El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-17


increasing growth which will place its
membership very near 100000 names
before the organization completes it's
majority The society of the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution will
really pass its 21st birthday anniyer-
sary this year, as the first meeting
| for the purpose of organization was
| held. in Washington in December, 1890,
although the more formal congress was
not arranged until the following
spring. Certainly no similar society
| can show so rapid a growth in so
( short a time.
The magnificent building known as
Memorial Continental hall, erected by
the Daughters of the American Revolu-
| ton for their permanent headquarters
| is a fitting monument to the work of
| these women, as well as a notable ad-
| dition to the buildings of the national
| capital. In this hall are being col
| lected historic relics of many kinds.
| library of rare value and quantity
! of historic manuscripts and documents
! arranged with every possible precau
| ton for their preservation and useful
ness. In less than five years this
! beautiful building has been erected and
| furnished, and during the past two
years the debt of $500, 900 upon it has
been reduced by $4,000. This in it
self speaks well for the financial abil-
ity of the women having matters in
| charge.
Daughters Give Literally.
While the amount of money required
for the payment upon their building
would be a heavy tax upon most or
ganizations; It does not interfere with
the generosity of the Daughters as
dispensed through their various chap
ters in the different states in the union.
During the past year the public in
every state has benefited by d. A r.
benefaction. Some of these amount 70
thousands Of dollars in a single town.
as in HerKimer, n. Y, where a $4,000
bronze statue Of Gen. Spinner was
given to his native town. Several diff
ferent chapters are expanding hundreds
Of dollars each year upon scholarships
in schools and colleges. number of
night schools for immigrants have had
their teachers salaries paid by the
Daughters of the Revolution, and ap-
preparations have been made aiding
practically every philanthropic work
in the country not included in their
own line of activities.
Some Erroneous Views.
AS generally understood the society
of the Daughters Of the American
Revolution is a conservative. narrow
organization doing little for public
good excepting to erect a few monu-
ments to mark historic spots and oc-
casIonally providing a patriotic pro-
gram for some public school These
views are erroneous for the organiza-
ton deserves credit for much practi-
cal work. The full history of all the
work of the order will never be writ
ten because 1T is not known to any
one member or officer Each branch
and chapter has its Individual activi-
ties which are briefly reported upon at
the annual gathering. These include
substantial aid toward the improve
ment of every commS2ity in which a
chapter is located.
I'VE are patriotic body first and
last" said vice president general re-
Gently, but our patriotism is of The
the broadcast kind. The lessons we
learn from the patriots of the past.
whose memories we desire to keep
ever green for the benefit of the pa
tricts of the future, We apply practi-
cally by furthering every movement
which will help to make our country
conform with the highest ideals of its
heroic founders"
Stand for Conservation.
Consequently during the past year
the Daughters. Of the American Revolu-
ton In the various states have stood
firmly for conservation OF every kind.
believing that additional care against
wasting the natural resources Of the
country is at present one of its crying
needs Forestry has been actively agi-
tated Many of the chapters have spe-
cfal committees on that subject. In
several states. through the influence
or the organization. forestry classes
have been included in the public school
curriculum. The conservation Of min
erals and other natural resources has
also received attention. Active work
Tor the protection of the. particular
resources of the individual states has
occupied an important part Of the Of
fetal work of the state organizations
during the past two years.
The organization has also been in
1uential in furthering the good roads
movement throughout the country, a
special effort being made by them to
Improve the old roads having interest
Ing history. The establishment of a
military road from Yorktown TO James
town, which also may be used by auto
mobilistS is one of the active measures
advocated by the chapters OF Virginia
and the adjoining states. The members
in some of the western states are
working to improve the old Santa Fe
trail followed by the early settlers in
their western course, most OF which is
still a public highway The Texas
daughters are interesting themselves
in having the old route Of the army of
the republic Of Texas made a public
highway. This will embrace the Ala
mo, at San Antonio, Tex. thence on
to the San Jacinto battlefield and the
Nacogdoches trail into Louisiana
Under the leadership Of the late
Mrs. ]. Ellen Foster of Washington,
the organization has actively support
ed the child labor movement brought
forward in the several states. RecoS-
nizing the fact that the immigrant
children are the citizens of the future
the society is devoting much attention
to their welfare and is opposing every
condition of labor that tends to Cypress
the child.
One Of the newest efforts of the
Daughters Of the Revolution is the
civic education of foreigners as to the
privileges and duties OF American citi-
zenship. Leaflets setting forth the his
tory of the. country have been printed
in Italian and circulated extensively
in the Italian settlements Illustrated
lectures upon patriotism both in Ital-
ian and English have been given in
various parts OF the country. This
movement will be extended to include