Hi
('
THE COURIER.
M
i
s!
value. If It were nob for lier com
manding position among European
powers and her unconcealed sympathy
with America, France, whose many
defeats hare not taught her the value
of peace, might be induced to help
Spain. As it is there is little reason
to suppose that she can forget that her
ancient enemy is watching and still
rules the seas.
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Through the Courtesy of the Mail and Times of Des Moines la.
THE UNIVERSITY VOLUNTEERS
The three score young men con
tributed by the military department
of the state university of Nebraska is
a well set up intelligent body of sol
diers. As they marched into chapel
Monday morning to receive the fare
wells of the faculty they were greeted
with the fervid whole-souled cheering
that only hundreds of warm hearted,
loyal college boys greet, their class
mates with. The clcareyes, the wind
tanned faces and the stalwart forms,
so straight and supple of these Ne
braska youngsters speak well for the
state of their birth and their alma ma
ter. When a state is able to reply to a
call for troops with volunteers such "as
these, there is no reason forpessimism.
Though the conviction that they are
too good material for southern fever
and Spanish bullets was strength
ened 'by the actual sight of them.
The common soldiers in the regular
army are men lacking in intelligence
and that peculiar new born spirit of
the conquerors we call Americanism.
They enlisted for various reasons
among which the lack of ability to
earn a living any other way was most
common. That they never expected
to fitrlit the number of desertions
among the regulars is proof enough . A short pen sketch of the Abigai'
But these university volunteers are Adams Chapter of Des Moines, from the
young enough to possess ideals they Des Moines Mail and-Times:
are ready to tight for. They are en- The national society of the Daughters
thusiasts in whom failure has not yet of the American Revolution was organiz-
destroyed the power to accomplish ed at Washington on the 11th- day of
whatever they dare to attempt. A October, 1890, and incorporated under
few months of marching and camp the laws of congress applicable to the
life will dim their eagerness, perhaps, District of Columbia, June 8, 1891, and
but they are the sort the best soldiers by such incorporation the headquarters
or chief oflic of the national society was
r 'M3Dir 5
. HHv vv vBAfEBK" -31
Will I K H ,yV S1 -fr i jt j. JJ t, .A' . I6: Ijfel-rf'iSfeBli-JU?'
MEMBERS OF ABIGAIL ADAMS CHAPTER, D. A. R.
MRS.
MRS.
H. R. HOWELL, Registrar.
E. D. BURBANK, Rec Sec.
MRS. W. D. SKINNER. MRS. SOPHIA M. ANDREWS. Historian.
MRS. W. H. BAILEY, Regent. MRS. A DELL A FRATT, Cor. Soc.
are made of since the days of the first
war. No woman can look upon them
without a prayer and a tightening of
the heart.
In the few affectionate half-humorous
woids of farewell and advice
which the Chancellor, Regent Morrill,
Prof Edgren, Prof. Nicholson and
Lieutenant Stotsenburg addressed to
the volunteers, there was the ten
derness of veterans exceDt, in the
lieutenant's case, of regret for their
their own lost youth. Chancellor Mc
Lean's blessing and fareweil showed
plainly his appreciation of the great
ness of the gift. Regent Morrill was
at his best. Ho enlisted himself when
he was only nineteen and his sound
advice was received with unmistable
sounds of appreciation. lie told them
to protect their young bodies from
disease, to stick to army rations and
to leave green apples alone, to obey
their superior officers, to be cheerful
and to remember the girls they left
behind them. Prof. Edgren was a
soldier in the civil war. He said that
he came to this country to fight be
cause he loved freedom and adventure
but he realized that the young men
before him were going from a love of
country as well as freedom and be
adjured them to return either with
their shield or upon it. Prof. Nichol
son heartily gave the boys his blessing.
Lieutenant Stotsenburg took an un
sentimental business like view of the
situation. He advised the boys to
leave the university behind them,
whereas the others begged them to
remember that their alma mater's
eyes were upon them expectantly and
anxiously. He told them that the
hospital was a very different institu
tion from what it was in the civil war
and advised them to seek it instantly
on the approach of sickness. All the
difference between the civilian's and
the citizen's view of war was apparent
in the lieutenant's tacit disapproval
of quite so much emotion. Neverthe
less the benediction was pronounced
and the volunteers were asked to
stand in a line in Delian hall in order
that their country might take leave of
them formally and with the hand
shaking ceremonies sanctioned by
sacred North American usage.
fixed in the city of Washington. The
charter membership was closed October
11, 1891, just one year from the date of
organization.
The movement was in part suggested
by the existence of the society of the
Sons of the American Revolution. There
was a feeling on the part of the "Sons"
that they could not consistently admit
women as members, and consequently
true to the American spirit of progress,
undaunted by their rejection, the women
proceeded to form a sister organization.
in securing for mankind all the blessings
of liberty." The officers of the national
society are a president general, vice
president general in charge of chapters,
eight or more vice presidents general,
not to exceed twenty, and recoiding and
one corresponding secretary general, two
registrars general, one treasurer general,
one historian general, one surgeon gen
eral, one chaplaiu general, an advisory
board and any other officers found
necessary. Two years ago a new office
was created, that of a vice-president
general presiding. The national board
of management is c m posed of active
officers of the national society and a
state regent from each state and terri
tory, to be chosen by the delegates from
each state and territory. The officers of
the national society are ex officio officers
president of the national society was the
late Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, at that
time lady of the White House, who ren
dered invaluable service to the society
in guiding it through the formative
period of its existence. Many other
illustrious and prominent women of the
nation have taken great interest in the
movement and devoted much time and
energy to its promotion and advance
ment, among whom we might mention
the names of Mr. Adlai StevenBon, Mrs.
Donald McLean, Mrs. Levi P. Morton.
Miss Eugenia Washington, Mrs. John
W. Foster and others.
The rules concerning the admission of
members provide that any woman who
is personally acceptable and having
reached the age of eighteen years, is
eligible if she cm show that she is a de-
of the board of management, and meet- scendant of ono who with unfailing loy-
ings are held every four months, or at alty rendered material aid to the cause
such times as exigencies may demand, of independence as a recognized patriot,
on the call of the president. The board as a soldier or sailor, or as a civil officer
In this they received the hearty commen- has full power to manage the business of
dation and co-operation of their brothers, the society, to enact laws, to prescribe
who gladly extended to them the right rules and regulations for the guidance
hand of fellowship. of officers, to fill vacancies in office until
The objects and procestes of the or- the next meeting of the congress, and do
ganization are expressed in the language
of the constitution: To perpetuate the
memory and the spirit of the men and
women who achieved American indepen
dence, by the acquisition and protection
of historical spots, and the erection of
monuments; by the encouragement of
historical research in relation to the
revolution, and the publication of its
results; by the preservation of documents
and relics, and of the records of the
individual services of revolutionary sol
diers and patriots, and by the promo
tion of celebrations of all patriotic anni
versaries. To carry out the injunction
of Washington in his farewell address to
the people, 'to promote, as an object of
primary importance, institutions for the
general diffusion of knowledge,' thus
developing an enlightened public opinion
and affording to young and old such
advantages as shall develop in them the
largest capacity for performing the
duties of American citizens. To cherish
maintain and extend the institutions of
American freedom, to foster true pa
triotism and love of country, and to aid
in one of the several colonies or states,
or of the United States. All applicants
for membership must be endorsed by
one member of the national society
when her name is sent to the registrar
all business in general for the prosperity general, who investigates the eligibility
and advancement of the society, their of the candidate and reports to the gen
actions, however, being all subject to the era! board of management, which votes
approval or revocation of the national upon the question of her admission,
congress, which meets annually, or at a when, if she receives a majority of votes
call from the board of management, or cast, she is enrolled as a member of the
at the request of twenty-five or more national society, upon the payment of
members.
The Continental Congress of the na
tional society is composed of all the
active officers of the national society,
one state regent from each state and the
regents and delegates from each organ
ized chapter in the United States. Pro
vision is also made for an executive com
mittee of nine, of which the president
general is chairman ex-officio, said com
mittee to be elected by the national
board of management, from among its
members, which committee is authorized
to transact the business of the society in
the interim between the meetings of the
board of management Ths president
the initiation fee. No traditional evi
dence as to the ancestry of an applicant
is acceptable, but all claims must be
verified by personal knowledge or by
documentary evidence, which is neces
sary to prevent te admission of those
who are ineligible. In any locality where
there are twelve or more ladies who are
qualified for membership, a local chapter
may be organized and officers elected.
The officers of a local chapttr are a re
gent, recording secretary, corresponding
secretary, treasurer, chaplain and his
torian. When the chapter is organized
the first regent is appointed by the
national board and the other officers are
general may call meetings of the national appointed by her, but thereafter the offi-
board and the executive committee at cers are elected by the members of the
any time she chooses or at the request chapter. The insignia of the society is
of five members of the board. The first a badge in th form of a spinning-wheel