The National tribune., 1906-05-03

down I'D business dS ulQ MIS-. DOHdlu
Mclean in the Continental Congress
just closed, and which was the 18th.
II am the only President-General
who has ever known what it was to sit
under the galleries. Mrs. Mclean said
when she went upon the platform to
acknowledge the plaudits and clamor-
Gus enthusiasm of the Congress just
after her election one year ago. Hav-
ing known what it was to sit there, the
President-General knew how to eXer-
else authority over a Congress where
most of the delegates sat under the
galleries" From the opening moment
of the Congress through the week until
the beginning of the last six hours of
its existence there was not a ripple to
disturb the placidity of the deliberations
of one of the most magnificently dressed
lot of women who ever gathered in a
legislative capacity. 1t took but three
seconds to raise a simeon of i'll temper
and spite. and seven minutes brought
the disgra ceful scene TO close. But in
that time one of the founders Of the
Society, Miss Mary Desha, had let her
temper get away with her, and in1ul e
it to say things that she must regret
fol the rest of her life, whether she
says so or not, and the Society found
its census of officers depleted by one
Recording Secretary-General. 1t is a
thousand pities that an ambitious wo>
man who has had about all the honor
that the organization can bring her
should. have permitted her biased opin-
ions to mar an otherwise perfect Con-
greSS.
Miss Desha's Course.
That Miss DeSha was in the wrong
was shown by the unanimous vote of
the Congress, i'm which the President
Generals rulings were triumphantly
INDICATED. In attendance in the gal
leries during the episode were several
eminent parliamentarians. and they de-
clared that Mrs. McLean's rulings on
the subject in hand we're correct. She
was also supported by Mrs. Emma Is.
Fox, the consulting parliamentarian of
the Congress. Mrs. Fox said to me that
she herself could not have ruled other
wise, acting under RobertsS Rules OF
Order. The whole disturbance grew cut
of the self-pride of two strong-willed,
stubborn women, Miss Mary Desha,
standing for States Rights" as she
magnificently declared, and Mrs Walter
Harvey Weed, who has been carrying
on determined war against Mrs. Nc
Lean. because she as President-General
did not at all times recognize the i'm
perious edicts of the LADY from Mon
tana" exactly as that lady desired. But
back of the Montana matter was an
overweening desire to inaugurate a
campaign for third term for Mrs.
Fairbanks, wife of the Vice President.
The Montana matter would have been
very small affair but for the DISPOSE
ton of Mrs. Weed to keep up a fight
which she must have known she would
lose in the end. The confirma ton of
Mrs. Weeds election as Vice State Re-
gent for Montana was held up in the
18th Congress, and left for the Board
to look into. After investigation the
National Board of Administration ac-
cepted the credentials, and Mrs. Weed
was declared legally elected state Vice
Regent. Mrs. Weed was not satisfied
with this, and Immediately began letter
writing, and SO did Miss Desha. In a
very short time they had the National
Board mighty near in Mysteries over the
situation. Montana was rent and torn
with strife, and it was the determina-
tion of the two ladies to pitch the whole
business into the Congress.
Miss Desha wrote a letter to Montana
that was not exactly the kind of a letter
lady seeking peace and harmony
would nave written. She stated in be-
ginning, that she could not use her
office as Corresponding Secretary-Gen-
eral to further the ambitions of Mrs
Weed, but that as a founder and a de-
voted worker in the National Society
she had rights, and then she proceeded
to do up the President-General and the
National Board of Administration in
fine shape, and make a plea that Mon
fana rise up in its might and "smite
the traitor from her DOORS" or words
10 That effect, meaning, of course. TO
support Mrs. Weeds contention against
Airs. McLean's rulings. Mrs. Mclean
ruled that as Mrs. Weed was already
recognized on the Board, there was no
further proceeding to take. Mrs. Weed
wanted everything recorded against
her wiped out. She failed.
1t took an amendment to the Consti-
tuition to get rid of Mrs Weed of Mon
tana. who had not been a resident of
the State for six years. as shown by
roluminous documents brought from
that State by Mrs. Ella Knowles Has
keli, Regent OF Silver Bow Chapter. Of
which Mrs. Weed is a member but
finally the Congress succeeded in elm
mating the Montana matter by accept
ing Mrs Haskell's amendment, making
actual residence in State necessary
To election as Vice Regent Of it.
Wheels Within Wheels.
There are wheels within wheels, how
ever. There was big dinner at the
home OF the Vice President of the
United States on Sunday evening pre-
ceding the Congress of the d. A. r.
AT the table. among the other guests,
vas Mrs. Weed. who is to manage Mrs.
Fairbanks campaign, so she stated to
reporter. The Vice President gave
toast to Mrs. Weed. in which she
drank TO the conquerlng hero The
Vice President did not realize that there
might be politics in the toast, but there
was. IT was too good thing 90 keep.
and, OF course, it got directly to Mrs
Haskell, OF Montana. Mrs. Haskell is q
Republican Of the deepest dye a speak
Ell Of renoWn in the West. and was q
delegate to the County Republican Con-
Fention, then to the State Republican
Convention. then To the National Re-
publican Convention in which President
Roosevelt and Vice President Fairbanks
were nominated. Mrs. Haskell does not
sCruple to say that Mrs. Weed has not
altogether played the part of a lady
in the Montana matter. and brought
with her suitcase full Of documents
TO prove her statements. Mrs Haskell
has gone back to Montana, and if Vice
President Fairbanks gets the nomina-
ton for the Presidency, he will get il
without Montana's help, If Mrs. Has
kelfs influence counts for anything.
While the pretty little white marble
palace which the Daughters call Con-
tinental Memorial Hall is not yet fin
ished, 1t was in good shape for the
Congress. with the permanent chairs of
green leather and cherry wood put i'm
and the walls hung with green. The
acoustic properties of the hall are very