New-York tribune., 1903-02-25
THE ID. 4. X. CONGRESS-.
FIRST .Sk1t-naish in tie Campaign TOR
President General
IpY TELEGRAPH 70 The TRIBUNE.l

Washington. Feb. 24-The Daughters Of the
American, Revolution showed q disposition TO play
t-tlsnt This morning At least half Of the dele
gates were absent when Mrs. Fairbanks called the
congress TO orde. - 10 O'clock but the dilatorT
ones drifred il time TO 0Ct on the great question
of the day During the. invocation and the singing
of 1hr hymn. and even while the ofhelal reaoer
rs -7-ese-,-ire the minutes Of the previous meet
3-c The women charted and whispered until the
sound was like the buzzinE Of bees gone mad The
president general commanded silence. but it was
At least FIVE minutes before she could lay her saVel
aside Then when one could almost hear the ira
dirional pin drop the famous president general
tenure Of office" amendment was presented for
action and the battle was on The amendment
Was offered by Mrs. Katharine B. Wolcott Yer
planck State regent of New-York- It provided
that the president general shall be permitted TO
hsld her Office two successive terms This amend
rnent was regarded necessary by the national
board. because the congress elected. Mrs Fair
hanks president general while she vice
president general Having served a fun term IN
The latter Office Il now barred her from reelection
10 the president generalship- Mrs Fairbanks's s
friends have been anxious TO have an amendment
adopted that would make her eligible
The effort 10 amend the amendment was valiant
hut confusing For while parliamentary tactics
were forgotten. and the members were beyond con-
-rol Finally. il became apparent that the ma
5a-ftv desired 70 adopt clause such as was pre-
rarra5 but feared that It might be construed 70
give an indefinite tenure Of the Office Mrs Weed
OF Montana. offered an amendment 70 the amend
--4-1 which read: Except the president general
who shall be eligible 70 the office two terms regard
- If her previous service the national board"
There was objection TO these words II IInpIe6 IN
fa@-fra even perpetual. tenure OF once MIS-
To--aIS Mclean said she would not oppose the
Amendment giving the president general two sue
cassiya terms thus bearing out her statements on
previous occasions that she would not contest the
Ono with Mrs Fairbanks. Her adherents followed
her lead and what might have been trying STU
srio7 was saved by her gracious action. 1t IS
~-7orl1 rllrored that this generous stand on the
-re~r of Mrs Mclean viii make her president gen
tsraI al the general election two years from
- ., -
TIE amendment to give the treasurer general as
7ar- terms as the president general caused splr-
s-a5 onpostion. and Mrs Weeds suggestion 70
table The motion was adopted with general reIel
The afternoon session was quiet. ana business
v-ss transacted in parliamentary fashion
IN the afternoon Mrs. Fairbanks held a reception
q ~ home from ; 10 O'Clock Mrs Mclean IS
ra-a5yfrg general congratulations for her address
zra~5az- s+ the fag presentation exercises at the
o-a-s House All the New-York State conference
rs16 a he Arlington late this afternoon. Mrs
1,lr5-fe i-rIe ura- elected State regent and Mrs
Charles H Terry. vlce-State regent