The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-02-12
For the Good of the Order.
BY THE WORTHY CHAPLAIN.

Close observation of the practical
workings of our noble order proves
that our laws should be as clear and
cxplici. as possible, and without doubt
various additions or amendments 10
the constitution OF the state grange
and bylaws of the subordinate gran
Gcs will be in order at the next meet
ing OF the state grange. We realize
should not be made unless wisdom and
experience have made them necessity.
The citizens of Kansas are as notorious
for their office seeking proclivities as
France is for military honors, and
when one happens to be elected TO an
Office he seldom resigns, and, though
surrounded by far better qualified per-
sons, there seems to be no provision
made to submit to the ma
! fore we submit the following article as
a suitable one to be carefully consid-
cred before being adopted by the state
grange:
SEC. /. Should amy officer or officers
Of the state grange prove inefficient or
dcrclict in the discharge Of the duties
OF his or their offices, upon the recon-
mend OF ten subordinate oranges To-
Gated in different part of the state, the
same shall be reprimandcd or expelled
from office by a two a two-thirds vote
of the grange.
SEC. 2. All officers o. the subordi-
nate grange who shall prove incompc-
tent or derclict in the discharge of
their duties shall resign or be expelled
from office whenever three-fourths of
all the members express such wish
by ballot taken at Il regular meeting,
such officer or officers having received
proper notice at previous regular
meeting.
| have known of officers in the grange
to hold their offices while not able to
even read intel!igently, which fact was
unknown to the electors. Others
seemed to try and get along as easily
and do as little as possible, while the
grange needed the aid of live working
men which were atterward initiated
into the grange, or found 10 manifest
excellent qualifications for some office
now filled by Il fossil and the grange
knew not what to do to better their
condition.
Let us open the way to secure the
best officers, and hold them all subject
to the will OF the people, and at the
same time try and avoid contention
and strife. Masters of subordinate
oranges are amcnable to the state
grange only to which they belong"
and the state grange will always re-
spcct the proper petition Of three
fourths of the subordinate grange for
Il removal.
Article NXVil Of the state grange
should read: This constitution NAV
be amended at any regular meeting of
the grange by vote of two-thirds of
the members present, provided the
secretaries OF the subordinate oranges
and through them the masters of the
subordinate oranges shall have been
notified thirty days before the meeting
of The state grange of the proposed al
tcraiiou or amendment.
Every change Of a fundamental law
should be carefully considered. and
and thorough analytical discussion
has shown that il is defective as i'm
practicable.
There are many principles most care
fully guarded in our most excellent
constitution which were submitted to
the inspection of the master of the ma
tional grange for approval before adop-
ton by the committee who reported
the same at the last state grange, such
as article three, article twenty-five on
Withdrawals, and section Sd of article
twcnty-six on application for member
ship, yet many inexperienced members
would have voted quite differently.
Many of our subordinate oranges
have found il necessary to adopt SEINE
penalties in their bylaws to secure the
proper attendance OF officers at regular
meetings after frequently finding them
selves without the necessary books and
documents TO properly conduct the
work of the grange room. Other Sc
cret societies have provided safe
guard to avoid such neglect by adopt
ing proper bylaws, aud in this sense
our present bylaws are defective.