Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-25
DAUGHTERS ALTER RULES
Make Nm Fairbanks Eligible for Second
Term as PreEident-eensrAl
DEBATE Is HEATED AND QUITE FREE
women Claim that Votes are Mis-
counted and wish Questions Re-
opened by Congress-, hut
Chair RuIes Otherwise.

'AsH1NGToN. Feb. 2A-The hrst Skin
mish in the campaign for president gen
eral began OF the outset Of todays session
Of the National Society Of the Daughters OF
the American Revolution. Immediately
after the conclusion Of routine business the
proposed amendments to the constitution
were taken W.
The hrst amendment proposed was that
OF Catherine r. Wolcott Verplanck. state
regent Of New York, 10 add to article iv,
section 1. the words except the president
general. who shall not hold the same Once
for more than two terms sucoessively."
Amend the Amendment.
This amendment was designed to make
Mrs. Fairbanks. the present president gen
sral, eligible for recollection. Its accept
ance was moved by Miss Miller Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia and seconded BY Mrs.
Murphy OF Cincinnati. Mrs. Weed Of Mon
tana wanted the language OF the amend
ment made clearer. and moved TO amend
the amendment by making the latter read
Except the president general who shall
be eligible 10 this once for two terms. re-
gardless OF her previous service.
This move evoked loud applause. At this
point Mrs. Donald Mclean OF New York.
who has been 3 conspicuous figure in the
fight over the president geDeralship. was
recognized.
Il desire TO 20 on record" she declared.
that / do not intend to oppose the original
amendment.
The amendment to the amendment was
adopted. The original amendment Of Mrs.
Verpisnck as amended by Mrs. Weed. and
by q subsequent amendment, was then
passed by 3 vote Of 443 10 6S. II reads:
No person shall hold office more than
two terms successfully and no one shall
be eligible 70 hold ONCE IN the National
society until she has been a member Of
the National society two years, except the
this Office for two consecutive terms re-
Eardless OF her previous services IN other
Offices on the national board.
Then the fighting began anew. A number
Of delegates claimed that the amendment
was subject to misconstruction and that II
established a dangerous precedent.
Members Enter Protests.
One delegate took the rostrum to ex-
plain that Il WIS a misconception TO say
that a woman who had not held other ma
tional ofBces would not be eligible to the
once Of president-general. Instantly sew
ersl Of the delegates rose to protest.
Mrs. Mclean, who had not taken any part
in the vote on the amendment. rose TO a
AuNhAA1A - BAAH1AAA HAANAAtGIF NN1N
TO announce" she said. that ! did not
vote on either side. because in accordance
with my previous statement. / felt ] must
not oppose the original amendment and be-
cause ! could not vote for the substitute
amendment for constitutional reasons"
Mrs. Morgan Of Connecticut asked IL the
amendment just passed meant two terms
regardless OF any previous service. Mrs.
Fairbanks replied that 1t meant two con-
secutive terms and two only
The congress took up the second amend
meDt which also excepted the treasurer
general from the inhibition in the holding
of the same once for more than two sue
ceBsive terms.
Mrs. Smith Of California moved its ac-
ceptance. Mrs. Donald Mclean protested
against the consideration Of persons instead
of the constitution. She said It marked a
degeneration in the methods Of the con-
gress. Il wish" she declared. that the
congress would attend to its business in the
consideration of the constitution. An
amendment passed by the last congress by
a large majority should not be overturned
at this congress-"
The amendment was tabled by a rising
vote.
Mrs. Mclean protested that the negative
side Of the question had not been counted.
Some Of those who had been standing in
front Of her. she said, had been counted
in the Affirmative. but they did not know
what they were voting for.
1T Ia really too bad" replied Mrs. Fair
banks.
A question as TO the method OF taking
the vote was then raised and the parlia-
mentRrian, Mrs. Sherman OF Chicago. was
called to explain the parliamentary Law as
laid down by the standard authority OF the
society. This sustained the vote.
The rest Of the morning session was &C.
cupied with a discussion OF proposed lin
itations on the selection OF the vice presi-
dents-Eeneral
The consideration Of proposed amend
ments TO the constitution took up the time
Of the congress al its night session
Only one OF these received favorable Rc-
ton, that proposed by Gertrude B. Darwin,
the treasurer general. which provided that
the Incumbent Of that position shall hold
of6ce until her successor has secured bonds
men who have been duly accepted by the
ustionRl board of management The other
ohcers are to hold office until their sue
ceEs0rs are elected.
There was considerable debate over this
amendment, entvened In one instance by
a charge OF Mrs. Mccartney Of Pennsyl-
vRniR. who complained that Mrs. Darwin
had incorporated certain words In the pro-
posed amendment 70 distort its meaning
ana deceive the delegates. This. however