Resolution circulated by the DAR

This resolution, circulated by the Daughters of the American Revolution in December 1902, expresses support of an Appalachian National Park and a bill before Congress authorizing the purchase of four million acres for that purpose. A movement for a national park in the Appalachians was spearheaded by Appalachian National Park Association, formed in 1899. The association raised public awareness of the issue, but disbanded before the formation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.f^US£- 7/ Bonn^lkate Cbapter MISS MARY B. TEMPLE, Regent. MRS. E. T. SANFORD, V. Regent. MRS. BENJAMIN CATES, Secretary. MRS. R. Z. ROBERTS, Registrar. MRS. JOHN FRAZEE, Treasurer. MISS. C. G. ANDERSON, Historian. Knoxville, Tenn., Dec. 12, 1902. To the D. A. R. Chapters— The policy of the Daughters of the American Revolution is to promote all patriotic measures intended for the general welfare of the country. A measure of this character is now before Congress in the Appalachian National Park Bill which passed the Senate at its last session and was pending in the House before adjournment. This Bill contemplates the purchase by the general government of four million acres in the Southern Appalachian Mountains to be a National Park, and incidentally to regulate the cutting of timber, thus preventing the total destruction of the largest hardwood forest in America, and the preventing of ruinous floods and droughts. The Bill has had the cordial endorsement of the leading newspapers of both parties, as well as of the magazines all over the country. Both President McKinley and President Roosevelt commended the measure to Congress and at the last session the Bill passed the Senate. It is unnecessary in view of these facts to present any arguments here in favor of the Bill. Impressed with the importance of the measure, Bonny Kate Chapter of Knoxville, Tennessee, at its last meeting passed resolutions endorsing it and at the recent Tennessee State Conference the action of this Chapter was unanimously approved. In view of all the facts, we urge the active co-operation of all Chapters by passing resolutions, by sending the same to their Congressmen, and by appeals of individual members to their representatives in Congress. The friends of the Bill hope that the measure will become a law before our meeting at Washington in February, but in case the Bill is still pending, action by the D. A. R. Congress would be of value. May we therefore ask that your delegates be instructed to support such measures as may promote the interests of the Bill. We trust that in this matter your Chapter will take speedy action, sending at once appeals to your representatives in Congress, as it is expected the Bill will come up in the House at an early day. ^ n. g* MRS. J. W. CALDWELL, MISS ELLA HUNT, MRS. H. O. MILTON, MRS. J. H. FRAZEE, MRS. HINTON, MISS MARY B. TEMPLE, Committee