Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-11
AFTER A HIGH OFFICE
President Generally of the
D. A. R.
REAL CONTEST BEGINS
MRS. DRAPER EXPLAINS HER
FORMER REMARKS.
Miss Desha Renominated for Record
ing Secretary-Mrs. Mussey
Elected District Regent.

nv those allied with the Official wing OF
the three factions in the District Mrs.
Donald McLean's name was placed before
the mass meeting by the professed leader OF
the rank and file" and another woman,
chapter regent and very prominent IN
the organization, nominated dark horse
whose name she did not give, and, in fac,
said she did not know, but hoped 1t would
be revealed to her later in the campaign
No vote was taken.
At the conference of the morning session
of the mass meeting there had been no
question of admitting reporters for the
newspapers. At the afternoon session TINS
question was brought prominently to the
front by Mrs Amos Draper. will reporters
be permitted to remain while we are dis
cussing matters this afternoon? asked MRS.
Draper of the state regent, Mrs. Main, who
was presiding.
Mrs Main said that she thought that the
reporters might remain. She found them
usually courteous and disposed to do the
right thing.
"Wen," said Mrs. Draper, Il am going to
saw things and | shall be blamed for them
getting into the newspapers unless attention
is called to the fact that reporters are pres
ent and that they can take what they IKE
and say what they please. am perfectly
willing to be reported and have my remarks
sent broadcast" she declared but | want
to be informed of the rights of the Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution in this
matter before we go any 1uTINtr.
This caused little excitement. DauSh-
tiers who were reporters. or at least news
paper women, said that they certainly would
remain, and it was finally decided tnat all
reporters could remain, but that when tod
that certain matters were of an executive
nature, they were not to mention them.
There was no discussion of an executive
nature.
Nominations for state regent were made,
and nominations for several national Off
GERS but as ii was all just suggested, moth
ing was settled by the caucus. which the
Daughters of the American Revolution pre-
fer to call a mass meeting.
AS The Stars report closed yesterday,
Miss Virginia Miller was nominating Mrs.
George NJ. Sternberg for the president gen.
eralcy. Miss Miller said that Mrs. Stern
berg had from the first been a valuable
member OF the Continental Memorial Hall
committee. and had done yeoman service.
She spoke of her high social position her
long membership of the army and navy set,
and of her culture and education, and de-
clared that temperamentally she is extreme
ly we'll endowed for the responsible position
of president general of the Daughters of
the American Revolution, filling all the re-
nomination was seconded in a very pretty
eulogy by Mrs. Nancy Otis Winston, regent
of the Army and Navy Chapter.
Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Main. state re-
gent of the District of Columbia, then ask
ed if there were any other nominations, and
Mrs. Amos Draper arose. There was
general rustic of silken draperieS and set
Ting of lace ruff1es as though it was eX-
pected that things would happen directly.
Mrs. Draper is known to be chief engineer
in the District of the campaign forces of
Mrs. Donald Mclean. She was one of the
earlier treasurer generals of the national
society, and is now one of the members OF
the Memorial Hall committee.
Mrs. Diapers Speech.
Mrs. Draper did not trust to slips of
H. L,,I boz
nominating remarks all written out, ana
she read them with marked emphasis at
certain points. She plunged directly into
the subject in hand.
. 1T is not necessary for me. in presenting
the name of Mrs. Donald Mclean as
candidate for president general, to give my
reasons she declared. Her lineage, ex.
ecutive ability, gracious personality, parlia-
mentary knowledge, determination, II elect
ed, TO continue the work on Continental
Memorial Hall and push it to completion.
are known to you all. But, as a statement
made by me at the mass meeting February
20, that the constitution was amended two
years ago to make Mrs. Fairbanks eligible
for reelection is characterized in an aru-
Gle published III The Star April 6, written
by vice president general and member
of the national board of management, VINO
is Mrs. Sternberg's official representative,
is a misSta;ement / wish to reiterate what
l said at that time and to give my reasons
you to vote for Mrs Mclean is because of
her magnanimous action in regard to the
amendment passed two years ago making
Mrs. Fairbanks eligible for reelection.
in 1902 amendment to the conStitu-
ton was presented by Mrs Mccartney of
Pennsylvania, providing that no person
shall hold office more than two terms sue
cessively' was adopted. An attempt was
made later in the congress to reconsider the
amendment. and at that time Mrs. Nell
vaine of Pennsylvania made the following
statement:
Finding that there existed a doubt in
the minds of some of the Daughters of the
American Revolution as to the effect of the
passage of the second amendment voted on
yesterday, and originally proposed by Mrs.
Mccartney of pennsylvania, it was deemed
wiser to seek legal advice, and Judge Alex
ander Il. Hagner of the Supreme Court in
Washington has given us this opinion, viz. ::
Whereas article " of the constitution
of the national society distinctly states that
| these officers shall be elected biennially
| and shall hold office for two years. and I'M
| til the close of the continental congress, at
which their successors shall be elected, etc.
And whereas last year, 1901. was the
| year of election and there can be no other
election (biennially) until next year, 1903;
And whereas, the alteration of the last
| clause of any article not only does not alter
| anything which precedes such clause but
| in law reiterates and confirms it.
" Therefore, all officers elected in 1901
| shall. be in office till the close of the con-
| only be eligible for election to any Office on
| the national board If they have only served
| on 1t in any capacity one previous term
! In other words, any other reading would
| be suicidal and contrary TO the spirit of the
| law. which is equity. The vote of 351 in
| favor to 81 against this amendment speaks
| TO- itself as to the sentiment of the Daugh-
| tiers of the American Revolution through
out the country, and needs no comment of
| rrine.
Il quote Judge Hagner's opinion in full -
said Mrs. Draper, because Il has been stat =
| ed that Judge Hagner had decided that the
| constitutional amendment was not neces-
| sary to make Mrs Fairbanks eligible for
! election to the president generalcy."
Question of the Amendment.
| Miss Draper then turned her attention
| to the statement that the Daughters of the
| American Revolution did not believe
\ an amendment 10 the constitution neces-
| sary. Il quote from memory" she said,
las my copy of the circular referred to is
| destroyed.
AN amendment to the constitution eX-
| cepting the president general from such a
1NsAx. str