The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-21
SUBSTITUTE FOR REPORTS
Election of Bishops Next Im- pOrtant Matter.
pr. Hoss of Nashville Seems the
 Only One Certain to be Pro- moted-Bishop Cranberry Pe- e- .itions to be Retired.

Dallas, Texas. May 2o.-Peace and com- promised hovered over the morning session of the Methodist Episcopal Church Conference today. Where a bitter. acrimonious debate had been expected. a compromise meaeure whichs met with favor was presented and har- mony was more prevalent than at any time during the conference.
 Thirty-three delegates. led by Dr. Me- Murray, Presiding Elder of the St. Louis Conference, met last night and formu- lated a substitute for both the majority and minority reports on the war claim which takes a middle ground.
 While the morning session was har- monious and indicated settlement of the war claim, the night session was just the opposite and most of the good work done was apparently undone
 The election of bishops comes next in point of interest. Dr. Hoss of Nashville seems to be the only man who is assured of election so far.
 The attendance today was the largest since the conference convened There Wal plenty of life to the debate. but it lacked the acrimony which had been expected. Nothing of wide importance occurred ir the proceedings until the war. claim dis cussion began at 10 o'clock. The enor of. those who have been working fol harmony were made apparent at onct and the strength of the compromise be tween the minority and majority reports presented by pr. McMurry. deyelopef from the beginning.
 The conference was opened by Dr Godby of Little Rock, with devotiona exercises. tr7 ra
 Cranberry Seeks Retirement
 After the reading and approval of tn minutes Bishop Cranberry read brie note asking to be put on the retired list The paper was referred to the Commit tee on Episcopacy. Bishop Hargrove tool the chair and copies of the minority re port on the war claim. which had beer printed during the night in pamphle from were distributed. The committed on Episcopaey fixed the salary of activ' bishops of $500 per annum: retired bishops $2oOo, and widows of bishop! $1 ,000. rF
 The Committee on Publishing interest: reported in favor of a Methodist Museum for the preservation of rare relics con nected with the church. The report wa: referred to the Book Committee. Mucf other business along routine lines wa! passed on and sent to the calendar. Int conference voted to omit the reading o further reports in order to get to the wal claim matter the special work of th' day.
 The first action on the war claim be gan when Dr. James Cannon of the Vir ginia Conference presented the reports which constituted the gist of the minority reports to the conference and moved thei adoption motion to consider then seriatim prevailed and Section was reat If condemned Major Stahlman and thu book agents
 The first test came on a motion tt table the resolution. It was close con test and the yeas and noes were ordered but the tabling was accomplished. Int other resolutions, preamble and all, wef' disposed of in the same way.
 Compromise Shows Strength.
 It became evident that the thirty-thre' delegates who had presented the Nc Murray compromise held the balance O. power. After the discussion of the com promise began, its strength deveiopee and the first section was adopted. Tn minority, defeated on their own battle line. then fell in behind the standard o McMurray.
 The compromise measure draws wid' distinction between both the majority ant minority reports. It wants the churci to keep the money voted 1t by Congress hut if wants the entire claim to be kep intact as a superannuate fund It is ap parently more to the liking or poti extremes.
 w Mahon of Memphis. moved tha the majority report be read. This Wal done
 Dr G. C. Rankin arose to question of nersonal privilege. He said he w1she' unanimous consent to change the yer blaze of the majority report slightly. was granted and he made a tew Verod changes In the report concerning LII statement of the United States senator that there was no necessity Tor furthe action in the matter Il
 At the request of B. s. Lipscomb. th resolutions contained in the minority re port were read. Dr. Lipscomb move that the minority resolutions be adopte fin place of the majority. A motion | take up the resolutions seriatlm pre- vailed.
 The paper of Dr. McMurray was the read. The first of the McMIrray resoIu tions reiterates the justness and validit of the claim of the church against tn government for the abuse of its publish
  War says the claim was for a muc larger amount. but that $2SSOOo was finaI ly accepted by representatives of tn church in full settlement of all demand! The fact that certain Senators criticize the means by which the settlement wa reached is deplored and insofar as tn agents of the church are alleged to hay departed from instructions. their action are discaimed.
 Repudiates Agents Actions.
 The Senate investigating committee. al ter a full review of the facts. having de cided that the church has been inJure bv the misconduct of it's agents" bu that the church itself was entirely blame less and the Bishop having offered t take steps to return the money If tn Senate. by affirmative sction, declare that the passage of the bill was due { misleading statements on the part of Ter resentatives of the church. it is resolve hhAA as the diversion of large percent