The Washington times., 1905-04-12
COUNCIL HONORS
SUSAN B. ANTHONY
Recognized as Founder of
National Body of Women.
WAS SOME FIERCE DEBATE
Proceedings of Morning Session Go
Peacefully on After the Dis
turbing Episode.
WAS SOME FIERCE DEBATE

Miss Susan B. Anthony was again the
center of interest at the morning meet
ing today of the National Council 5f
Women when a resolution by Mrs
Mary Wood Smith, the president to in
scribe on the rolls of the order Miss
Anthony's name as the founder of the
council brought from Mrs. May Wright
SeWaH, chairman of the committee on
peace demonstration, a rather empha-
Tic statement as to her Connection with
the actual founding of the organization.
several ladies' made addresses on the
SUBJECT, and the final result of the de-
bate was the unanimous passage of a
resolution instructing the members OF
the councn 10 make nothing public con-
ceTning the speeches and requesting
everybody present TO publish the epi-
sode in no manner whatsoever.
Beginning of Trouble.
The trouble began when, upon taking
up the regular order of business for the
dav, the revision of the constitution,
Mrs. Swift said she would like to have
tne nonor OF offering resolution de-
scriblng Miss Anthony as the founder
OF the council and making her name
appear as such on all occasions. The
resolution was received with great ap-
piause. While Miss Anthony, who sat on
the platform beside the president, was
vtSibly pleased
The resolution was seconded bv Mrs
roster. who characterized the contem-
plated action as magnificent" but
diversion was caused when Mrs Grannis
took the floor.
Mrs. Grannis said she was glad to see
Miss Anthony have honor, and express
ed the belief that Miss Anthony had
had more honor than any other wo-
man except one other.
Inis Immediately brought forth cries
o. Who it is? Tell us her name''
hf~-c- ~
she had been referring to Frances 2.
Willard. Mrs. Sewall then seconde-i
Mrs Swift's resolution speaking in
glowing term of Miss Anthonys charac-
ter and ability.
Her Devotion to Truth.
''One reason for her high stand" she
said. ''is her devotion to truth as she
sees 1t. There can be no question that
Miss Anthony was the founder of the
council SO far as furnishing the oc-
casion, the opportunity, and the in
spiration of the council was concerned %
Mrs. Sewall also recited a series of
events, which, she explained, showed
how much she herself had done in con-
nectfon with making the council of wo-
men a permanent thing.
While she gave the credit to Miss An
thony for having called the first meet
ing of womens clubs throughout the
country in honor of the fortieth ami
versary of the Woman's Suffragist
League, she claimed that she herself,
in her own library, had formulated the
plan of making the council a permanent
organization. She had. she said. then
broached the matter to Miss Willard,
who had suggested that it be then SUBJ
nitted to Miss Anthony.
Some One Objects.
At this point objection was made to
a continuance of the speech on the
ground that the speakers time had ex-
pired, and DR.. Shaw took the floor.
Miss Anthony, she contended. IS to al
tntents and purposes the founder of the
council, for she worked for it SO long
and so faithfully Miss Anthony, she
concluded, had founded and fostered the
council. At this point Miss Anthony
who had been an interested listener dur
ing the unexpected colloquy suggested
that the thing be wound UP in some
fashion
President Swift put the motion tha'
Miss Anthony be declared founder @
the council, which was carried by (
unanimous staading vote. delegat'
Immediately moved that the debat'
which had occurred during the cOnSid
Grafton of the motion be stricken from
the official record. and this also wa
carried An amendment to this that al
members refrain from discussing IN
episode and that the newspapers be re
uuested to keep it out of print was car
ried at once.
In this way was Miss Anthony de
cIared the founder, but only after sh
had found out that there were other
who thought they had done some found
ing also.
the first part of the session was take
IN with a running discussion as to wha
length should be allowed to the organ
izations affiliated with the council i
making their reports for the book pub
lished by the organization. Some speak
ers advocated that each club be allowe
not more than 1,00e words, while som
thought they ought to be given 2W
words.
Mrs. Robert Thompson, president c
the Canadian Council of Women, sal
her organizations rule was to limit til
reports to 1000 words each. The matte