Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-14
WHAT The DAUGHTERS DID
Ida Hustei Harper Reviews the Late
Continental Congress"
AMENDMENTS, TEAS AND RECEPTIONS
How the National Board Dominates
the Convention and M%aneuvers
TO Perpetunte Itself In
Control of the Body.

Ida Hustled Harper in the New York Sun
reviews the late continental congress oil
the Daughters Of the American Revolution
In the following breezy fashion:
Several letters have been received asking
why nothing was said In this department
last Sunday in regard to the national con-
gress Of the Daughters Of the American
Revolution. There Is an old adage-'M hen
there Is nothing to Say +, say tb IT, mj 6SIeue Of
the week and 1t was thought that perhaps
later there might be somethln doln put
almost the sole object OF these great annual
congresses IL TO amend the constitution,
but on alternate years additional zest IS
given by the election Of officers. II re-
Quires a very robust constitution to stand
the mending which this one has had during
its twelve years OF existence. The original
was long since lost in the shuttle, It's present
remains consisting only In the name and
objects of the society. Last year tnere
was no election, and so a whole. week was
given to amending the constitIt ton. When
Il was finally licked into shape IL consisted
OF eight articles and sixteen bylaws. The
congress upon assembling this year found
itself confronted by nineteen amendments
to the constitution proper and half a dozen
To the consideration Of these amend
ments the entire time of the congress was
given from Monday morning until after l
o'clock the next Sunday morning, except
the one day devoted to %electing officers.
When the smoke of battle had cleared away
and the dead and dying had been carried
of the field, 1t was found that, as a result
of the contest, four amendments to the
constitution had been carried, the other
fifteen tabled, lest or not acted upon, and
those to the bylaws all referred to a COM
mittee. There never was a time when one
fourth OF the delegates knew what amend
ment they we're discussing or which side
they were voting on.
the national board, or, as II Is affectionately
termed by delegates, the ring" II Il
not, the delegates are confused and tied
up by motions and counter-motions, amend
ments to the amendments, points of order,
questions Of privilege and. parliamentary
rulings. II, I'm spite of all, things begin
to look perilous the official reader glides to
the front and reads a lot of notices-lost
articles, receptions, etc, and when the con-
gress gets down to business again II finds
Itself switched on to, another amendment.
At 4 O'Clock. every day, no matter what
question is before the house, the entire
body rises to attend a tea" There were
over twenty receptions during the week,
and dinners and luncheons galore.
In vain a few of the delegates struggle
against the power, OF the s~o-called ring
they find themselves outwitted at every
point. The masses of the 600, however,
simply sit in a daze of bewilderment trying
10 figure out where they are at and wish
ing It was time for a reception. The long
expected fight for the presidency was
averted the very first day of the congress
through a clever deal" by which one cam
didate withdrew on an understanding that
her election would not be opposed two
that time to note the good faith in which
this bargain is carried out. Last year the
'reiOrmerS went home happy because they
had passed an amendment torbidding any
person from holding any office two con-
seeutiye terms, thus breaking up the
ring, who had simply passed from one
office to another since the organization was
rounded. But this year the first act of the
congress was to pass another amendment
excepting the president-general and the
second was to declare the one of last year
not retroactive on those already in office,
position on the official board. One of the
resolutions passed was to appoint a com
pioy attorneys, to settle the ddisputed cues
lions which arise in the various chapters.
AS number of these contain as many as
twelve members It seems as If no court OF
less Importance than Tbf Hague tribunal
should be allowed to have jurisdiction.
To sum up, the congress as a whole was
more harmonious than i'm preceding years,
as Mrs. Fairbanks is a just, a tactful and a
popular presiding officer, but none ever was
more worthless as to results. The cost of
the congress was over 5000. There were
LOCO delegates and alternates present, and,
the average expenses, the amount is 500
900 for their attendance. TIL total result OF
this great expenditure was raising a flag,
receiving contributions for Continental
hall. electing officers, passing four amend
ments and attending twenty receptions.
The running expenses of the organization,
according TO the headquarters report, are
about $4,000 per annum The expenses of
the magazine above receipts are over $1,000.
The total number of members admitted
during the twelve years is given as AZ, 643.
About 5000 are reported as In arrears and
estAu al ndNinBn ItslknGS ne NnOle num-
Der of whom dues can be expected i'm 1903 is
placed at $3.50. When this showing is con-
trasted with the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance union or the Federation Of Clubs,
with their several hundred Thousand mem.
bers each. and with various other bodies, II
will be seen that instead of a very large
the Daughters of the American Revolution
Is really a very small, organization. 1t con.
tains, however, a greater proportion OF
wealth and social prestige than any other
and there never was any society of women
which had such a political hold. This
Is partly because Ii contains so many wives
and daughters of legislators. but princi
pally because of its patriotic character, ant
because its Members are doing what really
Is the work of the men of the country and
is approved by them. National politics
was apparent in every move of this last
congress-. and the man behind the woman
was appallingly In evidence.
The especial achievement of this body
has been the raising of funds for buildins
a Continental hall in Washington, to pre-,
serve revolutionary relics, hold meeting.
In, etc. Between 10000 and $4,000 has beer
paid for a site. and there is about tina
amount on hand toward the building. Il
the society holds together untn the severa
tanned II will be a splendid monument tC
the patriotism, persistence and zealousnes,
Of women. With such an illustration o
these, a great deal might be forgiven thesi
annual congresses which do so much L
lower the ideals of w-omanhood that tn,
endless toll and sacrifice of other womeI
have developed.
BeRiuA at Bed Rock.