Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-19
OPPOSES POLYGAMY
Resolution Adopted by the
D. A. R. Convention.
A DELEGATE VOTES NO
SAYS ORGANIZATION SHOULD NOT
NEEDLE WITH QUESTION.
Money Paid on Contribution Made Ten
Years Ago to Continental
Hall Fund.
A DELEGATE VOTES NC

The morning session of the Daughters of
the American Revolution was not very well
attended. The delegates struggled In by
twos and threes and by half-dozens. The
president general. Mrs. Charles w. Fair
hanks was on time, and dropped the gavel
with a gentle bang promptly at 10 o'clock.
There were at that time less than 200 dele
gates on the floor.
Mrs Teunis Hamlin, chaplain general, de-
livered the invocation, in which she re-
ferred to the historic commemoration OF
the day, and Mr.. Percy Foster led the con-
gregational singing of america" The
bugler sounded assembly, and the congress
was declared open for business
The first business was a question of pr1Vi-
lege presented by Mrs. Walter H. Weed OF
Butte, Mont, and a vice president general
for that faraway state. The question OF
privilege seems to be about ten years old.
That long ago Mrs. F. P. Moran, founder of
the Albemarle Chapter of Richmond, va.
made the first contribution to continental
Hall fund.- 1t was the first contribution TO
that fund, then nebulously gathering form,
and came from the proceeds of a colonial
ball given by Albemarle Chapter Inc
amount was sent to the treasurer general
of the D. A. R.. and was used-not for the
Continental Hall fund, but for general eA-
penses of the society.
Then Mrs Moran, who was the author OF
a romance, Miss Washington OF virginia,
presented the story to the D. A. II. TO De
sold for the benefit of the Continental Hall
fund The story was founded on trad1-
lions in Mrs. Morans family, she being a
grandniece of General Washington. 1t was
sold at the worlds fair in Chicago anu
brought $24O.6O. This money was held IN
trust for the D. A. R. by special consent of
Mrs. Stevenson, then president general, by
Mount Vernon Chapters treasurer until
Continental Hall should be commenced AS
a matter of fact, the money was in trust,
and was not to be used for any purpose
except for Continental Hall. Mrs. Moran
did not intend to have her gift misappro-
priated.
The money was borrowed by Mr.. Moran,
who paid interest upon 1t, and his note Tor
the same was held by Mount Vernon Chap
ter, Alexandria. In some way this note
was presented for payment and was re-
pudiated. 1t was given with the express
understanding that 1t should not be paid
until work was actually commenced on
the Continental Hall.
Much bitterness Of feeling was caused
by this proceeding, 1t is said, and great
deal of talk Of an unkfnd rnture mas peen
heard about the Moran money.
Mrs. Reed then proceeded to explain the
facts in the case. Then she dramatically
tore to shreds the old and worthless note OF
1894, and turning. presented to the president
general. Mrs. Fairbanks, check for 1855,
which was the $40. plus the $42. with inter-
est at per cent for ten years. She stated
that Mrs. Moran also presented to the ma
tional society 400 copies Of an edition de
luxe of Miss Washington of Virginia." to
be sold for the benefit Of Continental Me-
mortal Hall fund.
The congress, on suggestion OF Mrs. Fair
banks. rendered rising vote of thanks to
Mrs Moran for her patriotic and princely
gift" and all the bitterness and gossip
was wiped out by a unanimous vote of the
congress.
Conditions in Utah.
Another question of privilege was imme-
diately presented by Mrs. William S. Lit
tie, state regent Of New York. The reso-
luton was singing roast of conditions in
Utah, the Mormon problem and Senator
Smoot in particular. While it did not seem
to be apropos of anything relating to the
D. A. r. the resolution was placed before
the congress by the president general. and
the d. A. R. voted almost unanimously its
condemnation of Mormonism and polyg-
amy. There was one exception. When the
nays were called Mrs. Ida Hustled Harper,
delegate from California, a newspaper
woman, biographer Of Susan B. Anthony
an historian and traveller, stood up by her
self In the main aisle to be counted against
the Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton mixing in things that do not concern
them"
"Td lust like to have chance to talk to
that question" declared Mrs. Harper. I'd
surprise these women" she declared with
flashing eyes, but she only counted one no
and there were 300 ayes. So Senator Bur-
rows of the Senate committee on privileges
and elections will get the resolution against
seating amy Mormon in the United States
Senate.
BY this time the congress was in tur-
moil Motions were made, votes taken,
and delegates were declaring that they
didn't know what questions they were vot-
ing upon, but they went right on voting
only to demand that the vote be taken over,
and 1t usually was.
Amendments to Constitution.
The regular business when finally reached
was that Of acting on amendments to the
constitution. Two were presented and voted
down. Both amendments were for the bet
ter discipline of the organization and both
were meant to shear the national board Of
all their power over chapters in the way Of
discipline Both were killed after long dis
cussion Both amendments looked to the es-
Establishment of state boards or a special
state or national committee to hear and
pass upon troubles that come up in chap
ters These troubles are carried directly to
the national board.
There are attempts every year to break
the power of the national board, but moth
ing has yet been accomplished in this direc-
ton.
Adjournment was taken to attend the cor