At the annual meeting of the Rhode Island Branch the following officers
were elected: President, John C. Pegram; Vice-President, Bishop William
N. McVickar; Secretary, Prof. George Grafton Wilson; Treasurer,
Edward Aborn Greene; Executive Committee, President John C. Pegram
and Governor-elect Aram J. Pothier as ex-officio members, and Dr. J.
M. Peters, Dr. G. Alder Blumer and William P. Sheffield; Delegates to
National Red Cross, Senator George Peabody Wetmore and President John C.
Pegram; Alternates, Congressmen Adin B. Capron and D. L. D. Granger.
In a portion of his address the President, Mr. Pegram, said:
“The obduracy of this generous American people to the appeals of this
national and international charity for substantial, for adequate
support, is incomprehensible. The merits of the plan under the immediate
supervision of the War Department are so plain, the means of acquiring
membership and thus helping the cause are so easy (any man, woman or
child in America may become an annual member by the payment of one dollar
yearly) that it seems incredible that a people who in one small city in
one day—‘Tag Day’—should contribute between $16,000 and $17,000 to a
local charity, should not long ago have enrolled themselves universally
throughout the country as members of this noble institution. I cannot but
believe that the day must soon come when it will seem as natural to pay
the small annual due of the Red Cross as to pay a poll or a registry tax
to qualify a voter—God speed that day.”