The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-05-02
Decision of the Methodist Mod
orator on the Rights of
Women
Caused Great Applause in >the
Conference Shows Strength
Of Suffrage.
Resolution Demanding Rights
for Lay Delegates Promptly
Appears.

CLEVELAND, u, May - n
devotional exercises of the general con
ference of the Methodist church were
over, a little furry occurred by reason
of the call On Secretary Munroe to call
the roll. 1t was thought this action
would precipitate the contest of seats
for the women When the name Of
Lydia A. Timble was announced, a
delegate was Immediately on his feet
and made a motion that this name be
omitted until a committee determine
whether her election was legal. For a
moment it looked rs if the fight had
started. Bishop Bowman, however,
refused to entertain the motion, as he
declared the conference was not organ
lied.
Showed the Strength Of Suffrage.
Tumultuous applause which followed
the ruling Of the chair indicated the
strength of the woman suffrage faction
of the delegation. This was the first
skirmish and as the other names OF
ONE delegates were called, no ex.
ception was taken. The secretary con.
tinued to call the roll. The conference
decided to fill the vacancies from the
reserves, and to adopt the rules of the
last conference. A fight over the rights
of laymen on the floor Of the confer
ence was precipitated by Mr.. Daniels
of India, who took the conventions
breath away by presenting the follow.
ing resolutions.
Resolved, first, that we, members OF
the general conference of 1896, do
hereby claim our right to choose the
committees on which we will serve in
the same as the ministerial
delegates have made choice of the COM
mittees on which they would serve
my previous arrangement notwith-
standing.
Resolved, second, that we hereby
request the presiding bishop to lay
this case before the general conference
with the view of securing therefrom
the official affirmation of our rights as
above recited.
Resolved, third, that a copy Of these
resolutions be laid before the presiding
bishop at the opening of the first days
session of the general conference.
When the tumult following the pre-
sentation of this resolution subsidized,
Bishop Bowman ruled them out Of
order, still contending that the organ
ization of the convention had not been
effected.
Precipitated the Fight.
The actual fight for the admission of
women delegates was precipitated when
Mr.. Planet of North Dakota moved
that a committee on credentials be APP
pointed. This brought Mr.. Buckley,
the old time enemy of the women, to
the front, who challenged the rights of
women to seats in the convention. A
scene of widest confusion followed in
which Bishop Bowman threw up his
hands in despair, and exclaimed:
Are we in congress-, or are we in q
Methodist conference: Good Lord,
brethren, can we not stop this hooting
and bowling: The Lord help u.s."
The question was finally disposed Of
by referring all questions of eligibility
to a special committee consisting of 20
members. This committee is made up
Of two delegates from each conference
district, and is being selected. The
committee will report Monday and in
the meantime, the women will be al.
lowed the seats in the convention.
The convention adjourned at l p. m.