- ciation being "owned" or "controlled" by any one person or clique; or of its being "run in the interest of" one par- ticular member or firm; or of the ig- norance, or unreliability of dealers west of a certain line; or of "glaring abuse" or of "outrage on members."
Let there be no more talk on the other hand of "cotton weighted bidlets, stuffed with ignorance and soaked with jealousy;" or of "so-called experts," or "madmen," or "falsifiers," or of "song- and-dance buffoons."
Let us frankly acknowledge that there have been unworthy thoughts and utterances on both sides, and let us be in haste to concede a little, each to the other.
If there be anything lovely, if there be anything helpful to each other and to the Association, if there be anything
of good report, let us think on these things; let these things form the bur- den of all our official utterances; let these things go forth to the world in our official bulletins as the proceedings of our Conventions, so that every one of us may hold up his head proudly when it is said that he is a member of the American Philatelic Association; so that each may be spurredbn to work for the good of all, and all for the good of each. In this way we can surely realize in truth what one who has the welfare of the Association deeply at heart prophesied to me last evening, that within two years this Association will have an active and harmonious membership of 5,000, and tens of thous- ands of enthusiastic collectors may be won over to our popular pursuit by the influence of this great, dignified and harmonious organization.
And now in keeping with these re- marks I move you, Mr. President, that the letter or letters recently circulated and which have reflected disparagingly upon certain members and officials of the American Philatelic Association be omitted from the official records and bulletins of the Association, and that all portions of the President's address which reflect directly or indi- rectly against members of this Asso- ciation be stricken out and not printed in any of the official bulletins of the Association, and that the President be requested to withhold such portions of his address from publication elsewhere. And so that no record of this unfortu- nate controversy may be perpetuated, I move also that, in the event of the foreg-oing motion being adopted, no minute be made of these remarks or these motions.
I now urg'e and confidently expect you, gentlemen, to adopt this motion unanimously, and so prove the genuine- ness of your professed love of fair play and harmony, as so emphatically set forth in the first part of our Presi- dent's address yesterday. (Prolonged applause.)
DISCUSSION UPON ME. THWING'S MOTION.
Dr. Eaton : Mr. President, I am very happy to be able to further Mr. Thwing's ideas and his remarks by giving this motion my most hearty second. I think we are in a position where, in view of the occurrences of the past day or two, we can either kill the American Philatelic Association, or, by adopting some such method as Mr. Thwing' advocates, not only give it a boom, but make it, as he says, the philatelic society of the world. We have gained, I think, 239 members
THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
41
this year. We ought to gain 500 mem- bers next year, if our professions of harmony are worked out as they should be worked out and as we expect they will be worked out.
Mr. C. II. Mekeel: Mr. President, I am in the fullest sympathy with the remarks that have been made by the gentleman, and if I should speak on the sentimental side of this matter I should very likely want to vote with him. But before we come down to sentiment we must look cold facts in the face. This gentleman asks that our minutes omit all mention of a cir- cular that was sent out by the "Wise Men of the East," of whom he is proud to acknowledge that he is one. He asks us to omit mention of that circu- lar. He asks us to omit from our President's address the remarks that he made, alluding- to the circular and other things. He asks us to omit the gentlemanly speech that he has made in coming before this little roomful. And then he asks us to go before the world, wiping off the slate everything that has been said in reply to that cir- cular which was sent out from New York to disgrace the Association, while the circular itself is allowed to stand unanswered, juet every mem- ber who signed that eircidar come be- fore the Association with a proper apology; let these members send out to the Association a proper kind of cir- cular to follow it, and nobody will be more ready than I to let the matter drop. But to ask us to wipe out what we have said in justice to ourselves — it is scandalous.
Mr. Thwing: Mr. President, I have one or two other remarks that I wish to add to what I have said. Our Presi- dent informed lis yesterday morning that in the official capacity of Presi- dent of this Association he refused ad- mission in the Official Circular to the letter which subsequently was circu- lated by those signing it in a personal capacity. This letter I do not wish to discuss in one aspect or another. What I do wish to discuss is the official utterances of this Asso- ciation. That letter did not appear as any part of the official issuances of this Association. It was refused ad- mission to the official bulletin by the President of this Association. It is natural to suppose that the President, who has asserted himself strongly in favor of fair play, will see the justice of omitting from the official bulletin of this Association a reply to a letter which was refused admission to this Circular. (Applause.) Air. President, as members of this Association we view with abhorrence the publication
to the world of this unfortunate and unparliamentary discussion. We pro- test against the appearance in our official bulletins of either side of the discussion. Neither side has been con- ducted with candor or with calm, deliberate and temperate language. For the sake of harmony, without dis- cussing the merits of either side, 1 ask and urge you each and all to con- cede, to settle differences outside of the Association, to play fair, to be gentlemen. We are not school boys; we are gentlemen.
Mr. Eice: Air. President?
The President: Will Mr. Kice yield the floor to the President for a moment?
Air. Eice: Certainly.
The President: Before this discus- sion goes any further I wish to say, as the deliverer of the address a portion of which it is asked should be stricken out, that I am quite in sympathy, heart and soul, with the remarks of the gentleman (Air. Thwing-). If there were any way in which this mat- ter could be wiped out. no one would be more heartily in favor of doing' it than the President. It has cost him many thoughtful hours before he de- cided to deliver certain parts of the address. It was finally delivered in the belief that in the end it would be for the benefit of the Association. But there are some aspects of this mat- ter which are beyond the control of the Association. The portion of the address which I presume the gentle- man wishes to have stricken out was provoked by two documents, which, unfortunately, w7hile the President tried to prevent the publication of one of them, have both been published in other papers. One of these letters, 1 suppose, we cannot control in any way. The gentleman who wrote it and who published it is not present. The other' is not a letter; it is an argument. It was published by a g'entleman who is present. He has control of a paper, in which he published it. If he is now convinced that he was mistaken in the attack which he made, it is a very easy thing for him to write and publish in his paper a retraction; and if these matters are to be expunged — and I hope most sincerely that they will Ultimately be expunged — it seems to me that in all fairness to those upon whom this attack was made, at least the gentleman who published the ar- ticle should be expected to make the retraction. Otherwise we stand be- fore the world with an imputation cast upon the officers of this Associ- ation. We stand before the world with an imputation cast upon the Associ-
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THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST.
ation. We stand before the world as having re-elected to office persons upon whom that imputation has been cast. I hope that the way will be opened so that I may heartily, frankly and fully consent to have that portion of my address stricken out.
Mr. Eice: Mr. President, the hour is growing- late. I move that this mat- ter be laid over and made the first order of business for this evening.
The President: No provision has been made for a session this evening-.
On the motion of Mr. Krauth it was voted that when adjournment was had it be till 8 o'clock this evening-, and, on motion of Mr. Eice, the matter under consideration was laid on the table for the first order of business this evening.
After which, on motion of Mr. Eice, the Convention adjourned at 3 minutes before 3 o'clock p. m.
, FIFTH SESSION.
Wednesday evening, August 14th.
The Convention was called to order in Odd Fellows' Hall, at 8:55 p. m., by Vice-President Davison, and on mo- tion of Mr. Eice, Messrs. Luff and Gurdji were appointed to advise the President that the Association awaited his pleasure.
A recess of 10 minutes was then taken and upon the reassembling of the Convention Mr. Krauth rehearsed at length the arrangements that had been made by the Entertainment Com- mittee.
Discussion on Mr. Thwing's motion being- resumed, the President, on tak- ing the chair, said: When we ad- journed this afternoon there was a matter under discussion which was made the special order of business for this evening-. Since the adjournment and during the afternoon various members who are interested in the promotion of har- mony and good will and interested in the welfare of the Association, have been discussing what was right and proper to do in the matter. It is not a matter which can be settled hastily, without due consideration, and I will ask that further discussion of it be laid over until Friday, to be taken up, if necessary, after the discussion of the report of the Board of Trustees, in order that we may see if it cannot be arranged properly by that time.
Mr. Batchelder: Mr. President, I assume that I was one of the parties to that discussion, and will say that I shall not be here on Friday. There are others who will not be here on Friday, and I think that the matter
must be settled before that time, or the parties who will go away will not be satisfied. I should object to its be- ing- postponed to the close of the Con- vention.
A protracted discussion followed as to the advisability of a postponement of the discussion. Mr. Thwing moved for an Arbitration Committee and Mr. Eice for a recess of ten minutes for conference.
Mr. Thwing: I second the motion.
The motion was carried, with one dissenting voice, and a recess was or- dered 10 minutes past 9.
The Convention reassembled at 9:33 p. m.
Mr. Thwing: Mr. President, I move that a committee be appointed now to go into private session for fifteen minutes and consider this mat- ter and present the result to the Con- vention this evening at the expiration of that fifteen minutes; that the Com- mittee consist of Mr. C. H. Mekeel, Mr. N. W. Chandler, Mr. John K. Tiff- any, Mr. Henry Gremmel, Mr. J. O. Hobby, Mr. John N. Luff, Mr. John W. Scott and Mr. Thwing — a com- mittee of eight persons; and that this committee consider the mat- ter briefly and see whether they think it is possible to present to the Association a way of disposing of this controversy. The Committee will report to the Convention this evening, there will be no delay, and then the Convention will be at liberty to act as it sees fit.
Mr. Batchelder: Mr. President, I would like to hear the names read again of the Committee that the gentle- man suggests.
Mr. Thwing read the names of the Committee as proposed, after which the motion was seconded.
A Member: There should be nine upon the Committee.
Mr. Thwing : I do not think it is neccessary to have an odd number, Mr. President, because it is only an in- formal discussion, the result of which is to be submitted to the open conven- tion immediately.
The President: Gentlemen, you have heard the motion ; you have heard the names of the Committee. Are you ready for the question?
("Question!")
Mr. Davison: Will that Committee accept?
The President: I suppose that no gentleman who is desired to be a mem- ber of this Committee will object.
The motion was carried unani- mously.
The President: The Committee will kindly retire from the room. In the
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43
meantime the Vice-President will take the chair and proceed with the regular order of business until the report of the Committee.
The Committee withdrew from the room and the Vice-President took the chair.
The Vice-President: The Convention will please come to order. In order to facilitate the business, if possible, I will call for some of the reports of the committees. Owing to the fact that there are probably two or three hun- dred votes out of the room, I will not have any vote taken on any of the rec- ommendations. We will simply re- ceive the reports as time allows us, holding them, and afterwards taking them up for action. Doing this will probably put us forward a little.
Mr. Deats: Mr. President, there are present in the room a majority of the members attending' the Convention, but there are not a majority of the membership represented by proxy.
The Vice-President: Have we a quorum in the room?
Mr. Deats: We have a quorum of the members attending the Conven- tion, but not a quorum of the member- ship as represented by proxy holders. I have a report of the Committee on Credentials, which I will not read to- night, because there will be some more proxies to add in the morning-, unless there is some question to be decided. There are some changes — some added, and some taken away from the number of proxies as given this morning.
Mr. G. D. Mekeel: Mr. President, I move that we take a recess until we leceive the report of the Committee.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Rice and carried, and a recess was ac- cordingly ordered at 9 : 45 p. m.
The Convention reasembled at 10:45 p. m., the President in the chair.
The President: The Convention will be in order. The Convention will receive the report of the Committee.
Mr. Thwing: Mr. President, I will request Mr. Burt to read the report of the Committee, as it is in shorthand.
The stenographer read the following report:
REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE.
Your Committee, appointed in the interest of harmony and to suggest a plan of compromise of the difficulties which have arisen in connection with the present election, respectfully rec- ommend:
1. That the Chairman of the Liter- ary Board be allowed to withdraw his report from the Committee for emen- dation.
2. That the entire address of the President be omitted in the publication of the proceedings of the Convention.
3. That all personalities in the de- bate upon these matters be omitted.
4. That the remarks of Mr. Thwing, the mover of the resolution, be in- serted.
5. That the following- paper, signed by the Committee, be inserted:
"We, the undersigned Committee, desire to state that upon a full confer- ence we are of opinion that in the course of this campaign many state- ments have been made by various par- ties based upon a misunderstanding of the facts in the case, and that we each of us hereby withdraw any statements that any one of us has made imputing improper conduct to any of the offi- cers or members of the Association. We desire to express the belief that ev- ery officer of the Association has con- ducted his department with the best intentions. We further recommend that the Association express its regrets that any personalities or attacks upon the personal conduct of members should have been made in any cam- paign dociiments, and will look with disfavor upon the publication of any such allusions in future campaign doc- uments."
EUGENE THWING, Chairman.
JOHN K. TIFFANY,
JOHN W. SCOTT,
N. W. CHANDLER,
HY. GREMMEL,
C. H. MEKEEL,
J. OAKLEY HOBBY,
JOHN N. LUFF.
The President: Gentlemen, you hear the report.
Mr. Rice: Mr. President, I move the adoption of the report of the Com- mittee as read.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Kissinger and Mr. A. F. Stone, and unanimously carried.
The President: Shall we proceed with the regular order of business?
Mr. Batchelder: Under the order of business which calls for the reports of Committees, I was about to ask to be allowed to report for the Finance Com- mittee, as I shall not be here after this session, and I think one of the other members of the Committee will also be absent.
The President: It