New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-08
AN AGREEABLE COMPROMISE
WOMEN TO SIT AT THE ANNUAL METHOD
IsT CONFERENCES.

Cleveland, Ohio May tSpeclaD.-lhe "'e'"'"
ist General Conference has not settled the woi'1h
question, but 1t has done something tfat Is prop
ably much wiser under the circumstances. 1t has
put 1t in the way of settlement that Will re
permanent, unqueetioned and generally salts
factory That the women will obtain three
fourths vote in the annual conference.-the only
step now required to make them eligible under
the terms of the constitution-hardly admits OF
a doubt in view of their overwhelming victory IN
the Conference to-day.
THE Committee on Eligibility, TO which was
referred back the whole question with power %
bring in any settlement which it could agree,
brought in a report this morning. the terms OF
which were exactly fo~oshadowed In these ais
patches yesterday. That report came up lot
Immediate consideration In the conference. every
other order of the day being ruthlessly swep.
aside so anxious were the members TO dispose OF
the question 1t was at once apparent that the
house was ready to adopt it, for 1t grew FESTIVE
under the cilatory tactics which some delegates
tried 10 introduce 1t wanted to vote, ana wheh
1t got chance to do SO it gave an overwhelming
majority-425 to 9s-in favor Of the committees
recommendation.
As will be seen below. the cor mittee's report
was an exceedingly clever document 1t required
neither side to surrender Its position 1t allowed
this Conference to retain the seats In dispute
md without prejudice to the rights Of the chal-
lengers or the challenged. 1t affirmed the right
OF the Conference to deal with the question judi
c,ally. but recommended that 1t waive that right
for the present TbIt concession satisfied the
radicals Then IL provided that the Conference
vote on sending an amendment to the annual
conferences; should such vote prevail by TWO
thirds majority, the annual conferences were
to be asked to vo.> on the question at once
That met the view of the conservatives. except
q few irreconcilables. This plan Of procedure
was adopted and within year probably women
will be eligible as lay delegates.
THE SESSION IN DETAIL.
The session to-day characterized by In
tense interest and excitement but courtesy and
good-feeling prevailed throughout. Now that
this matter is disposed Of. the next exciting oc-
currence will be the election Of Bishops and the
other officers on May Is. and the Conference TO-
day adopted the rules to govern the election
An attempt made to have the Bishops
elected by a majority instead Of two-thirds vote
but 1t failed.
Almost Immediately after the roll-call. Bishop
Foss who presided, announced hat the Com
mittee Eligibility was ready to report Dr.
Kynett the chairman. presented the report
in substance as follows being signed by twen-
ty-seven members. F. B. Medley. ]. B. Graw.
Jacob Rothmeeler and H. A. Salzer refused to
sign 1t:
The committee is agreed that the eligibility Of
women is a constitutional question. 1t was also
agreed that the General Conference had the
power in a judicial capacity to interpret the
constitution when a question of judicial nat
ure was raised. Then the report recommends
the amendment of Section No. 2, Of Paragraph
No 81. The amendment modifies the qualifica-
tions of a delegate to the General Conference.
The chief change is the use Of the word lay
man, so as to admit wor:e1 A section Of the
report also provides that the amendments be
referred to the annual conferences Of the fol-
lowing year. and further provides for a two
thirds vote Of this General Conference and a
three-fourths vote of the next annual confer
ences to enact this amendment into law.
THE COMPLICATED QUESTION.
The two resolutions. which bear on the COM
plicated situation of the present Conferences
provide that. in consideration Of the general
desire for an early and final settlement OF the
whole question, and in view of the proposed
submission to the annual conferences. the com
mittee recommend no formal decision at the
present time. The report further declares that
inasmuch as the question has not been judi
cially passed upon, those women having seats
on the floor can retain them under a title IN
dispute without prejudice TO the challengers or
challenged. and without establishing prece-
dent.
In short speech DR.. Kynett explained the
principles OF honorable compromise recognized
in the report, and moved It's adoption. DR.. ]. B.
Graw who had vainly tried to get the floor all
the week. succeeded At last. and declared him.
self opposed to waiving the challenge and scat
ing the women even Professionally. DIR. Warren
of newfoundland. offered substitute asking the
annual conferences to vote on the question
whether lay delegates to the number OF one
half might be women. He thought 1t unwlse 70
assert the judicial powers OK the Conference al
this time. L. NJ. Shaw. of Des Moines. spoke
against the substitute. SO also did DR.. Mains
Of New-York. DR.. L. Il. Wilson. Of Baltimore
opposed the committee report because 1t affirmed
the right Of the Conference 10 sit as judicial
body. DR.. Warrens substitute was laid on the
table, and the previous question was voted. DR.
Kynett said that as the report was a COM
promise he would ask DR.. Buckley to make the
In an address OF singular lucidity DR.. Buckley
showed how both sides might honorably unite
in adopting the committees recommendations
while at the same time those. like himself, op
posed to the admittance of women on Script
ural grounds, might Still vote against admit
lance Wnen IL came UP IN tnc CONIeTence Inc
last Conference he said instructed the secre
tary to put the women on the roll They are
therefore technically IN the Conference. though
their right is in dispute. The report simply
recognizes that fact. The report asks both sides
70 give up something. but not to give up any
principle. 1t should be adopted.
The Conference then adopted the report. frs
by sections. and then a whole, the result be
ing greeted by great applause The question
then came UP whether the Conference SHOULD
take vote at once to send the question Of ar
amendment to the annual conference. make Il
the order Of the day for tomorrow.
WAY OUT OF THE DIFFICULTY
Dr. Buckley asked for delay, but DR.. Leonard
demanded an immediate vote. and by larg
foritv the Conference On decided A delepat