The National tribune., 1903-03-05
lWAYTfINGTON-x0 /
k& r e NEW,.Clljl.a.)

| hammer. on a copper plate. which was
placed on her table for the purpose. What
she needed was a maui. The President
General is Mrs. Cornelia Cole Fairbanks,
wife of the Senator from Indiana. She
! has been the savior of the society and she
is its idol Two years ago, because of in
ternal dissensions engendered by the then
Presdent-General, Mrs. Daniel Manning,
the National Society was on the point OF
disintegrating. Mrs. Manning was Presi-
dent-General for three years, and was so
thoroughly disliked when she left the Of
flee that she has never appeared at a Con-
gresS since. She. always sat in throne
chair III the Congress, over which she care
fully threw her ermine-lined" cape when
she seated herself, and she had three gor-
geous gowns for each days scsSiOn-One
for morning, one for afternoon and one
for evening. Her knowledge of parliament
tary law was limited to- calling for the
yea and nay vote. She had parlia-
mentarian at her side, but she usually got
that lady so ratified during the first, hour
of the Congress that she was fit for moth
ing during the rema inders of the session.
Mrs. Manning was distant, and wanted
you to know that she was supporting the
dignity of her Office. Mrs. Fairbanks is
sweet-faced and downright ''chummy."
She has bright, smiling dark eyes that
twinkle when funny things strike her, and
that is often. But, after all. you never
forget the dignity of the position that Mrs.
Fairbanks fills socially as well as official
ly. She is absolutely impartial i'll dealing
out fayors or justice, and she has had
many difficult things to do in harmonizing
elements left in a turmoil by the former
incumbent of her high office. That she
has succeeded admirably was shown by
her unanimous election to Il second term of
Z Il
Mclean, of New York. who was a formd
able opponent. withdrew from the, race in
the interest of peace" az she stated in
seconding the nomination of Mrs. Fair
banks.
There were wild scenes about that time,
and the excited delegates nearly lifted the
roof with their cheers. 1t is not likely
that there will be any opposition to Mrs.
McLean's election as President-General
two years hence. She is brainy, patriotic,
and knows things. In fact, she knows so
many things that she has been in hot wa
ter most of the time in the National So
ciety, but Mrs. Fairbanks and Mrs. Nc
Lean get on very well together.
Not much legislation was accomplished.
The principal thing done was to change
the date of meeting Of the Continental
next Continental Congress will meet April
10, 1904. The next piece of legislation
that was far reaching was the voting by
the Congress to have a committee appoint
ed to investigate troubles in Chapters and
TO take charge of all disputes and inves-
legations. This takes much of its power
from the National Board.
There were several grand receptions,
one held in the Library of Congress by
Mrs. Fairbanks, on invitation of the Lii |
brarian of Congress, and one by the Lady |
Board of Managers of the Louisiana Pur-
chase Exposition, which was magnificent |
ly appointed in every detail; and there
were many others extended by resident
delegates in Washington. Mrs. Althea
Bedle, icePresident-G eneral for New
Jersey, gave superbly appointed dinner
to about 30 of the most prominent mem
bers of the Congress. Mrs. Bedle was the
most superbly-gowned woman in the Con-
gress. Her dresses and her jewels, includ-
ing a yard and half of diamonds which
she Wore for Il fan chain, and two yards
of turquoises which played the same part /
at other times. were the. delight. of: the
Congress, and particularly of the reporters
Mrs. Mary Ann Fletcher aged 81
years, died Saturday at the residence of
her daughter, Mis-. Virginia Rotenbury.
The cause of death was old age. AT the
ieathbed were gathered four generations
Of one of the oldest of Virginia families,
Mrs. Fletcher and three direct descendants,
Mrs. Fletcher. WAS. the widow of Capt.
James Fletcher, the first man to organize
A company in the District of Columbia at
The outbreak of the civil war, and later
Provost Marshal of the District. She her
self belonged to one of the earliest fami-
lies of Virginia, and her life was a roman
tic one. az B" $40