The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-23
MRS. HELMUTH'S ELECTION.
THE row IN THE STATE FED ERlTToN
or WOMEN,S CLUBs.

Deisgntea from eorasis Nako = Reply e the
CHARGES THAT Thers was UnrAirncss IN the
Rieotien or President OF the Federation.
SYRACUSE, Nov. 22.-MrH. Charles Halbert
Denison, First vicePresidont, and Mrs. Jennie
Do la NJ. Lozier, former President Of sorosis.
who were delegates from Sorosis to the recent
Congress of tho State Federation Of womon's
Clubs in this city, have furnished q statement
to tho local press, replying to tho charges of un-
fairness in tho election of Mrs. William Tod
Holmuth, the President of Sorosls, to the Office
of President of the Federation. The statement
follows:
AS the delegates from Sorosls to the late
convention of tho New York State Federation
Of Women's Clubs have been charged with the
adoption of illegal and unfair measures at the
election Of officers Of the Federation, and It has
been said that Tammany methods prevailed,
will you kindly admit to your columns q dispas-
sionato statement OF factsl Tho practice Of
allowing q delegate TO represent moro than one
club, and therefore to be entitled to moro than
one vote, was not . constitutional provision.
but had descended as an unwritten law from
the ruling OF q former President. and upon the
statement Of that fact by the Chair a motion
was carried sustaining the former ruling. Tho
new constitution was considered section by
section, but was not adopted as q
whole to go into immediate effect, for
the reason that the majority recog.
nized the injustice Of depriving these clubs
of their vote. which had sent representatives
under the old ruling, and for the further reason
that the adoption, in the midst of a convention,
of Q practically new constitution, with a new
great confusion. In the accusation that has
been made that Sorosis advocated the postpone.
after tho election in the Interest of the can.
didacy OF one Of her members. the fact seems to
ONLY QAvG the candidate nflre for nnR yaar N
elected, while under the new constitution she
would have two years, as the provisions of tho
omitted and visitors we're allowed to vote; that
pointment Of inspectors Illegally omitted. The
roil.call was omitted by a heavy, majority
were massed in the front Of the house while
visitors. were retired to the rear. and ballots dis.
tri6uted only to delegates. OF a possible vote of
POP. only 1S1 votes were cast. The appoint
strictly in accordance with parliamentary law,
was voted down. by a nearly unanimous vote,
tho motion evidently being construed as a
the tellers. The charge has also been made that
the constitution was Violated in not keeping tho
PTs S1ls ppsH 6fO sR, 70 ,b a; M S6, to s : :; n. he But Sdld Is .n the
during these hours was a provision, of tho now
constitution. which was not adopted until after
no such provision, the utter groundlessness of
the charge becomes apparent.
luoTe were present AT the convention only
1--WE members Of Sorosis. two delegates from
that club. and thr Q representing three other
associations. One OF these, as Chairman Of the
Convention, did not vote. The compliment
which Is paid to the power of Ave women in the
association. that they carried tho convention
according to their ascribed wishes. is undesired
and undeserved. The delegates brought from
their clubs instructions to such action as would
promote harmony. prevent strife. and allay, IL
possible, the spirit of antagonism sometimes ex-
hibited toward Sorosis. They attemptedc onsci-
entiously to carry out those instructions, and
regret deeply the futility of their best en-.
deay0r"