The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-30

l their royal prerogatives by virtue of membership in our great patriotic society.
 Why award it so noble a distinction7 This organization of American woman hood has girdled our land with the cine ture of virtuous lineage. It has inwrought into our national life it's potential watch words, Home and country and restored to the lirtels of our governmental fabric. the crimson sign of the covenant between its founders and their God-the sanctty of domestic end religious altars.
 'sTheir heralds will speak to the yet un- | knowing world how these things came about and of the Divine Impulse that shaped their hearts, to front the hour of opportunity.
 with fraternal unctior, accept on be- half of the delegates to this conference. your loving courtesy and good cheer"
 Mrs. Smiths Address.
 Following the response came the an- nual address of the state regent, Mrs. J. Morgan Smith, who said:
 "As state regent I am happy to well come you to this, the fourth annual con- ference and I trust you share with me the hope that this one will be as suc- cessful and pleasant as each of the for mer ones. l regret that the conference could not be held last year. I tried to have it, that is, tried to induce the ex- eeutivs board to arrange for 1t, but none l were willing to undertake 1t, and there fore 1t went by, and the year 1901 Is blank in our calendar or conferences.
 These annual gatherings are of great value to our regents delegates and mem bers generally. While the national con stitution makes no provision for them yet the national officers attend and sanction them and seeing the benefit de- rived, all the states are gradually com ing to their state conferences; they bring about sympathetic cooperation .I,11 .f,,1 bers are bound closer in their work for the society D. A. R's.
 "As there Is much business before this conference do not intend taking up val uable time with report of what has been done, but particularly of what we may or can do in the future or In the twelve months before we again come to- J gether, and will recommend certain mat ters for your consideration and action.
 First, of course is the work of the chapter-how to increase the member ship, how to get each woman to do her duty, be she regent, vice-regent, other officer or private member. Each position carries responsibility and means interest, means labor; the difference in the ob- ligation of membership is not in degree but only in kind, but, as this subject may be fully discussed I will not antici- pate anything which may be said
 'The growth of the Alabama society D. A. R. during the year is encouraging I have not the exact figures before me, but l think we number about $50 mem bers. We had hoped to have another chapter to report with a larger number of members than beginners usually have. but organization was delayed, which has probably been effected during the past few days, for we are certain of chap ter in Selma.
 "A great deal of preliminary work in several other places, enough to have ac- complished organization. but as the signs for early success are most encuuragir 2 need not speak further of this.
 There are several objects of local or state interest for which, as loyal mem- bers, we are bound to work, and these stand for the very purpose and life oi our organization. We cannot do the work of the colonial states for we have not the same incentives, the same ob- jects but we have enough to stimulate our energies and call forth our patriotic | endeavor
 First, the location of the graves of Revolutionary soldiers. These are his- toric spots, and, in the language of our constitution, we can perpetuate the mem ory of the spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence in our care of and interest in these very graves Since the location of the first one, as far as we know-that of Capt. William Armstead-more than three years ago by your state regent, a gcodly num- Der have been found-copies of the tomb stone inscriptions made and furnished , , and we trust we will be able to present the Alabama Historic society with a , complete list of the revolutionary sol- ders whose bodies are inferred in Ala bama soil.
 This work was contemplated and : promised when the first grave was dis covered, the fact that so many have been found should encourage Alabama daugh-
 
 one remains unknown or unvisited by one or more members of our society. Through : city and town papers, through persons who are not members of your chapters, through various ways you can make it known that you are interested in this work and you will get information and help when you least expect it.
 Another subject of local interest should be the finding of those venerable women known as real daughters We have few of these on some of our chap ter rolls. but we sure there are many more in Alabama, as yet undiscovered have never been sought for-have never had their claims established; they are gradually slipping away into the great beyond and in very few years no pro- visions will remain in our patriotic by laws for real daughters'-they will all have passed away
 This feature of our work allows no delay; search out these venerable wom- en while we may; look up the proof which will give them their rights and put them in happy possession Of blessing which will help to brighten and sweeten their declining days We could name other features of our local work in which there are clements of interest and im- | nortance but we would not urge the do- ing of too many things, as the tendency might be to dffusiveness which really characterizes much of woman's work in these days. with the natural result that nothing is done as well as it should be. "And now we come to speak of mat ter of national interest and importance. and one for which all daughters should labor with unfiagging interest and deco tion until the work is accomplished. viz: the building of Colonial Hall
 "Considering the membership of Ala l bama no state has been so generous In her contributions to this patriotic object. , most important move has recently been made in the selection and purchase of