Evening star., 1909-04-24
MAY START A CONTEST
Possible Action of ''StOrylteS"
Given by Rumor.
DAUGHTERS IN AN UPROAR
Question of Scattering Votes Cause
of Confusion.
WHO'S RECORDING SECRETARY ?
Discrepancy Between Report Last
Night and Announcement
This Morning.
DAUGHTERS IN AN UPROAR
WHO'S RECORDING SECRETARY :

A rumor to the effect that the election
of Mrs Scott would be contested because
oe the fact that certain votes cast in the
Scots Story baIlotipg were classed as
scattering was whispered about the
platform on which D. A. r. officials sat
IN today's session of the eighteenth an
nual congress.
The vote for Miss Mary Wilcox. who
this morning was declared to have been
elected to the office of recording secre-
tary general, winning over Mrs. Howard
L. Hodgkins of the District of Columbia
by one vote. was contested with great
excitement, and it was found that there
was a discrepancy between last night s
report of the tellers and the announce
mcnt this morning.
1t was learned that more votes had
been cast for the Office than had been re-
ported, and the discovery caused tremen-
dous confusion. For corresponding sec
retary general another vote will have to
be held because not enough were cast
but the recording secretary general has
rs it Miss Wilcox or Mrs. Hodgkins?'
As soon as 1t became known that the
teIlers had thrown out certain votes the
Storyites began to talk about contestins
the election. The only way the cast
out votes would affect the election would
lie to change the majority needed for
election.
Reads Poem on Kansas.
Miss Sallie Houston Carr of Kansas
niece of Sam Houston. read poem on
her native state, and then, sitting at the
piano. sang state song.
Mrs. Mclean announced that she would
retire from the presidency OF the society
on her wedding Anniversary;
Mrs. Hckox of Illinois made an explana-
ton of the confusion arising at the TIME
Mrs. story was not allowed to read her
report 1t was said that Mrs. Hickox
moved to adjourn the meeting at the mo-
ment when Mrs. Story was toid ner re. ;,
that she had been under misapprenen-
sion of the state of affairs at the time
Mrs. Story, after listening to the expiana-
tion, arose and said: ~
friendliest feeling between New York and
The treasurer general made the an
been given out by state regents TO ladies
who were not members of the congress.
The president general remarked tnat al
the session yesterday great many Wom.
10 he there and occupied the seats OF the
regular delegates. Not only was 1t IT.
regular, the president general stated, Du.
was Illegal Those ladies knew they had
no right upon the floor, 1t was aooeo'
she then directed women illegally wear
ing such badges to leave the hall at once.
The state regents of the states VINO mao
given out the badges gave them as SOU
OF the courtesy thus extended to get on
the floor it was stated later.
When the chairman Of tellers reported
Mrs Yawger of New York questioned the
report as she had been a teller and had
understood that Miss Wilcox was elected.
The chairman of tellers. Mrs. Elroy
Avery. explained the work of the tellers
and how carefully they had worked
Suggestion Of Tampering.
There was veiled suggestion from all
parts of the house that the ballot boxes
had been tampered with Fierce discus
sion occurred as to the Wilcox-Hodgkins
vote of 43J TO 434, in which the chairman
Of telIers had a terrible time getting a
hearing because of the chorus of protests
whenever she said something some of the
delegates did not like.
There was a teller who, took the chair
man TO task because the teller said the
Chairman's statement to the telers was
different from the official announcement.
Tremendous confusion prevailed. An
other teller arose and said that the GUS
tom put any miSspelled votes in the
scattering list
4 wave OF protest swept the nall but
the protesters learned afterward that the
custom was perfectly regular
Then they discussed the vote for Miss
Mary r. Wilcox and Mrs. Howard L.
fIodgkins. Miss Wilcoxs majority of one
vote made lots of trouble. Women ac-
cused one another of the awful crime OF
not being able to count. The arithmetic
of the D. A. r. was at stake for awhile
The question was rs Miss Wilcox elect
ed. scattering votes and all. or not?''
Mrs. Yawger again asked why the
chairman of tellers should have the tellers
sign one statement and then read another
Mrs Avery explained at length about be-
ing in doubt after the ballots had been
had made any change after the seals had
been put on. The talk became red hot
and all sorts of things were being handed
about-verbally, of course.
Advice From Everywhere.
Madam President. Madam Presiden,
General" was called from all over the
house, and women who have not said a
word during the entire week grew ex-
cited and flung suggestions. No one was
getting anywhere. There was no head
way for tellers or any one else-nothina
but confusion. in which the bang bang.
bang OF the gavel sounded like the far
away ticking of decrepit village clock
Ii was really the most tempest uous hall
hour of the week
Finally some one made suggestion
that the thirty tellers should go out and
find out what they really wanted 10 re-
port on the Wilcox-Hodgkins vote /,
was put to vote. and sounded fairI,
even, but Mrs. Mclean ruled that the
ayes had 1t. and the tellers disappeared
for a short time.
Vice Presidents Speak
Then the ten vice presidents genera
spoke to the congress in turn. beyinnin;
with Mrs. Edwin Gregory, who led the
ticket with 693 votes
She made great hit with her speech
which was spoken in the soft accent o
North Carolina.
'.ISthank my friends, and those whom
CONTINUED on Fourth Pase.)