Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-14
MISS BARTON RESIGNS
Mrs. Logan Becomes Presi-
dent Of the Red Cross.
MEETING HELD TO-DAY.
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE PRESENT.
The Retiring Head Expresses Her Feel
ings in Letter to Which Her As
sociates Feelingly Respond.

has heretofore occupied the Office of vice
president of the association.
The ceremony occurred at Mrs. Logans
dwelling and was participated in by Miss
Barton, Mrs. Logan and members of the
executive committee of the Red Cross. Miss
Barton's letter of resignation was partial
review of the work of the organization, and
was as follows:
Miss Barton's Resignation.
The American National Red Cross. WASH
ington, D. G., May IA, 1904.
TO the board of trustees and executive COM
mittee, American National Red Cross.
Gentlemen: 1t is now twenty-three years
since, by the express desire of President
Garfield, on the eve of martyrdom. 1 ac-
cepted the presidency of the organization
over which you have the honor to preside,
and the duties of which you have the kind
ness to administer.
Until that moment the American Red
Cross had no existence. 1t stood before the
country an anomaly. Its very name was
unknown. There are those in your present
body. whose young manhood then received
Its first lessons, little dreaming of the vicis-
situdes that faith and faithlessness would
lead them through.
Its first object and its raison detre was
to gain accession to the international treaty
| under which 1t exists; secondary to fulfill
the duties set forth in the charter which
you sacredly hold. To this end 1t has strug-
gled on-a strange ship In unknown waters,
without chart for 1t had no predecessors,
buffeting with floating distractions, often
perplexed and uncertain, but never un-
needing Its compass, with its uperring
needle steadily pointing to the relief of
human suffering wherever, found
1t were all too long to review its course
or recount its efforts, and you do not need
IL. Its active fields of service are yergfng
on the scores By degrees its name has
become familiar to our people, and its work
so, in part. 1t has largely conducted the
relief In our only foreign war. 1t has, by
its example, enlarged the scope of the or
ganiZed charities of the country, and has
prought us INTO practical relations with the
humanitarian methods of other nations and
made possible an interchange of benef-
cence.
Has Come to Stay.
Although its growth may seem to have
been slow, 1t is to be remembered that it is
not shrub or plant, to shoot up in the
summer and wither in the frosts. The Red
Cross is part of u.s. it has come to stay,
and. like the sturdy oak, its spreading
branches shall yet compass and shelter the
relief of the nation. 20
With those forming its present board of
management rests it's guidance guidance
which all may safely trust. 70 the COM
blned wisdom of the leaders of armies of
senators and judiciary, and the rich expert
cEarge of quarter of century
1t is waste Of time to remind you OF the
years and the occasions in which YOUR
weary president has sought to lay her
weary burdens down. Year after yea she
has framed and offered her resignation to
the preceding boards and committees
These have been resolutely met by appoint
ments for life
l can find no fitting words by which to
express my appreciation of and gratitude
for the courtesy thus extended to me: |
am poor even in thanks for such honored
trust
An Absolute Resignation.
But, once more, and for all, most hon.
ored officers and friends, tender my resg-
nation as president of the American Ma
tlonal Red Cross, which resignation being
absolute, calls only for acceptance.
By the laws governing our organization
this resignation is made to your honored
board of trustees and executive commit
tee, and IT is an unspeakable joy to me that
the toll-worn, weary mantle that drops
from mine falls upon the shoulders of my
vice president, the woman so cherished In
our own country and honored and trusted
in others.
1t is pride well as a pleasure to
hd nahd 10 you an organization perfectly
formed, thoroughly differed with no debts
ana sum OF from S12.OoO to S14, 900 avail
able to our treasury working fund.
j would not have one days delay for
tnlS lttle cnanSe DS which all are bene-
htted, and the organization, / trust will
find that peace and quiet in its long dis
turbed elements, welcome to it, to us
and to the country.
tsigned) CLARA BARTON.
Tribute of Executive Committee.
The resignation was accepted, and in ad-
dition to many individual expressions of
regret the executive committee united in
the following letter to Miss Barton:
To Miss Clara Barton The executive
committee of the American National Red
Cross hereby acknowledges receipt of your
communication of May IA, 1904, in which
you tender your resignation as president
of the American National Red Cross We
deeply regret the circumstances and con-
ditions which render it expedient that you
should take the step and retire from a po-
sft1on which you have so long, ably and
successfully filed.
The value of your services to our coun-
try and its people, commencing with the
era of our civil war and later as the found
er and the manager of the American Ma
tional Red Cross, relieving the distress and
suffering of hundreds and thousands of our
people on battlefields, in hospitals and in
appalling disasters, by which you were
enabled to bring comfort and relief in the
hour of need, can never be estimated by
any measure known to either finance or
philanthropy service in which you have
devoted your life to earnest, patriotic and
strenuous effort with unselflshness un-
exeelled in the history of the human race
Nor have your benefactions been confined
to American fields Your devotion to the
cause of common humanity has repeat
edly called you abroad for work both in
Europe and in Asia
Commencing with no means except your
own modest patrimony, going to fields of
distress and performing those acts of love
and devotion which furnish the strongest
evidence of the development of man to-
ward the God-like character, distributing,
under your personal supervision, and large
ly by your own hand, million of dollars CT
value in money and material among the
distressed and needy, it Is satisfaction TO
know that in only one or two instances
have your assistants ever proven unfaith-
full to the trust reposed in them. and that
never has complaint been made either by
those who contributed to the funds Which
you distributed or by th0se~ who were the
recipients of your benefaetion. s
/ After a long life OF incessant toll and
care, bringing the Red Cross from Europe
planting II upon American soil. fostering
1t and building an organization which