Under Article II, entitled “Membership,” we provide for three classes of members, life, annual and honorary. We see no necessity for corresponding members, and, in fact, I believe there are none such in the Society.
The provisions in regard to applications for membership are about the same as at present. Election shall be by the Executive Council or at the annual meetings of the Society. Dues are fixed at $5.00 for annual membership, and are made payable on the first day of January in each year in advance. The life membership fee remains the same.
To the officers we have added a Vice-President-General, there being no provision for such an officer in the present constitution.
The duties of the Executive Council we have defined somewhat more clearly, generally to manage and conduct the affairs of the Society. We have provided that six members thereof shall be a quorum.
We have defined the duties of the officers a little more definitely than in the present constitution. There is one thing in particular that I would say in this regard: In the present constitution it is provided that the duties of the Historiographer shall be the usual duties of that office. That was rather indefinite, so we substitute this instead: “The Historiographer shall write such histories or historical articles as the Executive Council may from time to time require; assist in the preparation of the annual journal and other historical works of the society; and perform the other duties usually pertaining to his office.”
We provide for an annual meeting to be held in the month of January in each year, the day and place to be determined by the Society in general meeting, or by the Executive Council in case the Society fails to do so. Special meetings of the Society may be called at any time by the Executive Council. A quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the Society is fixed at thirty-five, instead of ten, as at present.
State Chapters: We have provided that ten or more members of good standing in this Society may organize a subsidiary chapter by obtaining a charter from the Executive Council; that the Vice-President of this Society for the particular state shall, by virtue of that office, be President of that chapter, and such chapter may elect from their own number a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers as may be necessary to manage its affairs; and that membership in such chapters shall be limited to members of this Society in good standing.
Those are the principal points, Mr. President.
Dr. Quinlan: You have heard this report. What is your pleasure in the matter?
Mr. Martin I. J. Griffin: Mr. President, why should it be referred to the Executive Council? It will be another year before it comes before the Society again. We have been without the revision for a whole year, and now it is proposed to be postponed again. I believe it should be acted upon here. I move that the report be read and acted upon.