The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-15
THE RED CROSS CHARTERED.
THE SOCIETY NOW HAS Legal.
STANDING.

Difficulties Which Miss Barton Has
Overcome During the Nineteen
Years of Its Existence-The Cere-
monies which Took Place at the
Arlington Hotel and mt the COun-
try Home of Clara BartOn-SOme OF
the IncorporntOrs-other Matters
of Interest.
Washington. July Bone of the most
interesting incidents of the closing hours
of Congress was the signing of the bill
which had passed the House and Senate,
| Incorporating the American National Red
Cross and protecting its insignia from
fraudulent and unauthorized use. 1t &C.
currred in the Marble Room of the Cap
itol in the presence of Miss Barton end
a few of her devoted assistants, and was
almost the last document 10 which Presi-
dent Mckinley affixed his signature. He
seemed TO realize that among the hun
dreds of bills he has signed during his
term of Office, none will be more import
ant and far-reaching in their consequence
After the name was written, he turned to
Miss Barton with a hearty handshake,
consratula ted her upon the splendid rec
ord already made by the organization of
which she has been the mother and sus-
tainer, the heart and soul through years
of difficulty, and added that she deserved
the pen which set the highest seal of rec
osnltlon upon her life-work, if she desired
to retain it. In a few well-chosen words,
fun of eloquence and straight to the point,
as are all Miss Barton's speeches, she re-
piledt accepting the pen and saying she
would always cherish il for what it i'm
piled.
For nineteen years. amid untold Difficult
ties and obstacles which would have
daunted a less resolute spirit Miss Bar
ton has been seeking this legal recogni-
ton of the Red Cross. which has hitherto
mad no way of protecting itself against
lmpostors. Any scalawag, male or fc-
male, might wear the emblem of the or
ganization and solicit funds in its name.
for their own selfish purpose. as has MANY
times been done, and the money thus OBJ
tanned never reached the channel for which
IL was contributed. The long-delayad
charter now gives the society con1nleta
control of its work, enabling it to extend
and perfect its organization throughout
the United States. Auxiliary societies and
state organizations will be inmedfatel
created by the national body; and 1t is be-
lieved that the American National Red
Cross will become one of the wsaltbiesl
charitable organizations in the world
with field that is practically unlimited
ana incompatible power for doing good
Tuesday the reorganiza ton of the society
under its new chatter was effected in this
city. The meeting was held in the beau
tltul parlors of the Arlington Hotel
large number OF the fifty-five incornora-
tors named in the act of Congress being
present, together with other prominent
people, some of whom had come from
New York Boston, Philadelphia and moe
Instant cities for the occasion. The in
corporators include such well-knouy,
names IS Senator's Proctor of Vermont
and Hoar of Massachusetts. Reoresenta.
yves Russell of Connecticut Miers Of In.
diana and Ridgely of Kansas. exSecreta-
ry of State William R. Day and Richard
Olney, ex-Secretary of the NAVY Hillary
A Herbert, John w. Noble. ex-secretary
OF the Interior Charles E. Fairch.Id. OK.
secretary of the Treasury; Alvey A
Adee, assistant secretary of state: George
KEENAN,, the author and Russian
explorer; Judge Joseph Shel1or
OF Connecticut. Judge Alexander Terry
ex-mirister TO Turkey; Gov GRAY Leslie
Shaw and Gov. Tillinghast, of Iowa: Col
Abraham kaufman, member board Of Wis
ltors to West Point Military Academy;
Juoge George Gray, exhibited States SEN
ator OF Delaware; George Bolt, proprie.
tor of the Waldorf-Astoria, New York
city; VIM. T. WardeIl treasurer Standard
OIL Company; Gen. Daniel Tasting, ex-
governor of Penus yfvanta; Prof John
Lennon of California; Walter Wyn7an
supervising surgeon general Marine Hos
pftal Service; John Hitz, ex-consul gen
eral to Switzerland; Mrs. John A. Logan.
Mrs. H. L. Reed of Boston, rational Of
ficer w. r. c.; Mr.. ]. B. Barton of New
YORK city; Gen. Sears of Kansas; Ellen
Spencer MISSY, red cross counselor; DR..
Hubbell, field agent of the red cross; DR..
and Mrs. Joseph Gardiner of Indiana; DR..
j. Wilker O'Neill, of Pennsylvania and
several men and women who are promi-
nent in he affairs of the District of Co
lumbia.
The act of Incorporation sets forth the
fact-with which most people are now ac-
quainted-that in 1864, at Geneva, SwitZer.
land, plenipotentiaries representing Italy
Baden, Belgium, Denmark, Spain. Portu-
gal France, Russia, Saxony and wur-
tembarg and the federal ccuncil CT
Switze land. agreed upon ten articles of
a convention for The purpose of mitigat-
ing the evils inseDarable from war: of
suppressing the needless severity and am
etrocating the condition Of soldiers
wounded on the field of battle and par
ticularly providing that persons employ
ed in hospitals and in affording relief to
the sick and wounded, and supplies for
this purpose. should be deemed neutral
and entitled to protection and that dis
iinc i've and uniform flag should be adopt
ed for hospitals and ambulances and con-
voys of sick and wounded and an arm
badge for individuals neutralized.
The purposes of the corporation are
stated to be: To furnish volunteer aid to
the sick and wounded of armies in time
OF war, In accordance W tn the spirit and
conditions of the conference at Geneva:
and 10 continue and carry on a system of
national and International relief in time
of peace; and apply the same in mitigat-
irg the sufferirgs caused by pestilence
famine, lire, floods and ether grt at nation
al calamties, and to devise and carry on
measures for preventing the same and
lily and for the benefit of mankind. A gen
atty is provided for any person using The
insignia for any fraudulent purpose; and
it is lastly provided that the said Ameri-
cs n National Rcd Cross shall, en- the ii; IS
day of January of each year, make and
transmit to Congress full, complete and
itemized r,pcrt of all receipts and ex-
peudlurts CT whatever kind. and of its
pre- ceedings during the preceding year,
and shall also give such Information con-
corning it's trans actions and affairs as
the Secretary of State may require from