The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-24
A DAUGHTERS SKIRMISH.
The First Gun in the Campaign for
President General Is Fired
To-day.

Washington, Feb c4.--The first skirm-
sh in the campaign for president-general
began at the outset of to-days' session of
the National Society OF the Daughters Of
the American Revolution. The proposed
amendments to the constitution were
taken up.
The first was that of Mrs. Katherine x.
Wolcott Verplanck. state regent Of New
York. to add to article 4. section 1, the
words, except the president-general who
shall not hold the same office for more
than two terms successfully" This was
designed to make Mrs. Fairbanks, the
passed by a vote Of 443 to IS. 1t reads:
Its acceptance was moved by Miss Miller.
of the District of Columbia and seconded
by Mrs. Murphy. of Cincinnati.
Mrs. Weed, of Montana, wanted the
| language made clearer and moved to
| amend by making it read:
Except the president general. who
| shall be eligible to this office for two
terms, regardless Of her previous service"
This move-evoked loud applause.
| The amendment to the amendment was
adopted. The original amendment of
Mrs. Verplanck as amended by Mrs Weed
ana by subsequent amendment was then
placed by a vote of A 3to 6s. 1t reads:
No person shall hold office more than two
Terms ms, successfully and no one shall be eligible
had been a member Of the national society two
years except the president general who shall be
eligible to this office for two consecutive terms
on the national board. - -. :
Then the fighting began anew. i mum
Der OF delegates claimed that the amend
ment was subject to misconstruction anG
tnat II established dangerous precedent
one delegate explained that it was
m1sconception to say that women who hac
not held other national offices would no,
De eligible for president general.
Instantly several rose to protest
Mrs. Mclean, who had not taken any
part in the vote-on the amendment regard
ing the president general, rose to ques
ltion of personal privilege.
Il desire to announce" she said, .'tha
did not vote on either side because, il
accordance with my previous statement
felt l must not oppose the origina
amendment and because could not VOTE
for the substitute amendment for consti
tutional reasons
Mrs. Morgan of Connecticut asked i
the amendment just passed meant tw'
terms regardless of any previous service
Mrs. Fairbanks replied that 1t meant "tw,
) consecutive terms and two only. -
The congress then took up the secont
amendment, which also excepted tn
) treasurer general from the inhibition il
the holding of the same office for NOR
than two successive terms. Mrs. Smitl
of California moved it's acceptance.
Mrs. Donald MacLean protested agains
the consideration Of persons instead Q
the constitution. She said it marked
degeneration in the methods Of the con
gress. Il WISH" she declared, "that tn
congress would attend to it's business i
the consideration of the constitution. A
amendment passed by the last congress
| by large majority should not be over
turned at this congress-
The amendment was tabled on a risin
vote Mrs. MacLean protested that tn
negative side Of the question had not bee
counted. Some of those who had bee
standing in front of her, she said, ha
: been counted in the affirmative but the
, did not know what they were voting TO
, Its really too bad replied Mrs Fair
banks. question as to the method {
; taking the vote was then raised, and til
parllamentarian, Mrs. Sherman of Chi
cago, was called to explain the parlia
mentary law as laid down by the standar
authority Of the society. This sustaine
the vote that laid on the table the amend
ment regarding the treasurer genera
The rest Of the morning session was occr
pied with a discussion of proposed limita
IONS on the selection Of vice president
= general. -. .~1