Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-05-07
REPORTS ARE MADE
Women Delegates Patiently Await
a Decision.
MAJORITY FOR SEATING THE WOMEN
Following the Reading of the Written
Statement of the Three Women
Delegates to the Gener-
al Conference

Cleveland, o., May 5-The advocates
and opponents OF the proposition to
admit women delegates were pitted
against each other today in the Method
list general conference in what will pro-
badly be a decisive battle. The COM
xnittee of thirty-one on eligibility sent
a majority report in favor of the wom-
en-, and minority report. These were
debated warmly and will be further con-
sidered tomorrow. Each side claims
success. The standing committees Or
ganized in the afternoon and will be
in session every afternoon during the
conference.
Anticipat ton of a disposition of the
woman question called out large att
tendance at the general Methodist con-
ference this morning. Bishop Merrill
of Chicago presided.
Mr.. Mueller of Cleveland presented
resolution favoring arbitration for all
English-sepaking countries which was
adopted and copy ordered sent to the
president of the United States.
The exciting eature of the day was
when DR.. Monroe presented to the con-
ference a written statement from the
three women delegates. The sta tement
in part said:
while we regard ourselves as lay
men in the full sense of the term and
hold that lay electoral conferences are
entitled under the amendments OF 1858
and 1872 to choose their delega ties, SUBJ
ject only to the restrictions therein
specified, we are unwilling to seem to
Insist upon our personal rights, which
are in dispute. We. therefore, await
such settlement of this long-vexed Ques-
ton as your wisdom may Gevine, conf
dent that your action will embody the
spirit of the Golden Rule
The statement was presented by Jane
F. Balhford; Lois S. Perker and Ada c.
Butcher.
REPORTS SUBMITTED.
No sooner had the communication
been offered than Kynett, chairman Of
the committee on eligibility, submitted
the majority report of the committee.
1t briefly announced that committee had
decided that the women were entitled to
seats in the cOnVen ton. Several dele
gates arose to defend the report but
there was a universal dems nd for the
minority report. 1t found that the chal-
1enge of the eligibility of the women
whose names appear on the roll of the
gener conference is sustained and
that to seat the claimants would tend
to destroy all respect for the constitu-
ton of the church and for the desicions
and interpretations of the general con-
ference.
After an extended debate on the mer-
Its of the two reports, further discus
sion was postponed until afternoon,
when 1T was resumed as special order
of business.
The thirteen standing committees and
the special committee on Epworth
league organized permanently this af-
,ternoon and will begin work tomorrow.
Among them are the committees which
WIN consider the advisability of having
smore bishops and that which Will make
"a recommendation on the proposition
sto mitigate the severity of the rule gov
>srning the itineracy of minis tiers.
MORE BISHOPS.
Bishop Foss said to the Associa ted
Press agent today:.I believe that
more of the bishops than not, think
our number should be increased by
three or four. The minority, however
rs very strong. My idea. if more bish-
ops are chosen, is not to make bishops
of India, China, Africa, ETC., but to
have them bishops in a general sense SO
that we can devote what time is neces-
sary to this country and certain OF
go to foreign lands for what time
as needed to be devoted there
The supporters of the woman dele
gates cause claim tonight that they
have have certainly won the victory
and that the final vote will seat the
women. Their opponents, while they
concede that the other side has had
large majority of the delegates from
the start, declare their belief to be
that the tide was turned by the speech
es in the conference today. The debate
VIII be resumed tomorrow morning.