The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-11
CONCERNING THE D. R AND THE D. A. R,
Difference Between the Two Patriotic Organ
izations.

The question is often asked what is
the difference between the Daughters of
the Revolution and the Daughters of the
American Revolution and why are there
two societies apparently with the same
objects and aims. 1t is the purpose of
this to set forth the difference so
that A person contemplating joining one
of the women's patriotic societies may
be able to make intelligent choice.
The Society ID. A. II. was organized
in Washington October, 1890, for the
laudable purpose of patriotic society.
But in the article of the Constitution
providing for admission t-ere was II pc
culiar clause. After describing the SER
vices of the patriot ancestor necessary
to make the descendant eligible, the ar
tclc further provides that any person
descended from the mother of such
patriot" is also eligible to the society.
This clause remained III force untl 1879
and ii is not an unreasonable SUPPOSE
ton that many awaited themselves OF
such easy terms of entrance. In tact
the Lineage Book of the ID. n. X. shows
many charter members who entered on
such collateral claims
In application the mother OF Il pa
triot clause" worked as follows: Sup
pose Revolutionary mother had several
sons. one Patriot. the others Tories or
stay-at-homes; suppose she had besides
several daughters and that she hefsel1
had no particular sympathy with the
cause of Independence or contributed in
any way toward the same. Now on
the strength of her being the mother of
the one patriot son. the female descend
ants of all the other sons, and of the
daughters as well, We're equally eligible
to the ID. A. r.. for they could all claim
kin with the 'mother of patriot" This
eligibility, it will be seen, was based on
sentiment. not on descent.
AS already stated this clause was not
repealed until 1895 after the ID. X. So
ciety was increasing in strength and
numbers Even Mt the present time the
u. A. II. provision for entrance has
clause susceptible of various interpre-
tations. This is the recognized patriot
provision: just what constituted rec
ognized patriot" is II matter of coniec-
ture. in what did such an one differ
from II soldier sailor, civil officer or one
who rendered material aid to the cause.
The main difference between the two
societies is this question of membership
on collateral claims. The ID. X. contend
that to be Daughters" we must have
had grandfathers in some degree i'll
Revolutionary service; that uncles cous-
ms and other relatives remotely removed
cannot be termed direct ancestors.
Another marked point of difference is
in government The -. A. r. Society
is governed by National Board at
Washington which concentrates in itself
all authority. State organizations as
such there are none: there are State re-
gents. but they have merely nominal
authority. Besides these regents there
are no other State officers. Chapters are
responsible to the National Board and
send their dues to the same. This lack
of State organization is detrimental to
patriotic work in a State as q whole;
single chapters may undertake such, but
there is no provision for union of effort.
A point often made is that the ID. "A. X.
have 4 national charter. From the fact
that the society was Incorporated in the
District of Columbia where the only body
to confer charter of any kind is Con-
eress, this claim loses its significance.
The society stands upon exactly the
same level as any other corporation char
tered in the district, and its powers are
no more extended than those of any
other patriotic organization.
Now as 20 the Daughters of the Rev
olution. The Society was organized in
September, 1891, by certain members
of the ID. A. r., who We're dissatisfied
with the loose conditions of admission
implied in the mother of a patriot
clause and with the spirit of autocracy
which was manifesting itself in the
management ut Washington. The So
ciety was duly incorporated under the
laws of the State of New York as an
organization national in its work and
purposes. The requirements for admis-
sion were fixed in the beginning as lineal
descent from q Revolutionary ancestor
and unquestioned proof of the patriotic
service of such ancestor. Collateral
claims were absolutely barred out and
such statements as 'he rendered mpor-
tant service in the Revolutionary War
and she was an officer i'll the Revolution
under Washington We're not accepted.
Applicants were required to make aftida-
Wit as to their line of descent and to
give documentary proof or other trust
worthy evidence Of ancestors service.
The rules thus laid down have been
strictly adhered to and no considerations
of wealth or social position have caused
or cause the slightest deviation. The
prevailing spirit Of the ID. IL. is purely
democratic This is shown most con-
clnsively in the matter of insignia; there
is but one badge for all daughters recog-
nizablc as such through our country.
No jewels and no bars are permitted to
show difference in wealth or lineage.
The organization of the ID. II. provides
for a Board of Managers including the
officers and fourteen members, which
Board has Il general oversight of the
affairs of the Society, passes upon appll-
cations, admits members, organizes State
societies. etc. In the respective States
where there is ID. II. organization the
affairs of the Society are managed by
State societies which in their turn have
supervision of local chapters and of the
members in the State. These State socie-
ties have complete set of officers and
the power is thus distributed as in our
government between the central govern
ment, the States and the cities. Our OBJ
ject is to devote money and work in
the States themselves. In the thirteen
original States our work is directed to-
ward making Revolutionary sites, pre-
serving documents and relics, and in the
other States much has been done in
y,1.aY,, afino tbo. ahca,.x.anaa IF nj