lars, besides completely furnishing a room in the convalescent home and a bed in another room. Mrs. W. T. Ellis, an out-oftown member, sent us during the summer 750 dozen eggs; another added 30 dozen eggs, and by the labor of another member ten thousand periodicals were collected for departing soldiers. So our members have added their mites to the nation's needs; sewing, preparing delicacies for the sick soldiers camped in our city and doing individual duty all along the line. By the untiring energy of our Regent, Mrs. A. S. Hubbard, $650 was collected from the membership of our Chapter for the Red Cross work, and in addition to all the labor this entailed, in the few leisure moments of her busy summer our Regent compiled the Red Cross scrap-book from gleanings from seven hundred and fifty publications. Have we done our part in this great American awakening, which, whilst it has cost sorrow and suffering, has broadened and increased the responsibilities of every citizen of the Union, and called upon every patriotic son and daughter to aid in planting our stars and stripes wherever liberty and protection are needed.

At the regular meeting of the Chapter occurred an event of more than ordinary interest, the presentation of a loving cup to Mrs. A. S. Hubbard, through whose untiring efforts the Chapter sprang into existence. The cup is of elegantly cut crystal, nine inches in height, silver bound, resting on a massive silver-mounted mirror. The presentation address by Mrs. George Law Smith was a tribute to the unwearied efforts of the retiring Regent, who as founder of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution on this coast, as Honorary Regent, as State Regent, Registrar and Chapter Regent, has for seven years carefully guarded the interests of Sequoia Chapter. The presentation bore the charming element of a complete surprise to Mrs. Hubbard. Recovering her composure, however, but with "tears in her voice" she thanked the members for the loving cup of appreciation and confidence presented her and expressed the hope that when filled and passed from hand to hand each lip partaking might impart to it some virtue so that when the last one had drunk, they might all be united in spirit and in truth.-MAUDE A. SMITH, Historian pro tempore.

CURRENT TOPICS.

[Will Chapters sending reports to the Magazine not only give the name of the Chapter, but also name of city or town and State where located, and sign writer's name. Write on one side of paper only, and be especially careful to write plainly all proper names.]

THE Editor calls attention to the ruling laid down by Congress that no reports of Chapters should exceed five hundred words. Less is preferred, so that all can have a hearing.

It will be much more satisfactory to cut down your own report than leave it for the Editor's blue pencil.

* *

SOME reports must wait for the next issue. During the two months of the printing of the proceedings of the Congress many have accumulated.

A WORD to the writers of "What We Are Doing." Give all the points of your work in promulgating the study of history in your own ranks, among the children and the public at large; what you are doing in all patriotic work. But social functions, while necessary and helpful to all Chapters, are not desired in detail in your report.

THE yearly programs of the Topeka, Kansas, Chapter; the Willard Mountains Chapter, Greenwich, Connecticut, and the Mary Weed Marvin Chapter, Walton, New York, are before me. They are all very artistically arranged, and a glance at the subjects for the year's work indicate how deeply patriotism has entered into their thought and work.

THE May number of the Magazine contains the State reports. Some delay was occasioned by reports not being left with the Secretary at the Continental Congress.

As a matter of fact no report is entitled to appear as part of the proceedings of Congress that is not presented at the Congress and ordered printed.

THE Abiah Folger Franklin Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Nantucket, Massachusetts, wish to purchase and improve the site of the house where the mother of Benjamin Franklin was born. The site of this house has been carefully located. To do so it is necessary for them to ask for the interest and pecuniary assistance of the whole country. We have started the fund by each member contributing twenty-five cents, and some, more. While larger and much larger sums are greatly needed, small amounts will also be gladly and gratefully received. It will require a considerable amount to do all that should be done before the matter can be consigned entirely to the Chapter. And we are all sure that all the sons and daughters of this country, whether or not they belong to the societies so called, will feel a pride and affectionate interest in contributing what they can to perpetuate the memory of that true, good woman, who gave so freely of her gentle and intellectual qualities to her son, Benjamin Franklin.

Please send contributions to either the undersigned, or to the Regent, Miss Sara Winthrop Smith, Nantucket, Massachusetts, or to the Treasurer, Miss Lydia M. Folger, Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Sincerely yours,

NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS.

M. FOLGER COLEMAN,
Secretary.

THE California Sons of the American Revolution are always true to their high estate of being "the first body in inception, institution and organization to unite the descendants of Revolutionary patriots and perpetuate the memory of all those who took part in the American Revolution and maintained the independence of the United States of America."

Their banquet for celebrating the anniversary of the surrender of Cornwallis was worthy of the occasion and the patriotic organization.

Colonel J. C. Currier, President of the Society, was most felicitous in his opening remarks. We regret that we have not space for the speeches made. We give an extract from the

responses to the toast, "American Imperialism or our new Colonial Policy," by Mr. Horace G. Platt.

"Nothing in this so-called imperialism, however, is in conflict with either the address of Washington or the message of Monroe. We do not propose to take a hand in the political game in Europe. The dual alliance of Muscovite and Gaul, the triple alliance of Austrian, German and Italian, and England in her all-sufficient individuality, may do with their own affairs as they please, and look on unblushingly while Mussulmen murder Christians, and Turkey dismembers Greece, and the United States will only point to the grave of its sons who died for humanity in Cuba, and to freedom's banner crowning Morro Castle, and will say to mankind: 'Look on this picture and then on that." [Great applause.]

"We still adhere to the Monroe doctrine, and still assert that 'the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers,' and that 'we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.' We still stand ready to prevent any European power from doing what France attempted in Mexico, or England in Venezuela. [Applause.]

"If, however, it still be maintained that the present policy is a departure from the policy of Washington and Monroe, then so let it be. Our hand is to the plow; we must follow the furrow to the end. [Applause.] The wind is off shore, and we must take advantage of the breeze, steering our course by the star of our destiny. No longer shall dead hands extend their fleshless fingers from century-old graves like skeleton guides to point the living present to any inexorable course. [Applause and sensation.]

"If it be imperialism to favor territorial expansion, then imperialism began with Jefferson, who purchased Louisiana and favored the annexation of Cuba. It continued with Monroe, who partly purchased and partly seized Florida. It was characteristic of all who, by conquest and treaty, extended our domain from Salt Lake to the Golden Gate, and from the Rio Grande to Mt. Shasta. It includes among its votaries Andrew

Johnson, who brought beneath our flag the land that is lit by the Aurora Borealis, and makes an imperialist of Ulysses S. Grant, who would have illumined our galaxy of stars with the Southern Cross that brightens the skies o'er San Domingo.

"We are told again that the new imperialism leads to the acquisition of territory away from this continent, to the annexation of islands that we cannot govern as colonies, nor admit into the Union as States, nor endow with universal suffrage, nor populate with our people, but which we must nevertheless defend with our army and navy, and that this will demoralize our Government, compel a large standing army and navy, increase our taxes, and bring us into conflict with other nations; that it sounds the knell of the Republic and inaugurates the reign of the plutocrat and military autocrat.

"If all this be true, it is unfortunate, as the Antilles, the Hawaiian Islands, and part, if not all, of the Philippines are already practically annexed. We cannot give them back, and it would seem to be wisdom to seek how best to bear these new responsibilities that we cannot avoid, rather than to waste our time in endeavoring to escape the inevitable.

"But all this gloomy foreboding is not true prophecy. We can govern these possessions as colonies; we are not compelled ever to admit them as States; and it is not necessary that we populate them with our own people. For ages their population will not be fitted for statehood, if they can ever so become. We can carry to them law, order and education; we can free them from the tyranny of church and caste; we can make freedom attractive to them by exemplifying its benefits, and we can thereby further and promote the cause of civilization. But we need not repeat the mistakes of our own history, and with utopian blindness extend to them the right of suffrage, and we will not demoralize our Government by refusing so to do.

"In the keen competition of the immediate future for the vast trade of the Orient, where the flower of civilization is just budding, we must be in a position to demand and exact our share, or we will lose it. We must match Port Arthur and Kiao-Chou with Manila.

"Behind courage there must be strength. Behind great na