The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-26
FRIDAYS SESSION.

Mrs. Calista R. Jones Chosen National Presi-
dent-other National officers Elscted-visit
of Commander-in Chief Torrance-Prompt
Adjournment on Announcement Of crtti-
cal Condition of President Mckinley.
The early part of the Friday morning
session was devoted to beautiful me-
mortal address by Mrs. Mary McCorkls
Sims, National Chaplain, on the death of
Capt. Jack" Adams, Of Massachusetts,
and Col. Albert ID. Shaw, of New York,
both Past Commandsrs-in-C Chief, and Gen.
Benjamin Harrison.
Just as Mrs. Sims concluded her me
mortal, Mrs. Kate B. Sherwood announced
that Judge Ell Torrance, of Minnesota,
had been elected Communicating Chief. The
| Convention went wild at once, and amidst
the waving of flags, clapping of hands and
| other expressions of JOY, the National
President managed to make known to the
Convention that Gov. Van SAINT, of Min
nesOta, was at the door, sent to convey
to the Convention the compliments of Gen.
| Torrance. Escorted to the platform by
the Color Bearers, and accompanied by
several comrades as a body guard, the
| Governor mounted the platform, and shak-
ing hands with the National President,
said that the first official act OF the new
| Commander-in-Chief was to order him to
present his compliments to the grandest
organization of women on earth, and the
Convention cheered him to the echo.
Mrs. Ell Torrance, who was one of
the Special Platform Aids, was then
drawn to the front and introduced. She
said that it was one of the happiest mo-
mentS Of her life, and she was prouder
than ever of her Relief Corps badge. She
knew her husband was in thorough and
close accord with the w. r. c., and the
enthusiasm turned loose again.
A little later Mrs. Lizabeth Turner an
nounced that Johnnie McElroy, editor
of The National Tribune, and close friend
of the W. L. c., had been elected Senior
! Vice Communicating Chief, which called
forth more enthusiasm, waving of flags
and cheering.
| ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The election of officers caused but little
excitement. 1t had been long settled that
| Mrs. Calsta Robinson Jones, of Vermont,
would be the next National President and
no other name was presented to the Con-
vention.
Mrs. Jones was placed in nomination by
Mrs. Sarah G. Plummer of Michigan, who
made one of the most eloquent pleas ever
heard in w. II. @. Convention. AT the
conclusion the seconds began to pour in
| till every delegate, individually and by De-
partments, had had the honor of second
| ing the nomination of this very popular
woman. Then some one moved to make
it unanimous and amid an enthusiastic
Outburst the National Secretary cast the
ballot and the National President declared
her elected.
| Mrs. Jones was escorted to the platform
by the Color Bearers, leaning on the arm
of Mrs. Bagley, that the Convention might
| do her honor. She was much moved and
said that to find herself really elected to
the Presidency of the grandest organiZa-
ton of women in the world was almost be-
,t,nr, he hnr
bearing the marks of age and sorrow, but
would do her duty as she saw it, and
| hoped they would lend her all aid and as
sistance i'll their power. She felt that the
compliment was not to herself, but dis
| tinguished honor to the little State of YER
mont. She would be loyal to her trust.
| Big bouquets of roses were presented by
the Department of Vermont G. A. Il. and
| w. r. c., and Mrs. Jones retired almost
overwhelmed.
| Past Commander Schimpf, of Illinois,
was announced, and said he came to bear
the greetings of the Grand Army En-
| campment.
when the new Commander-inCh was
| announced. The Color Bearers, all Past
| National Presidents and the Department
President of Minnesota, Mrs. Ada Il.
| May, were named as an escort. The re-
mainder of the Minnesota delegation
| looked so wistfully after Mrs. May that
the National President told them they
might sneak along" too, if they liked,
and the way they fled for the outer door
showed that they liked"
As the COmmander-in-C Chief came up
the aisle the Convention rose in q body to
do him honor and saluted with hand
! clapping and waving flags.
Introduced to the Convention by the
| National President as our" Commander
in-Chief, Gen. Torrance said that an in
| spired writer had said imam is little
| lower than the angels" but that today
he felt nearly on a level. He said that
when some coveted good thing came to a
man he would seek his friends and tell
of it. So his first thought had been of
the WOman's Relief Corps, which he knew
would be glad to know of the great honor
that had come to him. He wanted to
! thank them. for their kind and generous
| treatment OF him, for he knew that he
could not have been elected without their
| help. He was proud of the Woman's Re
! lief Corps, which represented the very
best of American wOmanhOOd, and he
wanted its members to know that he was
| in full sympathy with them and their pa
triotic work, and stood ready to cooperate
with them in every way.
The newly-elected National President
was introduced to Gen. Torrance, and his
wife was again brought to the front. Then
there was a general presentation of
| flowers all around, till nobody had arms
or hands to hold any more, and the trf-
umphal procession marched off toward the
doors and the Convention proceeded 10
elect the other officers.
Mrs. Flo Jamison Miller placed in nom
inatiOn for National Senior VicePresident
Mrs. Minnie NJ Kyle, of Illinois, and
| Mrs. Charity Rusk Craig, Mrs. Belle e..
| Harris, of Kansas. The nOminators are
two of the best takers in the organiZa-
ton, and outdid all previous efforts. The
nominees were two of the noted workers
in the Order, and nothing too good could
be said of them. Mrs. Kyle has filled
many State and Department offices. and
Mrs. Harris, Past Department Presi-
dent of Kansas, is fairly idolized in her
State.
Seconds fell like leaves in Vallambro-
STA, and it looked like anybody's election.
The roll call of Convention had developed
334 votes. When the ballots were count
ed Mrs. Kyle had 167 votes. and Mrs.
| Harris 167 votes. A tie and the exact
vote of Convention!
That was one time when tie vote lost
the motion, the National President de-
cided. and another ballot was ordered.
Mrs. Kyle withdrew her name. She said
the hour was growing late, and she did
not care to hold the Convention to an
other ballot on her account, and begged
to withdraw in favor of Mrs. Harris. 1t
was magnanmOus act, which the Con-
vention recognized at once. by proceeding
to give her unanimous vote for Junior
Vice President, after making Mrs Harris
the unanimous choice for Senior Vice
MrS Sarah pbiIlipS nf Now NS,rL-