Part 2 (1/2)

Through the thoughtfulness of our new societies--St. Louis and Chicago--we had been able to meet our share of the expenses, and to keep good the little personal provision we started with, and were thus ready to commence another field when it should come.

On arriving home I found that I was notified by the International Committee of Geneva, that the Fourth International Conference would be held in that city in September, and I was requested to inform the United States Government, and ask it to send delegates. With the aid of a borrowed arm, I made my way up the steps of the Department of State (that was before the luxury of elevators) and made my errand known to Secretary Frelinghuysen, who had heard of it and was ready with his reply:

”Yes, Miss Barton, we will make the needful appointment of delegates to the International Conference, and I appoint you as our delegate.”

”No, Mr. Frelinghuysen,” I said, ”I can not go. I have just returned from field work. I am tired and ill. Furthermore, I have not had time to make a report of our work.”

”There is no one else who sufficiently understands the Red Cross, and the provisions of the treaty, that our Government can send, and we can not afford to make a mistake in the matter of delegates to this first conference in which our Government shall partic.i.p.ate,” answered the Secretary. ”As to the report, have you not acknowledged the contributions to all those who have sent?”

”Oh, yes; every dollar and every box of goods where the donor was known,” I replied.

”Has any one complained?” he asked.

”No; not a single person so far as is known. We have had only thanks.”

”Then to whom would you report?”

”To you, Mr. Secretary, or to such person or in such manner as you shall designate.”

”I don't want any report; no report is necessary,” answered the Secretary. ”Our Government relief-boats have reported you officially, and all the country knows what you have done and is more than satisfied.

Regarding your illness--you have had too much fresh water, Miss Barton, I recommend salt--and shall appoint you.”

This was done, and the appropriation for expenses was made, and at my request Judge Joseph Sheldon, and by invitation Mr. A. S. Solomon, our vice-president, were also appointed to accompany me. The appropriation sufficed for all.

The conference was held at Geneva, September 17, 1884, and thus was had the first official representation of the United States Government at an International Conference of the Treaty of Geneva. There have since been five. I have attended all but one.

II

THE TEXAS FAMINE AND THE MT. VERNON CYCLONE

Before the close of the following year, 1885, came what was known as the ”Texas Famine.” Thousands of miles of wild land, forming the Pan Handle, had been suddenly opened by the building of a Southern Railroad. In the speculative anxiety of the Road to people its newly acquired territory, unwarranted inducements of climatic advantages had been unscrupulously held out to the poor farmers of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.

Lured by the pictures presented them, some thousands of families had been induced to leave their old, worn-out farms, and with the little they could carry or drive, reach the new Eldorado, to find a new farm that needed only the planting to make them rich, prosperous, and happy, without labor. They planted. The first year brought some returns--the second was a drought with no returns--the third the same. Hunger for themselves and starvation for their stock stared them in the face. They could not pick up and go back--the rivers were dry from the Rio Grande to the Brazos--the earth was iron, and the heavens bra.s.s; cattle wandered at will for water and feed, and their bones whitened the plains.

These were poor little peoples. They tried to make the great State know of their distress, but the rich railroad proprietors held the _press_, and no one knew their condition or could get correct information. At length a faithful clergyman came to Was.h.i.+ngton, to President Cleveland, and the Red Cross.

We consulted with the President, who gave encouragement for us to go to Texas and learn the facts.

In mid-winter, 1886, accompanied by Dr. Hubbell, the journey was undertaken. We proceeded to Albany, Texas, made headquarters--traveled over the stricken counties, found wretchedness, hunger, thirst, cold, heart-breaking discouragement. The third year of drought was upon them, and the good people of that great State, misled by its press, its press in turn misled by the speculators, innocently discredited every report of distress, and amused themselves by little sly innuendoes and witty jokes on the ”Texas Famine.”

The condition was pitiful. To them it was hopeless. And yet not a dollar or a pound was needed outside of Texas. They only required to know the truth. This then was our task. We ceased to journey over arid fields of suffering, and turned our steps resolutely to the editorial rooms of the Dallas and Galveston News, at Dallas. Both editors were present; both sat half-breathless while the flood of information rolled over them in no uncertain terms.

I shall never forget the tears in the mild blue eyes of General Belo, as he learned what he had done, and was still doing. Twelve hours brought another issue of the two papers. A column of editorial told the true situation. A modest contribution of the Red Cross headed a subscription list, General Belo following with his, and almost immediately the legislature made an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars for food and supplies.

The tender-hearted and conscience-smitten people sent their donations.