Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-21

Mrs. Urquhart Lee.
resolution that when it came time to vote
upon amendments to the constitution and
bylaws that everybody be excluded from
the Opera House except the d. A. r. and
the members of the press.
This Dali tossed into the arena was
bounced from one to another with much
visor. Mrs RdllinSer opened the discussion
by objecting to such a resolution. She dis
liked to shut out the new members of the
society who came to the galleries to wit
ness the work and to profit by il. Then q
wee little woman, with yet smaller vocal
powers, bounced up and said the visitors
in the house We're perfectly courteous That
for her part she was annoyed to death by
the gossiping daughters, delegates and re
gents, who sat around her. If they would
keep still she knew very well there would
be no trouble. Then the congress applauded
vociferously.
They tried to amend the motion by pro-
viding that nobody but daughters and the
press be admitted to the floor That being
a rule and each door being guarded by po-
Hcemen. who held everybody up till the
proper badge was shown, it was ruled out
of order.
Conflicting suggestions.
Somebody said there was too much visit
ing; somebody else said it would be dis
courteous to send people away after they
had been invited to come Mrs. Donald
Mclean favored permitting visitors to re-
main. Then somebody else said If the press
was let in the public would hear it all any
how, and better let the people stay and
judge for themselves whether everything
was properly conducted.
After everybody had talked indiscrimi-
nately for an hour the question was put to
vote and the congress was quite unani-
nous in voting to let the public occupy
the peanut gallery, the alternates and other
visiting daughters the balcony and the vot-
ing members, officers, press and honorary
m n1gr nf
heretofore.
Just then a delegate from Kentucky found
that somebody had been distributing anony-
nous circulars around the hall There was
a blaze in minute. Half a dozen were
on their feet making motions to Exclude
the same, Ito have the authors name
attached and a final motion that no liter
allure should be distributed in the congress
until first authorized by the national board,
which brought Mrs. Lockwood to her feet
with the remark that that was in the con-
stitution SO the circular matter was
dropped. 1t was simply an anonymous
screed calculated to stir up dissension and
amounted to nothing
Mrs. Donald Mclean said she thought
1t beneath the dignity of the society to
have circulars or anything of that kind
distributed while the body was sitting.
Mrs. Nash of the District made a motion
that a blank book be placed in charge of
could register their names, number of their
seats, and their hotel address. The con-
gress approved the motion.
AT this juncture Miss Susan B. Anthony
who has been elected an honorary member
of the D. A. r. Chapter Of Rochester, N
Y, and Mrs. May Wright Sewall, ex-presi-
dent National Council of Women came to
deliver fraternal greetings. Miss Anthony
was greeted with loud acclair1s as she
came forward to be introduced by the
president general. She said she felt greatly
honored in being made an honorary mem
per OF the Rochester Chapter; that, though
her ancestors were all ouakers, every
mothers son of them went into the revolu-
tionary war. and for herself she lad
been fighting for women for fifty years
just as the forefathers tumbled the tea
into Boston harbor, and then fought
against taxation without repres antation
Mrs. Sewall spoke gracefully and with
her usual force in Acknowledgement of the
honor conferred upon her in coming before
them to represent, as she did, the largest
organization of women in the world.
President Generals Response.
The president general, in replying to the
remarks of the two distinguished guests,
who took chairs on the platform, said that
for herself she was quite content to be the
power behind the throne rather than TO
WELD the power herself. The daughters
do not care to fraterniZe with any other
order.
The real business of the morning after
the reading of the minutes was the con-
sideration of amendments to the conStitu-
ton, ana, after little more pleasant per-
sihage the congl ess got down to work. The
constitution was taken IN first, and the
very last OF fourteen amendments to it
was taken up first. Miss Desha asked to
DE hearo on her motion to take this up.
She SAID two years ago she promised Mrs
Laura W Fowler of Massachusetts that
she would help her to get up the amend
ment, which Is as follows:
In article VIII, section 3, strike out the
hrst sentence, and substitute: The local
chapters shall be entitled to retain three
fourths of the annual dues, and three
fourths of the life membership fees paid to
them, respectively, for their own use"
Miss Desha asked the congress to con-
sent to turning the business end for end.
and the congress consented.
There are four amendments to this Sec
ton, all being of the same import The
section they seek to amend Is as follows:
The payment of SIS at one time shall
constitute a life membership and exempt
the member from further payment of dues,
The local chapters shall be entitled to re-
tain one-half of the annual dues and one
half of the life membership fees paid to
them, respectively, for their own use The
LEGAL chapters may, by bylaws make pro-
vision for the collection of additional dues
| for their own use.'
Objections to Tax.
| This has been mooted question since
| the organization of the society. Many Of
| the chapters object to such a tax upon
| them for the support of the national So
l Continued ON Tenth Page)