The Portland daily press., 1896-05-16
Correspondence of the Press.)

Question Bnt Half Settled.-But the
Women Will Soon be in.
Correspondence of the Press.)
cleveland, O., May 13-Great things
have been expected of this General Con-
ference, and one which is quite remark
able has come to pass. A most astonish-
ing occurrence it is, such as never was,
and, by dhose familiar with the chief
industry of former assemblies of this
kind, never was dreamed of. This most
talkatlve of all conclaves, politi cal or
religious, registered on Monday what DR..
Buckley characterized with gravity
that made everybody smile as IAN era of
silence" The wind had given out and
the ship was becalmed. Not, however,
hopelessly SO, for the irrepressible Doctor
was on deck at that very moment, and
it was not long until he had put passen-
gers ana officers in tolsrable heart again
by raising a breeze. But 1t was true
when he said it, and the record of the
fact ought to be preserved as one Of the
greatest wonders of wonderful age.
So The situation" he declared, sis un-
precedented. 1t was never so before. The
Conference actually is without speech
maker, and has not enough spirit left ap-
parently to brin forth speech produc-
ing notion
But dead as the body seemed it was
not in the condition Of the man who had
been kicked by mule. There were re-
J1a irs in nd r +V,o
to be quite lively, grand old Dr.. Lana
han. for instance, who has been mem.
Der Of every General Conference for about
40 years, and who knew his patient so
well that he was able to prescribe effeo-
tually even for so unusual contin-
gency as paralysis of the vocal organs. In
point Of fact, ths good Doctors prescrip-
tion was very familiar one. 1t never
fails TO sat the wits at work and the
tongues to wagg ing. eve know what's
the MATTER" said the wiseheaded physi-
clan; business will make no progress
tillSthe elections are out of the way" OF
course everybody agreed with him, and
Immediately the vote by which the 18th
had been fixed as the day for the beginn-
ing of this all-important business, was
reconsidered. Then came DIR. Buckley,
who was so impressed by the "new era of
silence" that he smashed it right off in
the very act of calling attention to it, as
he is quite capable, by his unrivaled
power in debate, of breaking or making
almost anything under the sun.
AN earlier election, by all MEANS"
was his plea; 'for, if this be delayed till
Midday, how can we keep Sunday proper
ly? The candidates may-they may
full to the ancient grammarians for in
PRODUCING the subjunctive mood; but
even if the candidates should do it, how
can We expect that at 10 Saturday night
their friends and supporters will be able
thus to close the gates of thought upon
such matters?'
Then came DR.. Hulburd of Delawar e
with an old chestnut which has done SER
vice in the mouth Of some faoetious
brother as far back as the Oldest memory
travels What he proposed was that cleo
lions TO the Episoopacy should come last
Ai'ocSIAA u 1iAou uAO DuII OA UHlS
chestnut consisting in the fact that al
most all the candidates for subordinate
positions are candidates for a bishopric
as well, and that to elect them to some
thing else in advance would be to smash,
at one fell stroke, at least for four years,
all their Episcopal chances. But this
Conference could not be induced by even
so persuasive pleader as DR.. Hulburd
to be so cruel to itself. 1t is periodically
lnvitsd to this course, but it always, with
knowing wink at It's own wisdom and
good laugh at the oratorical tempter
respectfully declines. Thus it did OF
Monday.
But to put tho elections few days
earlier was proposal quite to its liking,
Upon this motion there was no hesitancy
and, really, in view of the situation, who
can blame these worthy meu? 1t costs
four dollars minute to pay the expenses
OF this body; yet here they were, not
only becalmed for want of takers, but
with absolutely no business before them.
IL was mora than an era of silence; it |
was an era of wasteful inactivity. For
three mornings in succession the Confer |
ence found itself again and again with
nothlng to do, yet with the certainty that |
a.tef time there would be more bust