The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-16
Especial to News and Observer. }

(Speclal 10 News and observer
Ashevllle, N. c., Oct. 15-The Daugh-
ters in convention here have had busy
day Aside from the routine business tbs
morning a drive over to Biltmore estate
tins afternoon was greatly enjoyed. At
| 2:30 the entire delegation, accompanied
by members of the local chapter. entered
carriages and were driven over the estate
and to other points of interest. Return
ing from the drive the daughters were
rendered reception at the home of Mrs.
t. S. Morrison, at Pearson drive.
| The feature of the session this morning
was the address of Col A. T. Davidson,
the aged father of ex~Attorney- General
Theo. F. Davidson. Mrs. 0lds introduced
Colonel Davidson as the oldest North
Carolinn member of the Confederate Con
gress. Colonel Davidson said he was en-
barrassed when called upon to address 50
many ladies' but that he never tired of
addressing one.
| The report of Miss Rebecca Cameron,
| of Hiilsboro, Historian for North Carolina
division was listened to with marked at.
tention. In the closing paragraph she
said: "Our work in this order of the
United Daughters of the Confederacy is
for children chiefly. We shall soon be
gone and upon them will rest the burden
of the patriotic duty OF vindicating the
action of their fathers in preserving tie
principles of constitutional liberty, Of
maintaining the little that remains to US
of States rights and State sovereignty,
and we should see that they are at least
trained in the manual OF arms and weap-
ons already forged to their hands"
ANNUAL REPORT OF PRESIDENT.
Mrs. F. A. Olds, of Raleigh, president,
submitted her report as follows:
MY Friends and Lovers of our U. d.
G. Work:-We have come to our seventh
annual convention. Last October when,
as a last resort, you elected me your
presiding officer, | accepted with many
nisgivings, for l am no leader, nor am l
! a parllamentarian. Such as: l am you have
had to submit to for year, ana l come
before you now asking your lenient criti-
cism.
| Il began my administration December
1st by chartering the Windsor Chapter
Since then l have chartered four others,
making five in all, at the following
places: Windsor, Rutherfordton, Newton,
| Whiteville and Davidson. This gives us
a total of forty-nine chapters, with oylr
1000 members. The general division
now numbers over 500 chapters and more
than 10000 registered members. Early in
| December bill was sent me from the
Capital Printing Company amounting 10
| S135 Tor my endorsement as State presi-
| dent. | need not say l was astonished.
In looking over 1t | soon saw it was fer
$40 for stationery in August, 1902, and
SIPS for five hundred children's chapter
certificates ordered in November. Real
izing that it was not a bill for my ad.
minlstratlon, l sent 1t tc the retiring
president for her endorsement She de-
chned to endorse it, saying that she knew
nothing of the matter, and, besides no
longer had power to act.
Il was placed in an awkward position
"a bill not made under my administra-
| tion-the former administra ton refusing
| to endorse and worse than all, only $17
III the treasury TO meet this bill of $135.
| The bill had to be paid and the treas
urer had to have some authority to pay
IT, so finally l endorsed it for the former
administration The question Will natur-
ally arise, Where did the money come
| from | will answer by saying we had
to use the per capita tax that should
have gone to the running expenses of the
division for 1903 so | come to you with
no money and a debt of $103 for the min
uteS of the New Bern convention. In cX-
| pla nation of this / want to say that here
totore at the convention in October, all
back bills have been paid and the presi-
dent has the tax for the incoming years
expenses. This year am $135 short.
THE 500 childrens certificates were
gotten out at cost of 25 cents each. The
| Daughters certificates are only 10 cents
wrote my yhildren's chapter committee
and asked them if they could dispose of
them at 20 cents. They thought not
then, after consulting my finance commit
| tee, reduced them to 10 cents hoping to
dispose of the, most of them In this |
have been disappointed, only 80 having
! been sold at 10 cents. In justice TO two
| of my cabinet officers, Mrs. London and
Miss Oliver, will say that it was against
| their advice that | reduced the price
Later the treasurer will tell you of ths,
receipts and expenditures, showing the
| shortage which l am forced to ask the
convention to- consider and devise some
means OF meeting. And right here LET
me say that never has a president been
blessed with a more competent, painstak
| ing treasurer than l have in Miss Oil.
yer. regret exceedingly hav-
ing to be the first president to appear
before you with debt-but l dsclaim
| all blame.
THE minutes came to us very late but
do not shoulder any responsibility re-
gardng them, except for the bill of s1O3.
which has to befmet without any question
as there was mo- contract for their publi-
| cation
The Cross of Honor work has been
very trying one, for the custodian has beel
most dictatorial and in some instances
insulting. In the general convention in
New Orleans she did not hesitate to hold
up North Carolina in ridicule for igno-
rance and insubvrdination so | felt no
compunction in writing her as follows:
/" 'Madam:-Yopr letter to Mrs. London
has been sent me. The question Of the
Cross ie n trvip1 tne The pOnypnfior, do