Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-10
Daughters Called Upon to
Change Constitution.
OBJECTIONS RAISED
COMMITTEE REPORTS REASONS
FOR OPPOSITION.
Proposed Curtailment of Official Desig-
nations-The Word General to
Be Eliminated.

Be Eliminated.
The proposed amendments to the constitu-
ton and bylaws of the National Society of
the Daughters of the American Revolution
present a number of changes, and IT is
garded as doubtful If they can be adopted.
Under the constitution all amendments
have to be printed and sent to each men,
Der of the incoming continental congress
at least sixty days before the congress
meets. 1t requires majority vote to adopt.
The most sweeping amendment Is one
which will change the titles of the twenty
nine general officers. At the present time
each has general" affixed after the regular
official designation, as president general"
HISTORIAN general and recording secre-
tary general" making what is conceded to
BE very long and cumbersome title. The
amendment proposed is to strike out the
word general wherever it appears in con-
nGction with the national officers.
This amendment was presented to the
congress of 1904, but was not acted upon.
1t is signed and Endorsed by the following
influential women of the society: Caroline
c. Little, New York state regent; NJ. B. F.
Lippitt, Rhode Island state regent; Susan
Carpenter Frazer. Pennsylvania state
gent; Mary A. Lyons, state regent Vir-
giria Sara Coolidge Brooks, Mary Evans
Rosa Frances Ingraham Mann, correspond
ing secretary general: Martha Witherbee
Foster, vice president general: Eliza beth
Patterson Burnham vice president general;
Augusta p. Shute, treasurer general. Mary
l.. Springfield, state regent of North Caro-
lima: Katherine L. Eagan, state vice regent,
Florida: Evelyn Fellows Masury. Massachu-
sets state regent; Virginia Shedd Hodge,
Ohio state regent.
Endorsed by Eight Regents.
1t will be noted that the amendment is in
dorsed by eight state regents and by four OF
the national officers. Mrs. NJ. B. F. Lippitt
of Rhode Island is one of the candidates for
president general of the national society,
and Mrs Masury state regent of Massachu-
setts is Mrs. McLean's lieutenant, which is
taken to mean that there are no fractional
lines in proposing this amendment The
daughters in the main have been very proud
of this distinctive ending to the official title,
and there Is very strong sentiment against
the change
An amendment which is made so as to
have the day and date of the meetings of
the continental congress agree with the con-
stitution and bylaws is causing a good deal
of concern. The proposed amendment is
short and simple and was presented by Mrs.
II. b. Joy of Michigan. 1t strikes out the
word February and inserts the word April
wherever meetings of the continental con-
gress are referred TO.
By vote of the continental congress in 1904
a committee was appointed Ito at once pre-
pare revision of the bylaws of the ma
tional society of the Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution" and that this revision be
presented to the continental congress this
spring for ratification.
Report of the Committee.
The committee reports as follows:
1T will be observed that no changes in
the present administration of the officers
that the bylaws are simply reworded so
that changes brought about In past years.
by changed conditions and by statutes made
when the board was Legislative body shall
be incorporated into our printed bylaws.
In submitting this report the committee
desires TO state that 1t presents these amend
ments after earnest consultation with all the
national officers, and each and every revised
bylaw bears the unqualified approval and
Endorsement of the officer affected by it."
Mrs, Helena Hill Weed is chairman Of
this committee
No sooner was this amendment promul-
gated than Mrs. Miranda Barney Tulloch,
chairman of the credential committee dis
covered that it involveda very grave danger
to the congress- and a circular was sent
out by her, of which the following is part:
If this amendment is passed representa-
ton to the fifteenth continental congress
held April, 1906. will be based on the 1906
dues received by the treasurer general on
or before March 81, 1906. Congress con-
venes during the week in which the 10Th of
April falls. and according to article ), sec
ton of the constitution representation is
based on the dues of the official year then
current. If the election of delegates is
changed from February / to April 1 and
dues are payable on or before March 30
the dues then current will be the 1906 dues
and representation to congress that year
will be based on the 1906 dues. There will
be no representation based on 1906 dues if
this amendment is passed.
Alleged Effect of Amendments.
1.-The passing of this amendment would
require all dues, including 1906, to be in the
hands of the treasurer general on or before
March %, 1906, as that date is the limit set
to receive dues. AS this amendment states
that April is the latest date for the cleo
ton OF delegates it would give the treasurer
general only nine days to credit the 1906
dues OF about ~ 900 members before tbe
books would have to be turned over to tho
credential committee, and thus give that
committee only thirteen days to examine
the credential blank for each chapter. If
the clerical force were increa sed twice IT'S
number and they worked night and day n
would be utterly impossible to credit these
cues and have a correct credential report
for congress
would suggest that an amendment to
this amendment be offered by striking ont
april and inserting March, thereby MAX
ing the election OF delegates and aIternates
Mafch IA month and a half prior to
congress-and basing the representation
TO the hfteenth congress on the 1905 dues
received by the treasurer general on or
pefore March i, 1906. This would give the
chapters almost one year in which to nav
their l9oo dues, as they have now and a
month Tor the election of delegates; where
as, III TINS amendment Is passed as ii now
stands. the chapters would only have nine
days in which 70 pay their 1906 dues and
have those dues credited by the treasurer
general"
Change to Genealogist.
Other amendments look to the abolition
of the title historian general and renam-
Ing that officer "genealogist," and making
the title of the paid genealogist of the So
cfety genealogical clerk" and yet others
amend by striking out or inserting words
TO clear up certain clauses or to change