The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-22


People in Washington who, for "A con-
siderable term Of years. have been an
nually entertained by newspaper reports
| OF the proceedings Of successive conven-
lions of Daughters Of the American
Revolution" will be panied to learn that
the source of amusement referred to is
about to he cut off. As we are informed.
at a recent meeting Of the national board
Of the society it was decided in future to
| exclude all representatives of the press
| from the sessions Of the Daughters.
This action will be completely accept
able to the press Of the Capital. which IN
| giving impartial verbatim reports of the
proceedings has been necessarily be
trayed into making eminent female par
| liamantarians celebrated. with the result
of mourning their bad opinion and en-
nifty. If. hereafter. the sessions of the
Daughters shall pc held in secret, n great
good will he accomplished. The amiable
! ladies concerned will no longer endure
the modification of seeing their names
in print. much useful newspaper space
will be saved for the purveyinS of news
in which the public really is interested,
and ill-feeling will be avoided. 1t is
tirst-class scheme and one which, We feel
sure. has the enthusiastic support of
every journal in the District.
As the net result of experience and OBJ
servation in connection with nearly
dozen of these Daughters Of the Revolu-
ton conventions. which have been singu-
larry held in Washington. to the utter
ignoring of the claims of other cities. We
are compelled to express some doubt con-
corning the usefulness of such national
female gatherings in general They have
been anything hut love feasts, and have
regularly left behind them an unnecessary
sum of heart-burninGs and spite among
the members. Cushing's Manual is Greek
to the Daughters, although they have
had nearly "A dozen years in which to
study it. and produce at least one or two
spinisters or DANES capable of presiding
intelligently over missionary meeting.
They have failed to take the least advan-
tage of the opportunity, and we are
afraid it is now too late for them to be-
Sin. It is not that their domestic duties
would be likely to interfere with the pur-
suit OF knowledge. because women with
missions and ambitions of the sort popu-
lar with the Daughters do not, as rule,
allow such things to interfere with their
service to whatever cause may be upper
most in their minds at any given time.
s1,l
liamentary ideas and rules. even when
they have a hired parliamentarian on the
floor to coach them. The whole subject
is foreign to their natures. il is out Of
their line and they would do well to drop
IL.
These organizations Of Daughters of
the American Revolution. Daughters of
the Colonial Wars, Daughters-in-Law Of
thu War of 1872. and Widows Of the War
with Spain. do not seem to accomplish
any very greatly useful public purpose,
except that of mutual admiration. on
the other hand. they tend to divert the
minds of their younger devotees from the
noble principles of life, liberty, and the
pursuit of matrimony. which last, as
Census Director Merriam will tell them.
lies at the root OF our social fabric. For
the fair sex We are afraid that pink teas
are better than sanguinary debates in
convention. and that they might do well
to delegate their political or other public
activities to their husbands. brothers,
sons. and grandsons, according to their
circumstances and time of life. How
ever, if they must meet, by all means let
it be behind closed doors. The gayety
OF nations may suffer. but that loss will
be amply repaid in other ways.