The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-12-13
CONCERNING THE D. R AND THE o. A. R.
Difference Between the T#0 Patriotic Organ
jZ4tions.

the difference between the Daughters o.
he Revolution and the Daughters OF Ia,
American Revolution and why are there
two societies apparently with the same
objects and aims. 1t is the purpose II
this ia sci forth The difference -
that I person contemplating joining one
OF the W0uen'~ patriotic societies mas
re- able 10 make intelligent choice.
The Socjety ~. \. K. was organized
fiji Washington. October. $500. for the
Iaudahle purpose Of a patriotic society.
But in the article Of the Constitution
providing for admission t-ere was a Pc
culiar clause. After describing the SER
vices Of the patriut ancestor necessary
to make The descendant eligible. the ar
dele further provides that any person
descended from the mother OF such a
n|atriot" is also eligible To the society.
This clause remained il force until 1>9l
ana it is not an unreasonable" Suppo~i-
ton that many awaited themselves Of
such easy terms Of entrance. In fact
the Lineage Book Of the j.. \. Z. shows
many charter members who entered ~
such collateral claims.
In aDllicnti0n the .mothcr of = pa
triot clause worked ~ follows: sun
pose Il Revolutionary mother ha@ ersl
sons. one 4 Patriot. the othe~S Tories ct
stay-at-bomcS: suppose she had hes DIS
several dau@htcrs and that she hcrs"lf
had no particular sympathy with thc
cause of Independence or contributed in
any WAY toward the same. Now on
the Stren@th Of her being the mother Of
the one patriot son. the female descend
ants Of all the other sons. and Of the
dauohtcrs as we'll. were equally eligible
to the y. \. r. for they could III claim
Kin with the mother Of a patriot" This
eligibility. it will he seen. was based on
sentiment. not on descent.
As already stated this clause was not
rencaled until 1896 after the y. r. So
cictv was increasing in strength and
| numbers. Even at the present time the
d. a. +. provision for entrance has a
cla Use susceptible of various internre-
tationS. This is the '~'reco"rizod patriot
provision: inst what constituted ! rec
0"niZed patriot IS 4 matter Of conicc-
trrc. in what did such IN one differ
from :; soldier sailor. civil officer or one
who rendered roaterial aid to the cause.
The main difference between the two
societies IS this question Of membership
on collateral claims. The y. Z. contend
that to he "Dau&hters' we must have
had orandfathers in some degree IN
Revolutionary service: that uncles cous-
ms and other relatives remotely removed
AI'th ~ ~ = L t1iIN
Another marked noint of difference IS
in government Yh i. \. X. Society
IS Governed by = National Board at
WASHINGTON which Concentrates in itself
al authority. State organizations as
such there are none: there are State re-
gents. but they have merely nominal
authority. BESIDES these reoentS there
arc no othar State officers. Chapters are
responsible TO the National Board and
send their dues to the same. This lack
Of State organization IS detrimental to
Natriotio work in q State rs Il whole:
SINGLE chapters may undertake such. hut
there IS 10 provision for union Of effort.
A point often made is that the u. \. Il.
have 4 national charter. From the fact
that the society was incorporated in the
District Of Columbia where the only body
to confer i charter Of any kind is Con-
.rcss. this claim loses its significance.
The society stands upon exactly the
am 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 10 the Daughters of the Rev
o|luti0n. The Society was organized III
September, 1891. by certain members
Of the u. 4. r.. who were dissatisfied
with the loose conditions Of admission
implied in the mother of Il patriot
clause and with the spirit of autocracy
which WAS manifesting itself in the
management 1T Washington. The So
cicty was duly Incorporated under the
laws of the State of New York as IN
organization national il It's work and
purposes. The requirements for admis-
sion were fixed III the beginning as lineal
descent from 4 Revolutionary ancestor
and unquesti0nod proof Of the patriotic
service Of such ancestor Collateral
Claims were absolutely barred out and
such statements as .he rendered imD0r-
tant service in the Revolutionary War
and "he was an officer in the Revolution
under Washington were not accepted.
Applicants We're required TO make affida-
Wit as to their line Of descent and 10
".~o documentary proof or OTTER trust
worthy evidence Of ancestors service.
The rules Illus 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. L. is purely
temocratic. This is shown most CON
clusively in the matter OF insignia; there
Is hut one badge for all daughters recog-
nizahIo rs such through our country.
No jewels and no bars are permitted to
show difference in wealth or lineage.
The organization of the ID. r. provides
for Il Board of Managers including the
officers and fourteen members. which
Board has a 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 D.. r.. organization the
affairs Of the Society are managed by
State societies which in tlleir turn have
supervision of local chapters and of the
members in the State. These State s0cie-
ties have a complete set Of officers and
the power is thus distributed rs in our
government between the central govern
ment, the States and the cities. Our OBJ
iect IS TO devote money ana 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
promoting the observance of national
holidays and also IN arousing and foster
-. IA x,4,,,+I4I, -, t1n ,nJ1lT.