The National tribune., 1906-05-03

MRS DONALD MCLEAN
President-General. Daughters of Ameri-
can Revolution.
of the patriotic work mentioned, had
its inception years ago by the Woman's
Relief Corps, and the Daughters found
their work well prepared for them after
10 years arduous labor by the great
auxiliary to the Grand Army of the
Republic. In many instances the work
reported to the ID. a. r. is being done
by members of the Woman's Relief
Corps who are also Daughters.
An interesting break was made by
the presentation to the Congress of Gen.
Horace Porter, who found and brought
TO the United States at his own expense
the body of Paul Jones, the first to
carry our Flag upon the high seas.
The Social Functions.
The social functions of the week were
finer than ever before. The President
General gave a reception to the Daugh-
ters in the big Banquet Hail of the New
Willard, and 5000 people tried to
squeeze in where only room could be
made for 1000 She was assisted by
Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Maine, Vice
President-General, in Charge of Or
ganiZation, who presented the guests,
and the State Regents and members of
the National Board of Administration,
and pages of the Congress were on duty
about the reception hail. Refreshments
were served throughout the evening.
The decorations were flags and flowers
in profusion.
The reception given the Daughters
by the President at the White House
was the most brilliant of the week.
Fully 5000 Daughters and other in
vited guests were received, the Tecep-
ton lasting over two hours and a half
Mrs. Mclean, Presldent-General, pre-
sentedythe guests 10 the President, and
he in turn presented them to Mrs
Roosevelt, who never looked more
charming or appeared more gracious
There was much comment that the
wife of the Vice President. Mrs Fair
banks, who is also a Past President
General Of the National Society, was
not present al the reception.
Mrs. Fairbanks, who has her regu-
an invitation TO the Daughters to call
on that day. over 900 availed them
selves of the invitation and were WARM
l. Welcomed.
There were numerous teas and din
ners and excursions TO Mount Vernon.
The Marine Band rendered the
I'aut htefs concert at the Barracks
through the beautiful Library of Cor
gress was another attraction
On the Tuesday following ths Con-
gress. the President-General as the
guest of the Secretary of the Navy ac-
companied the Presidential party 10
Annapolis TO the Paul Jones ceremonies.
the d. A. r. having another special
train for their accommodation. u was
their hope that their Past President
Ire E'af lie
pany them, but neither she nor the
Vice President went over
ID. 4. X. Politics.
OF course, the politics of tha D. ).
r bubbled necessarily. Who shall be
the next President-General is rha only
thought, however. Miss Desha. after
her passionate resignation of her Office,
which was quickly accepted by the
Congress, proceeded 10 turn over her
records for the reporters to read against
the express command of the National
Board on such matters, and declared
that she would rest neither night nor
day to make Mrs. Fairbanks the Presi-
dent-General for the third time Mrs.
Walter Harvey Weed echoed this. and
IS the recognized lieutenant of the
Fairbanks forces.
Mrs. Fairbanks declines to be con-
sidered as aspiring to the office, but.
tnen-. Mrs. Mclean frankly saws, "Of
course, / would like another term; IT
hats been given to all my predecessors:
but the Congress must decide that"
and meantime the friends of both are
working-my, how they are working.
The Fairbanks plans are handicapped
good deal by politics. OF course il
is well known that Vice President Fair
banks is a candidate for the Presidency
Mrs. Fairbanks is a very good politi-
ci2n, and can pull wires with the best
of them. But if she were to permit her
name 10 be used FOR the President
Generally of the ID. a. r. and be de-
feated ii would have n disastrous effect
on the Presidential aspirations of the
Vice President, and the sentiment of
the 18th Congress seemed to be entirely
with Mrs. Mclean. Mrs. Fairbanks's
election would occur in April. and the
National political nominations would
come much later. 1t is a question
whether she will permit her name TO
be used at all. She declares that her
duties are now so laborious that she
could not accept. and they would cer-
tainly be much heavier If by chance
she goes into the White House Mrs
Mclean has demonstrated that the
head of this big National Society should
be free To come and go. so as to arouse
enthusiasm in the work 10 the remot-
est borders of Its jurisdiction As the
wife Of the President, Mrs. Fairbanks
would be much handicapped in this
direction. There is just little feeling.
also, because she did not attend the
sessions of the Congress. There were
three Past Presidents General in the
city when the Congress opened. Mrs
John w. Foster, Mrs. Daniel Manning
and Mrs. Cornelia Cole Fairbanks, yet