Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-05-12

Chicago, May Mrs Potter Palmer
threatened to resign / ON the board
of lady managers today. 1t was the
climax of the quarreling and lack of
harmony that has characterized the
meeting of the board this spring. With
each session it has increased, until Mrs.
Palmer, unable to bear it any longer,
announced to the ladies that she would
ask to have her name stricken from the
. rolls unless the quarreling stopped i'm
mediately and harmonious action was
restored to the deliberations of the
board.
Many of the ladies were moved to
tears by Mrs. Palmer's appeal to them
and the scene that followed her open
ing remarks was distressing in the eX-
IRENE. Some of the ladies even cried
aloud, and speeches in support of the
president were made in broken voices,
accompanied by expressions of heart
felt sympathy for Mrs. Palmer when
; she declared that she was utterly dis
couraged with the action Of certain
members of the board.
The women We'd with each other to
be heard, and finally a resolution sup
porting the president and thanking her
for the noble work she had done was
unanimously passed and it is hoped will
put an end to the jealousies and petty
c,1arrclHg that has marred the other
wise able administration of the ladies'
commission
; The meeting of the board was not
: called to order until nearly noon. I'M
mediately after the opening prayer and
roll-call Mrs. Palmer rose with dignity;
she was very pale and noticeably agi-
tated. In clear but determined voice
she addressed the large audience of Ia
dies who had gathered to dispose of the
days business. She did not talk long,
but what she said produced a decided
!; commotion.
| Ladies' said the president slowly,
I her face showing all the grief she felt,
II am deeply grieved at the feeling
and internal discord that has shown it
slf in this board. This quarreling in
our midst is unworthy of us and is
due to the action of a few women who
are here apparently for no other pur-
! pose. Such actions mortify me and
those inspiring them are unworthy Of
our companionship. If these things are
to continue [ must ask that my name
: be stricken from the roll-call of the
board of lady managers, and you ladies
have the power to permit me to do So
If the board cannot retain its dignity
I do not wish to be Inundated by hav-
ing my name on the list Of lady mana
gers"
| When Mrs. Potter took her seat
almost every lady in the room was in
tears A moments silence followed,
half a dozen women were on their feet.
Mrs Lyon offered a resolution thanking
Mrs. Palmer for all her efforts on be-
half of womankind and pledging the
board to her support. She spoke feel
ingly ON it and referred touchingly to
the attempts made to restore harmony
! to the deliberations, the action of the
! ladies who criticised the arrangements
made by the ceremonies committee
and the other officers of the board.
! She was followed by Isabelle Beecher
Hooker, who, weeping, protested bit
tely against the iealousies and quarrel
ing that made such statement by
Mrs. Palmer necessary.
Mrs. Ralph Trauttman, of New o1rk,
made a stirring appeal to the ladies to
rise to the occasion and support the
work of women throughout the land
and not permit their efforts to prove
failure. She reviewed the able work
of Mrs. Palmer while in Washington,
told of her appearance before congress,
and finally asked the ladies to put them
selves in the place of Mrs. Palmer and
ask themselves if they could do as well.
She warned the members of the board
that the trust that had been imposed
upon them was in danger and that the
reputation Of women was at stake.
! One after another the ladies got the
floor to speak on the resolution. The
more they talked the warmer they got,
until finally all the sentiment in their
hearts overdowed and Mrs. Palmer was
, the queen of American womanhood-
| the friend Of the weaker sex the world
over.
| Support and earnest cooperation was
pledged and when put to a vote Mrs.
| Lyons resolution went through with
a shot and peace and love was prom
ised for the future. Throughout all
this show of devotion those ladies who
wanted to meet the duchess and didn't,
who refused to attend Mrs. Palmer's
reception yesterday and who have
been the cause of all the trouble, sat
silently watching the proceedings.
Some. but not all, were won over to
voting for the resolution indorSing all
the president had done. Phoebe Couz-
ms was not one of these, but no one
voted against the measure.
When the ladies had dried their tears
they were in a good humor. Votes of
thanks were passed recognizing the serv
ices of the ceremonies committee, the
officers of the board and all the ladies
connected with the woman's depart
ment. Thus peace was restored where
there had been no harmony and the
board got down to business
Mrs. Cook. the secretary, made a
lengthy report which had long been
DELAYED and included the financial state
ment as already published. A resolu-
ton providing that when it adjourns
the board meet again not later than
N~toher was tabled. Another sugges-
Son --hicb provided that 104 ladies' BE-
added to the committee on ceremonies |
monies met the same fate.
A third resolution empowering the |