The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-25
\ RS, FAIRBANKS IS ,ECLARED ELIGIBLE la yhiers of Revolution Have
 Some Warm Debates SERlt Us CHARGES MADE DeIes ate the President mat Merabsrs Without Knowing WaaI F. We're Voting for.
 Taa zad, Said Chair.
SERlt Us CHARGES MADE

Washing oa. February 24-The first skirmish l. the campaign for president general began tb- outset of today's session of the National Society of ths Daughters of the American ReVolution' Immediately after the conclusion or feu- tine business the proposed amendments 10 the constitution were taken up. The nfst amendment proposed was that ot Mrs' Katharie R. Wolcott-Verplanek, state re- gent of New York, to add to article lV., section 1, the words except the presl- dent general, who shall not hold the same office for more than two terms success sively."
 This amendment was designed to make Mrs. Fairbanks, the present presldeht- general, ineligible for reelection. It's ac- ceptance was moved by Mrs. Miller or the District of Columbia and seconded py Mrs. Murphy of Cincinnati.
 Mrs Weed of Florida wanted the lan- guage of the amendment made clearer and moved to amend the amendment by making the latter read Except the pres ident-general, who shall be eligible 10 the office for two terms regardless of her previous services" This move evoked loud applause. AL InlS polHl ME. ooh"iN Mclean of New York, who has been the conspicuous figure in the fight over the -generalship, was recognized.
 "I desire to go on record she declared, that I do not Intend to oppose the orig inal amendment"
 Amendment Adopted.
 The amendment to the amendment was adopted. The original amendment of Mrs. Verplanck as amended by Mrs. Weed, and by a subsequent amendment, was then passed by a vote of AS to 6S. It reads:
 No person shall hold office more than two terms successivey, and no one shall be eligible to hold office in the national society until she has been a member of the national society two years, except the president-general, who shall be eligible for this office for two successive terms regardless of her previous services in other offices on the national board"
 Then the fighting began anew. A num- Der of delegates claimed that the amend ment was subjects to misconstructlon, and it established a dangerous precedent.
 One delegate took the rostrum to explain that it was 8 misconception to say that women who had not held other national offices would not be eligible to the off, flee of president-general. Instantly sev- eral delegates rose to protest. Mrs. Me Lean, who had not taken any part in the vote on the amendment regarding the president general, rose to a question of personal privilege.
 'T desire to announce" she said "that did not vote on either side because, in accordance with my previous statement l felt l must not oppose the original amendment, and because I could not vote for the sub-amendment for constitu- tional reasons" Mrs. Morgan of Con necticut asked if the amendment just passed meant two terms regardless of any previous service. Mrs. Fairbanks re- terms and two only''
 Delegates Voted Ignorantly.
 The congress then took up the second amendment which also excepted the treasurer general from the inhibition in the holding of the same office for more than two successive terms. Mrs. Me- Lean 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. Its really too bad" replied Mrs. Fairbanks. A question as to the method of taking the vote was then raised and the parliament
 
 called to explain the parliamentary law as laid down by the standard authority of the society. This sustained the vote that laid on the table the amendment re- gardlng the treasurer general.
 Miss Clara Avery of Michigan offered a sub-reading as follows;
 And no state shall have more than one e-president-generals serving at the same time.'
 rrbara uara n,lnoeroua addresses the dis- cussion revolving about the question as to whether the congress should be so re- stricted In making it's selection. The issue was undecided when recess was taken.
 Avery Substitute Defeated.
 The Avery substitute, after long discus sion, was defeated by vote of 143 to 277 end the original amendment was then adopted 3O3 to IA.
 The consideration of proposed amend ments to the constitution took up the time of the congress at it's night session There was considerable debate over an amendment, enlivened in one instance by a charge of Mrs. Mccartney of Pennsyl- vania who complained that Mrs. Darwin had incorporated certain words in the proposed amendment to distort its mean ing and deceive the delegates. This. how ever, was warmly resented by Miss Desha, who uefenueu me treasurer general. | An amendment proposed by Elizabeth l Barney Buele. who sought to reduce rep resentation in the national body. was | tabled.
 | When the congress adjourned for the | evening. the amendment proposing jIi- dicial board to which controversies shall | be referred for adjudication, was pending | Mrs. Mamie Mccormack Coleman, regent | of Chicago chapter, made a strong report | in favor of the amendment, setting forth | the necessity of a board that will have ample and uninterrupted time and oppor- | tunity to hear and consider all evidences