Evening star., 1902-02-27
The Mothers Congress I'm
der New Leaders.
MRS. SCHQFF PRESIDENT
TOPICS DISCUSSED BY DELEGATES
THIS AFTERNOON.
The Presiding Officer Names a Com
mittee on Resolutions-The
Routine Proceedings.


The morning session Of the mothers con-
gress opened In perfect breeze Of excite
ment 1t was the day of election, and
there was spirited contest on hand. Until
announced In The Star last night very few
OF the delegates knew that Mrs. Birney
had declined reelection. The whole con-
gress was In a futter and half dozen
names were considered in the little confabs
that were going on about the hall.
Just what the nominating committee was
going to recommend nobody knew. This
committee was appointed late yesterday
afternoon. 1t consisted of Mrs. F. B. Street
Of Connecticut, Mrs. A. o. Dayton Of Cam
den, N. j.; Mrs. A R. Ramsey OF New
York and Mrs. John D. Whish of New
York. Mrs. Washburn Of Illinois was chair
man. They went into executive session at
once, and when it was learned that Mrs.
Birney was not a candidate great pressure
was brought upon the ladies to further the
dates
Immediately after the prayer by Rev. T.
NJ Bristol the nominating committee re-
ported through its chairman, Mrs. WASH
burn. She explained how the nominating
committee had labored most Of the night
to select a ticket that would be entirely &C
ceptable. Three names had been presented
to them for president, that Of Mrs. d. o.
Mears, president of the mothers congress
Of New York; Mrs. Frederick Schoff of
philadelphia and Mrs. Robert r. Gotten Of
North Carolina.
She said the committee had no choice, as
they loved all the women mentioned dearly,
but after prayerful consideration they had
selected Mrs. D. o. Mears to head the
ticket. They then announced as the further
selection of the nominating committee: For
ret 1nn NTvc Doh
North Carolina: second vice president, Mrs.
j. p. Mumford, Philadelphia; third vice
president, Mrs. E. G. Grice, New Jersey;
recording secretary, Mrs. Kate Waller Bar
rett, District of Columbia: corresponding
secretary, Mrs. Bertha c. Weans, Chicago;
treasurer Mrs. Fred T. Dubois Idaho; au-
ditor. Mrs. J. P. Dolliver, Iowa
Mrs. Washburn had scarcely announced
the ticket when somebody In the back part
of the room said the congress didn't have
to take the ticket If it didn't want to. There
was not little furry at this point, as 1t
was quite evident that the Pennsylvania
people were not at all satisfied. Mrs.
Thatcher of New Jersey announced that
she proposed to nominate from the floor.
Here Mrs. Joseph P. Mumford, recording
secretary, took the chair at Mrs. Birney's
request. Mrs. Birney said she had been
too busy all her life to study parliamentary
law, and she felt she could not preside
when there was likely to be parliamen-
tary contest.
MrS. Mum1OrQ COOK the &aVel Win nrm-
ness in every feature and presided during
the most exciting hour, in all probability,
the gentle mothers have ever known In
their congress.
Miss Anthony came in while the congress
was agitated over the nominating commit
tees report and was received with spon-
taneous Outburst of enthusiasm. She was
introduced to the congress and made
pretty talk that pleased the mothers, many
Of whom would not know what to do with
a ballot If they had one, but evidently they
like Aunt Susan"
Mrs. Mumford's Name Presented.
Mrs. Thatcher of New Jersey then pro-
ceeded to nominate for prestdent Mrs. Jo-
seph Mumford Of Philadelphia, and Mrs N.
N Birney of that city seconded the motion.
This brought Mrs. Mears to the front with
q declination of the office in favor of Mrs.
Mumford. She said she was very busy.
and that she had not time for the work Of
the office, anyhow. She thought she must
decline New York and New Jersey rose in
a body and protested against her with
drawal. Mrs. Mears insisted that unless 1t
came to her unanimously she could not ac
cept. She would feel dreadfully If there
was a single vote against her. She still
insisted on withdrawing. New York still
protested.
Mrs. schoff then came to the platform
and said that in the interest Of harmony
she was willing to withdraw. She wanted
harmony above all things. Protests from
Then ensued one of those funny scenes
that an exaggerated idea Of courtesy leads
those desirous Of harmony into creating
the exactly opposite feeling. Mrs. Mears
protested that she had withdrawn her
name. The congress insisted that she had
not, and when the chairman ruled that
her name was withdrawn, Mrs. Hensly of
the New York delegation appealed from the
decision Of the chair. The congress, how
ever, sustained the chair and Mrs Mears'
name was erased from the bulletin board.
Immediately somebody nominated Mrs
Robert Gotten Of North Carolina for presi-
dent. Mrs. Gotten was absent and it was
stated that she would not run. This was
asserted and denied a number of times, and
finally Mrs. Cotten's name was withdrawn
By Unanimous Vote.
It was moved to make Mrs Schoff's cleo
tion unanimous, and the secretary cast the
ballot. This motion got lost in the confu-
sion, and though there was but one candi-
date, Mrs. Frederic Schoff, the congress
proceeded to vote by ballot. and Mrs Schof
was elected by large majority. only
three votes Scattering
The remainder of the ticket is as follows
First vice president, Mrs. Robert Gotten
second vice president Mrs. J. P. Mumford; ;
third vice president, Mrs. E. c. Grice; re-
cording secretary. Mrs. Kate Waller Bar
rett: corresponding secretary Mrs Bertha
c. Wean Of Chicago; treasurer Mrs. Fred
T. Dubois; auditor. Mrs. ]. p. Dallim. This
ticket seemed to please the majority Of the
delegates, all but two being elected unani-
mously.
The following committee on resolutions
was appointed: Miss Harriet A. Marsh,
Michigan. principal Detroit schools; Mrs
Paige. Illinois; Mrs. Hastings, New York;
Mrs. ]. c. Taylor, Connecticut: Mrs. Lip
pencott. Pennsylvania; Mrs. Lambert, New
Jersey; Mrs. Goodwin, Alabama: Mrs. Hill,
Maryland: Mrs. Gotten, North Carolina.
Address at Afternoon Session Today.
One of the most interesting Of this after
moons addresses was given by Miss Mary
8. Garrett Of Philadelphia. Her theme was
Deaf Children in Public Schools"
Mrs. Garrett said, in part:
I'VE are all here" she said, ''to confer
together in divtsing how we can help each
other in securing the environment for all
the little children OF our dear country
which will develop everyt thing in them that
will guide them to make the best Of them
selves and which will help those who do not
60 to school until they can talk and have q
very good knowledge Of language. In case
of the deaf child, with painfully few ex-
ceptions, they are sent to schools for the
deaf at the school age. with no knowledge
OF language. as though the handicap of
deafness were not enough. without expect
ing them to do even more than hearing
children.