So that even and around. And so long as time lasts, it is sweet. a faded flower has its use. God grant, my good friend, that we shall continue to be of use to these organizations. I thank you from my heart for all the courtesies which you have shown me, for the strong right hand which you have given me through this year, and the same for all these splendid women whom you represent. Moved by Julia S. Bowen of Nebraska, that a rising vote of thanks be given to General Clarkson. [Carried.] Mrs. Hauck, Department President of Pennsylvania: Inasmuch as General Gobin is a Pennsylvania man and one whom we delight to honor, I would like to have the pleasure of pinning a badge on all three of the gentlemen. General Gobin: I am especially gratified that this comes from a locality where they have lived alongside of me so many years, and who know me so well where I live. Mrs. Morrison of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania is proud of such a man as General Gobin, and we would like the Convention to appreciate this fact and hear not of the work he has done for the Woman's Relief Corps, but of the work he will do. Miss Williams: Ohio is proud of J. Cory Winans, General Clarkson's Chief of Staff, and asks that three rousing cheers be given him. J. Cory Winans I was unfortunate in being escorted into the hall by a lady who knows me, and she admonished me not to make one of those two-hour speeches of mine, and just as I got on the platform she told me Mrs. Winans was here. The gentlemen were then escorted from the hall. Mrs. Turner, National Senior Vice-President pro tem., resumed the chair. It was announced that the tellers were ready to report. National President: The tellers are ready to report result of ballot for National Junior Vice-President. Miss Rule, Chairman: Whole number of votes cast, 292; necessary for a choice, 147. Mrs. Jones receives 139, Mrs. Laux, 87, and Mrs. Flagg, 66. The National President then announced that there was no election, and that the ballot would have to be retaken. National Senior Vice-President pro tem. took the chair and consideration of Recommendation No. 3 of President's address was resumed. After a long and earnest discussion a vote was taken and the recommendation was lost. By vote of National Convention the discussion was ordered eliminated from the Journal. It was then announced that the tellers were ready to report. National President: The tellers are ready to report result of second ballot for National Junior Vice-President. Miss Rule, Chairman: Whole number of votes cast, 281 1; necessary for a choice, 141. Mrs. Jones receives 197, Mrs. Laux, 52, Mrs. Flagg, 31, and Mrs. Miller, 1. The National President then declared Mrs. Calista R. Jones of Vermont National Junior Vice-President elect, and announced that nominations were in order for National Treasurer. Mrs. Turner: I have a candidate, that I have had in my mind for some time, that I would like to present for your consideration. I know something of the duties of National Treasurer, and I know this woman to be honest and intelligent, and, if elected, capable of performing all the duties of the office to your satisfaction. I have the honor of presenting the name of Mrs. Isabelle T. Bagley. New York as a delegation moved that the nominations be closed and the National Secretary be instructed to cast the vote unanimously for Mrs. Isabelle T. Bagley. Seconded by many. [Carried.] Mrs. Turner: I have the honor of presenting to you, ladies, the candidate. National President then announced Mrs. Bagley National Treasurer elect. National President then announced that nominations were in order for National Chaplain. Georgia McClellan of Iowa: I rise to present the name of a woman who is well known in the Department of Iowa, and as a worker, second to none. Sarah L. Rothrock of Iowa. Seconded by Iowa delegation, Mrs. Bodge of Connecticut, and Mrs. Lukens of South Dakota. Mrs. Craig I move that the nominations be unanimous, and the National Secretary be instructed to cast the ballot of this Convention for Mrs. Rothrock. Mrs. Chapin of California: The Grand Army have always elected a regularly ordained minister, and as we follow in their footsteps, we deem it fitting and proper that we should follow their example in this. We have one in our own Order who is regularly ordained, and who is especially fitted for this. I take pleasure in presenting to this Convention Lotta D. Crosley of Columbus, Ohio. This was seconded by Mrs. Pickler of South Dakota. Mrs. Crosley then withdrew her name, and it was moved and seconded that the nominations be closed, and that the Secretary be instructed to cast the ballot of the Convention for Mrs. Rothrock, for National Chaplain. [Carried.] The National President then declared Mrs. Sara L. Rothrock of Iowa, National Chaplain elect. Moved by Charity Rusk Craig, and seconded by Mrs. Jones, that Mrs. Rothrock be presented to the platform. Mrs. Rothrock: Mrs. President and Ladies of the Convention. I understand by my election to this office that you have conferred an honor on the Department of Iowa, and in the name of our Department, I thank you. But you might have chosen some other Iowa woman to have done your praying, and because you did not, I thank you on my own account. Am perfectly willing that Iowa shall have all the honor that comes with the office of National Chaplain. She well deserves it and I gladly turn it over to her. me. I also thank you for the hearty manner in which you elected You made me feel that you did it because you wanted to. Your votes came to me laden with the fragrance of goodwill, and while I give to Iowa the honor of the office, if I mistake not, this expression of goodwill was intended for your Chaplain elect. Am I right? (Cries of "Yes! yes!") Then, with your permission, I will claim that. For while it is true that your votes elected me, I would rather have your goodwill without your votes, than your votes without your goodwill. We hear of sound waves and brain waves, but I know more about heart waves. In fact, have reached the time in my life when even honors have little value for me unless they come from the heart. These expressions of goodwill are bubblings over of divinity, and I like to retain all that were intended for me. They are eternal in their nature, therefore I shall not only enjoy them here, but if I go to heaven before the next Convention, you may know I have taken them all with me. National President: Nominations are now in order for chairman of the Executive Board. Mrs. Wallace of Illinois: I desire to place in nomination the name of Mrs. Mary G. Deane of Massachusetts. Seconded by the delegation of Massachusetts. Carrie A. House of California: I wish to place in nomination today a woman from my native State, a Past Department President, Augusta B. Hammond of Connecticut. No further candidates being presented, the President declared nominations closed. It was moved and seconded that the candidates be presented to the platform, where they were introduced to the Convention. National President: The tellers are now ready to report result of ballot for Chairman of Executive Board. Miss Rule, Chairman: Whole number of votes cast, 261; necessary for a choice, 131. Mrs. Deane receives 177 and Mrs. Hammond 84. The National President then declared Mrs. Mary G. Deane of Massachusetts, chairman elect of the Executive Board. National President announced that nominations were in order for second member of the Executive Board. Mrs. Turner placed in nomination Augusta B. Hammond of Connecticut, for second member of the Executive Board. Seconded by Department of Connecticut. Mrs. Morse of New Jersey: I have the pleasure of placing in nomination a woman who has served as Department President for two consecutive terms, and I place in nomination Emma J. Southwick of New Jersey. Seconded by Mary P. Scott of Ohio, and Department of New Jersey. Mrs. Jones of Vermont seconded Mrs. Hammond's nomination. There being no further candidates, nominations were closed. Mrs. Turner, National Senior Vice-President pro tem., took the chair and consideration of President's address was resumed. Recommendation No. 4. The third object of the Woman's Relief Corps is "to inculcate lessons of patriotism and love of country among our children and in the communities in which we live." In carrying out this great principle of our Order we have placed flags on our schoolhouses, patriotic primers, salutes and charts in our schools; but in our zeal in accomplishing all this we have forgotten that in our ritualistic work we have nothing to ndi cate our own allegiance to our country's flag. After consulting a number of the members of the Order it has been decided to place before you some changes in and additions to the Ritual which have been carefully prepared, and which I most earnestly recommend to your consideration and for adoption. Approved by committee. Moved by Mrs. Bell of Wisconsin, that the recommendation be adopted. Seconded by Mrs. Jones of New York. Miss Moore of Pennsylvania: I want to say that I attended last evening the exemplification of this work, and I desire to heartily endorse this recommendation. Mrs. Turner: I would like to ask Mrs. Hitt if this makes an entire change in our ritualistic ceremony? Mrs. Hitt (National President): A decided change, but not an entire change, by any means.. Mrs. Turner: Please explain to the ladies who were not there what it is. We want to understand it. Mrs. Hitt (National President): I gave to the members of this Convention the opportunity to see this work for themselves. I do not think that any one individual could explain the work satisfactorily from the platform. Mrs. Turner: I ask if it would be advisable to try this until our next Convention? Mrs. Hitt (National President): Mrs. President, when I closed my report to this Convention, I said "here is the year's work; I place it in your hands." I want to say to you, ladies, that I would not grieve over it if you did not adopt this recommendation, for I believe that the time is coming when the Woman's Relief Corps will adopt it. Why are our members dropping out and going into other organizations? One reason that we have not been able to hold our members is because we have not made our work attractive enough for them. Now, as I have said before, I leave it in your hands, and whether you wish it or not is for you to decide. Mrs. Travis of Indiana: As a member of the committee I wish to say that the committee witnessed the exemplification of this work last night, and we feel that it is most beautiful; and I wish to say that we approve the recommendation with the understanding that it will not necessitate the purchase of new books. Mrs. Hitt (National President): If you go far enough into our work and not take up a sentence at a time, you will see that I have |