Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-06
EAGER TO LET DOWN BARS
Members Of Young Mems Republican Club
Want No Age Limit.
CANNOT CARRY OUT THEIR DESIRES
Constitution Prevents Action Because
of Lack of Attendance Of Those
Necessary TO Cast eed
Votes.

The Young Mems Mckinley club which
held its regular monthly meeting at the
Willard hotel Wednesday night, is con-
fronted by a peculiar difficulty: 1t is unable
10 amend its own constitution. The OBJ
~tectionable clause is as follows: ITO
amend this constitution a two-thirds vote
Of the club shall be necessary" There
was no doubt in the minds OF those at
Wednesday nights meeting that "a two
thirds vote Of those present" was intended
by the d~rafters instead OF "a two-thirds
vote OF the club" but the Objectionable
words are there. and the question now is,
how to get them out. The club has a mem
bership Of 175. At Wednesday nights meet
Ing forty-hve were present, which is an
average attendance.
The meeting was called TO order by the
president. Frank Crawford. c. J. Phillips
moved to amend the constitution by strik-
ing out the age limit. AS the constitution
now stands, only republicans between the
ages Of IS and IS are eligible TO member
ship, and Mr.. Phillips wanted TO throw the
bars down entirely in this respect by re-
moving the age restriction. He was re-
minded that IL the meeting voted unani-
mously for 1t the change could not be
made. H. A. Whipple moved that a COM
mittee be appointed to re-draft the consti-
tuition, but It was decided that a redrafting
would amount to an amendment. E. M.
Martin wanted 3 committee appointed to
suggest changes in the constitution. DR..
H. A. Foster, who helped draft the instru-
ment, said the word club" in that con-
~nectios was a typographical error. H. P.
Leavitt was in favor OF giving smoker,
thereby getting enough Of the members
out TO strike out the word club" Charles
Pritchard thought the fundamental law
should be entirely rewritten. John G.
Kuhn admitted that he had been secretly
gloating over the presence of that word,
since he was in favor OF keeping the Or
ganization a young mans club. However,
he thought IL would be possible 10 get a
two-thirds vote OF the entire club by send
ing to the members double postal cards. re-
questing a vote by mail. Charles Mcdonald.
the secretary, said the entire instrument
seemed to have been remodeled and edited
by the stenographer who copied it upon a
typewriter.
Judge Berka said the meeting was at
taching entirely too much importance to
the constitution, and that there seemed to
be a disposition to exalt the creature
above the creator. Speeches were made
along similar lines by l. Ziegler. P. A.
Wells, 2. c. Holder and others, and finally,
upon motion, the chair appointed a COM
mlttee Of five to suggest alterations in the
constitution. and TO report at the next
meeting. This committee was appointed:
H. A. Foster. o. S. Erwin. Daniel Riley,
S. ". Smith and H A. Wailche.
Nelson c. Pratt was called upon 10 speak,
and was greeted by hearty applause. but
as the hour was late he excused himself
with a few brief remarks. He feicitated
the club upon it's choice Of a name. saying
that the name Mckinley stood for all that
is good and great in republicanism. He
closed by admonishing the club to uphold
the army, whether at home or abroad.
The chair announced as a topic for dis
~cussion at the next meeting Senator Hoar's
speech delivered in the senate two weeks
ago on the subject Of the Philippines.