New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-06
WOMEN'S CHANCES WANING.
NOT SURE OF SEATS IN THE METHODIST
GENERAL CONFERENCE.

4 DISPOSITION TO COMPROMISE ON THE QUESTION
SHOWN AMONG THE DELEGATES IN cI.EvE-
LASp-rHE CONFERENCE WEARY
OF THE DEBATE
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIIuNE.]
Cleveland. May B-The question OF admitting
women as lay delegates to the Method'st "en-
eral Conference is still unsettled. After listen
ing to-day to a number OF able speeches. on po'i
sides Of the question the conference adJourheo
the debate until tomorrow morning out Of sheer
physical WEAKNESS half an hour before the usuai
time of adjournment. few delegates. especially
the advocates of thu women, would like TO nave
vote as soon as possible. for they fear that the
waverers will be induced 10 vote against the
women by the constitutional arguments al
vanced.
The assertion that the welfare and unity OF Inc
Church would be endangered by seating the
women who have presented themselves has al
ready weakened the radicals In the opinion OF
many and the declaration OF so many opposing
the present admission of women that they are III
favor OF admitting them after three-iour'hs VI
the annual conferences shall have voted IN FAVOR
Of admitting them, has also strengthened 'ne Up
position to women. For these and other reasons
II is by no means certain that the radicals VIII
now succeed in getting majority vote seating
The women In fact while each hopes for the
best II fears the worst.
The two parties. however. do not stand on ex'
actly the same footing, for If the conference de-
cIares Miss Trimble eligible the radicals gain only
4 temporary victory. They Will still nave 10 go
10 the annual conferences with the question: anu
Than n the next General Conference. If the pres
ent conference declares women Ineligible the
moral effect Of such a declaration. coming after
~ no 1oct wv
will make it hard for the radicals to get three
fourths majority in the annual conferences.
That Is the situation in nutshell. ana IL
holds everybody on the tenterhooks of anxiety
In the mean while 1t is the policy Of the conserva-
tives to keep the debate going as long as pos
sible as they have everything to gain and MOTH
ing to lose by doing.
RADICALS MAKING OVERTURES.
Another fact worth noticing is that nearly all
the attempts at compromise thus far have come
from the friends of the women, and there are at
least twenty delegates on that side OF the ques-
ton waiting q chance to present resolutions pro-
posine some compromise that will be generally
accountable II would surprise no one who mas
followed the debate II some one should gain the
floor tomorrow and. after moving to lay bo'h
the majority and the minority reports on the
table offer in their place resolution that, In
case Miss Trimble does not claim her seat, 1ur-
Their consideration Of the subject be suspended
It Is generally believed that such resolution
would 20 through with a rush and would give
each side a chance to say that II 1t had not Won
a victory at least 1t had not sustained defeat.
The question of a constitutional amendment de-
claring women eligible would then go to the an
nual conferences and would receive an almost
unanimous vote. There are few irreconcilables
on both Sides but majority IN the conference
wants 10 settle the question by following the lines
OF least resistance.
The auditorium still proves to be unsatisfac-
tory in many ways 1t is almost impossible for
many delegates to hear. and the heat and glare
from the great ekyight In the roof were intense
to-day that many delegates put on their hats.
while others covered their heads with news
papers. The contract for painting the skylight
has been let but 1t will not be done until Thurs
day. After to-day the session will begin at $3.50
and end at 1890.
BEGINNING OF THE DAYS DISCUSSION.
Bishop Andrews presided to-day. After the
transact of some routine business. the order Of
the day was announced. and DR.. Daniel Steven
son. Of Kentucky. took the floor He held that
women have the right to sit as lay delegates
without amending the constitution. II they had
presented themselves in 1872 he said. they would
have been ADMITTED tnt1, IOF tndt conference ue-
ciared that there should be no discrimina ton on
account OF race. color or sex 1--WE have crossed
the Rubcon.' he declared for they already
hold Offices as laymen. Why may they not sit as
lay delegates in this body?"
Dr. Neeley make a scholarly argument in OPP
position to women. There had been no popular
demand for their admission, he said, but even II
there were It would prove nothing. They We're
either eligible or ineligible under the constitu-
ton, and the constitution. interpreted by the
Bible and the history Of the church, ruled them
out The original government Of Methodism
was a male autocracy Then the ministers were
admitted and then the laymen, but the church
always recognized the distinction between the
sexes.
Judge John F. Caples. Of Oregon. caused shouts
of laughter by q regular old-fashioned spread
eagle speech about the high mountains broad
valleys and noble rivers Of the great Northwest
which he called Gods country. Incidentally he
favored admitting women. because Methodism
in the Northwest had been built up by women
Judge James Hartin Of Iowa, argued from the
dictionary, In which 'luyman" is defined so as ia
include woman.
DIR. BUCKLEY AGAINST THE WOMEN
DR.. Buckley OF New-York. next gained the
floor. and made the strongest speech OF the day
against the admission Of women. His argument
was strictly on the CONSTITUTIONAL point, and may
be summarized as follows:
l. The government Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church was first monarchy, all authority reposing
In the superintendent. as II had in Wesley. From
Aebury 1t passed 10 the conference and continued
til 1872 TIL that time the laity. men, women and
children had neither rights nor seats In the General
Conference.
Every right. therefore must be specifically
conferred.
3 When lay representation was introduced
women neither in Church nor in State were known
as Legislators In all organized denomination.
where !aymen were mentioned in the sense OF
West HhSt.