The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-23
PHGBE coUzINs' FIGHT.
Not for Her Salary, but to Save the
Lady Managers.


WARRINGTON CITY. June 22-Miss Phoebe
CouZ.ns has filed q claim for her salary for May
as secretary of the board OF lady managers OF
the Worlds fair with Assistant Secretary Seftle-
% = &: the treasury department together with
brief in support of her claim. The brief il in
two parts, the first having been prepared by W.
p. Black and c. B. Waite, and the other BY Rob
ert Rae The case is reviewed in all
il bearings, and an elaborate argu-
ment is presented to show that Miss Couzins 10
still legally secretary of the board of lady man
ayers. IL is contended that the commission had
power to prescribe the duties of the board, but
that il could not control, direct or supervise the
board in the exercise of its power, nor in the
agencies by which, or the methods in which,
that board would perform the duties prescribed
by the commission IL is asserted that the ex-
ecGtivc committee of the board as constituted 10
an utterly irresponsible creation of the presi-
dent of the board, and the following comment
il made on the soealled sab-commiitee:
Surely q subcommittee chosen from the per
sonai apposntees OF one lady, however gifted
and however dazzling her social position. 10 not
the body which congress contemplated when il
adopted section OF the act providing for q
worlds exposition, 10 exercise the provisions
for the board OF lady managers provided for in
that section. The attempt 10 substitute this
little eoterie OF personal apposntees for the mag
nifcent body OF representative women which
was originally elected by the commission in the
performance OF the duty in that behalf imposed
upon IL, when coupled with the publicly de-
clared policy that no further meeting OF the
board Of lady managers il ever 70 be called and
that all the duties of that board are 10 be per
formed in perpetuity by the executive commit
tee OF that board or sub-committee thereof,
furnishes sufficient occasion for the struggle
which is being made by Miss Couzius 70 main
tain her dignity and defend her rights in the
board of lady managers, and gives sufficient
concern TO those who have believed that this
legislation OF congress would afford fitting op-
portunity for the representative women Of
American to show what was in their
10 participate in the transaction of
great national enterprise like this exposition,
and who now behold this opportunity about 10
be destroyed by an effort TO transfer all the
powers of this board of lady managers TO
single woman, acting in conjunction with an
executive committee, so-called, such executive
committee illegally appointed by herself, and
thus acting in subJeeilon TO the executive COM
mittee Of the commission and its director-gen-
eral, thus becoming merely the subordinRtes OF
certain officers Of the commission
In closing their brief, Black and Waite say:
in her fight in this case, Miss Couzins is not
merely struggling TO retain Office on account of
its emoluments or the personal advantage
which che might derive from the exercise OF It's
prerogatyes and the performance of its duties
She Is insisting that she holds her Commission
BY virtue OF the action OF the board OF LADY
managers, and that the board must pass upon
the question of her retention of once
and as 10 whether she has faithfully
performed all the duties devolved upon her
by her election as secretary OF the board
OF lady managers. She has made an appeal 10
the courts, believing that the proceedings
which have been carried on against her 10 be
arbitrary, illegal and revolutionary, and she
insists that until the courts have spoken au-
thoritstlyely "a on the questions presented she
is entitled 10 exercise the functions Of the per
Torrance of her duties and draw the salary at
tAching to the position 10 which Ehe elected
by The board OF lady managers November %,
1890.
In his brief, Rae makes the following remarks
in regard to the powers Of the board of lady
managers:
It the evident intention Of the act Of con-
gress that the board Of lady managers should
continue in active performance OF ITS duties up
TO and after the time Of awarding r-lzes in such
exhibits as shall be produced in whole or in
part by female labor. IL Is evidently the intsn-
ton of congress that u should exist and
should meet and exercise the powers conferred
upon IL By congress as well as the duties 20 be
prescribed for il by the commission, and as
those duties require the exercise OF judgment
and discretion thsf must be exercised bv itsel.
IL was never intended that the executive com
Inittse should receive by delegation these
L4gn important trusts 4: 10 familiar priaci-
ple OF law that the directors OF corporation
cannot generally delegate their authority and
power 70 Others.
Assistant Secretary Eettlet0n says that the de-
partment viii take no action IN the matter until
the status Of Miss Couxins has been determined
BY the courts.