Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-05-09
WOMEN DELEGATES OFFER TO
WITHDRAW.
II Is Claimed That a Majority of the
Male Delegates VIII vote
for Them.

Cleveland, o., May 4.--Anticipation oil
the disposition of the woman question
called out a large attendance at the gen
! eral Methodist Episcopal conference this
| morning. Bishop Merrill of Chicago pre-
sided. DIR. Mueller of Chicago, presented
a resolution favoring arbitration for al
English speaking countries, which was
adopted and a copy ordered sent to Prest-
| dent Cleveland
| An exciting feature of the day was wher
| DR. Monroe presented to the conference
written statement from four womer
| delegates, part of which follows:
"While we regard ourselves as laymer
in the full sense Of the term, and hole
| that lay electoral conferences are en-.
| titled, under amendments or 1868 and 1S7.
| to choose their delegates subject only &c
restrictions therein specified W. are an
willing to seem to insist upon persona
rights which are in dispute.
1T seems to US were the conference re
! Iieved from the tension which our pres
| ence occasions, it might speedily devise
! a plan of admission upon which a grea
majority of the members could agree
! While we sincerely regret to disappOin
| the chivalrous champions of woman
| eligibility, we can not consent to a pro
! tracted debate over our personal eligibilit,
| to this conference with alterations which
we fear such a struggle might cause. w
therefore cheerfuliy relinquish our seat
in your honorable body and await sucl
d settlement of the long veXed question
as your wisdom may devise, confden
that your action will embody the spiri
of the golden rule"
The statement was presented by Jan
T. Bashford, Lois s. Sparkcr and Ada {
| Butcher No sooner had the commun
cation of the women delegates been OF
fered than DR.. Kynett, chairman of tn
committee on eligibility, submitted tn
majority report. 1t briefly announce
that the committee had decided that tn
| women were entitled to seats in the con
! vention. Several delegates arose to defen
| the report, but there was a universal de
mand for the minority report. 1t was
| lengthy document read by DR.. Neele,
! of Philadelphia. 1t is a formal challeng
! OF the eligibility of the women who's
| names appeared on the roll of the genera
! conference and maintained that the elec
ton of women by lay electoral conference
Is illegal and that to seat the claimant
would tend to destroy all respect for thu
/ constitution of the church and for thu
decisions and interpretations of the gen
eral conference.
After an extended debate on the merits
of the two reports further discussion wa.
postponed until the afternoon.
Thirteen standing committees of tn,
Methodist conference and a special com
| mi on I,nXTnl'I |
manently this afternoon ana will begir
work tomorrow. Among them are the
committee which will consider the al
visibility of having more bishops and tina
which will make a recommendation OF
| the proposition to mitigate the severity
OF the rule governing the itineracy of min
| listers.
Bishop Foss said to the Associated Pres.
agent today: Il believe that more of the
bishops than not think our number SHOULD
be increased by three or four. The min
GRITTY, however, is very strong. My idea
! if more bishops are chosen, is not to make
bishops of India China, Africa, etc, bu
to have them bishops IN a general sense
SO that we can devote what time is neces
sary to this country and certain of u
go to foreign lands for what time i.
needed to be devoted there"
The supporters of the women delegates
cause claim tonight that they have Ger
| tainly won the victory and the final vott
will be to seat the women. Their oppo
nents, while they concede that the Other
side has had a large majority of The
delegates from the start, declare their be
! lief to be that the tide was turned by the
! speeches in the conference today.
| Glove Fight ut SnIt LnIke.