Second Annual Meeting of the Spanish-American War Nurses [excerpt]

     The meeting was opened on the afternoon of Monday, September 16th, in one of the beautiful halls of the Woman’s Educational and Industrial Union. The first business on the program was the address of the President, Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee, who was in the chair throughout the meeting. Her remarks were as follows:

     To the Spanish-American War Nurses in Buffalo assembled a most cordial greeting is extended. For the second time in our history we now have the pleasure of taking the hands and looking into the faces of our comrades in camp and field, in the army hospitals of home and of distant islands. Some have worked side by side on the battle field of disease and death, while others meet now for the first time to exchange tales of their adventurous work.
     To our inexpressible grief we assemble today in the shadow of an overwhelming calamity. He who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Army when we had the honor of serving in it has passed away—as truly a martyr for his country as was any soldier who fell upon the field of battle. The loss to the world is too great to be put into words, but may we not at least send some expression of our deep sympathy to the lonely wife, so suddenly bereft of all that was dearest and most precious to her.

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     Immediately on the close of this address, Dr. Hughes moved that the following telegram be sent to both Mrs. McKinley and President Roosevelt, which motion was unanimously carried.
     “The Spanish-American war nurses, in convention assembled, at the Woman’s Educational and Industrial Union, Buffalo, New York, herewith sympathize with you in your and our country’s great loss in the death of our beloved President.”