The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-21
COLONIAL DANES Begin
BIENNIAL CONVENTION
National Society Called to Or
der by Mrs. Townsend,
MINOR BUSINESS TRANSACTED
Report Of the Chairman of the Monument
Committee Read-Cost Of the Shaft
s7,zc9-Statements of the Secretary
and Treasurer OF the Organization.

About 80 delegates and aIterrates from
thirty States 10 the biennial con-
vention of the National Society of Co
loniaI DANES held their first business
meeting at 10 a. N. today in the banquet
room CT the New Willard Hotel Mrs
Justine Van Rensselaer, Townsend, the
national president, called the body TO or
der.
On account Of the unveiling Of the mon
ument presented by the society to the
United States, which viii take place at
Arlington al 4:50 this afternoon, there
was no afternoon session Of the conven-
lion held
With the exception of Mrs. Richter, the
registrar OF the society. who is III. all Of
the national officers were present when
the convention opened. Mrs. Cassatt, CT
Philadelphia, was appointed to tempora-
rily iii the position Of treasurer, LETT
vacant some months ago by the death of
Mrs. Elizabeth Byrd Nichols, Of Wash
iEgton. D c.
Report of Memorial Committee.
Mrs. Lester, of Detroit, chairman Of
iLS NOliLlitLEE bu AIE Cljd u41.l- -AtLl1i ltti41
war memorial to be unveiled today, read
a resume OF the steps taken in the IL
auguration and completion OF this project.
It is. she states in her report, the first
permanent work of this character under
taken by the society The exact sum
which the monument cost the society was
s.. .299. IS. The report states that this
sum was subscribed by the various State
organizations.
The report Of the treasurer showed the
society 10 be in q most hourishing fnan-
ciaI condition.
The report of the national secretary.
Mrs E Mex Reed. and her assistant,
Miss Esther GIL Jackson, was then read
The condition OF the various State chap
ters was shown 10 be one calling for
cCngTatUlatiOn.
Old Lawsuit Recalled.
The lawsuit between the society for
merly known as the Colonial Danes, AID
the present National Society OF Colonial
Danes Of America, as 10 which body had
the right TO use the name exclusively,
was referred 10. The latter body won the
suit and are now the only official Colonial
Danes.
The registrars report. which was read
this morning. shows a total membership
OF 4j5I. OF which number, 3,355 reside
within the bounds Of the thirteen original
States N the other States there are
.295. The increase IN mebershiP IL the
( past two years, was. in TIE colonial
States. 374- n the n6n-colonial States
%. There were il that period z24 deaths
and is designations. OgiciaI badges TO The
number Of 2. 733 were issued
Co--l;S.-z;o-,1 C-.o-A;o-
One Of the most important subjects
which viii co1ne up for discussion at this
convention VIII be the amendment of the
constitution 50 as TO let the State Of
Maine enter the society on the same basis
as the thirteen original colonies. Tis5
chapters from the colonial States fear to
establish this precedent.
The other States at the present time
are entitled TO only one delegate and one
alternate in the national conventions, and
these representatives have no vote The
/ societies Of the original thi~teen Com
monweaIths have five delegates and five
alternates and they constitute the voting
strength CT the conventions. The friends
OF Maine, who are strong even among the
colcnists, think that in view Of the part
borne by the people Of that region during
the colonial struggles they are entitled
&c as much voice as any of the sections
who were separatc colonies at the time
All the ingredients Of a lively Daughter
Of the American Revolution struggle are
in readiness and waiting for the match
10 ignite them.
4 curious feature OF the convention is
/ the fact that while he fundamental prin-
cipie of the society IS avowedly the prop
agatioD OF patriotism, yet the room in
which they meet does not contain a single
American flag. There are many ban
neTs Of colonial Gesign. but no modern
Stars and Stripes