, 1877-01-07
FORESTERS.
!. O. F. VERSUS 4. O. r.

TO the Editor cf The Tribune.
CHICAGO, Jan: 4.-In last Sundays TRIBUNE
an article appeared relative to the Ancient Or
der Of Foresters in which was an intended slur
upon the Independent Order Of Foresters To
attempt to answer the same may seem useless,
since the article was barren OF ideas or informa-
tion, but it will not hurt its author to remind
him that his attempt at lettcr-writfng was a
failure, and to show the A. o. F.'s that they
should respect the ''so-stylcd I. Q. F."
Your correspondent commenced by saving
that he had "thrown together few promineit
features OF the object, purpose, and benefccnt
character OF the Ordcr.'' Where these promi-
nent features were thrown to the article does
not state.
1t may have seemed to him necessary to in
form the public that the I. 0. F.'s have no con-
nection with the A. o. F. The world ut large
already knew it and applauded- The 4. O, F.
can refer with pride to its ancient origin. but
the l. 0. F. look with pleasure upon what is
now, after a few years Of existence, q 1ourishing
and rapidly-ggrowlng organizatIon; tn9
Mention was made Of 5000 being received
for Forcsters who suffered by the fire. Truly
a muniiiccnt giIt'' from the Old Country;
but will some one tell us who received the
mouey? Was it distributed according to rank
OF members iu tho Order or by the necessities OF
individual members!
4 glance at the reports OF the High Court
meetings Of the Orders just closed may snow
lew facts and figures which, as features"
The i. 3. rs were planted in Brooklyn, n.
T.. in 1864. Reports OF three years ago snow
they had 100 Courts. To-day they have seventy
tour, and no allusion is made to the total mem-
bcrslIip. ,-.
nare 1G. OF the October, 1876, report, says, in
making his first financial report, that be - can
not mass lightly over the exceeding loose man
ncr IN which the books OF the Sut-dish Couft
have been kept'' that it is almost imposslolem 10 10
make decent or satisfactory report from the
same, and that the Treasury Is short Of lungs 1
$3.50: and this after taxation per capita the
past wear Of 81 ,616.39
The T. 0. F.s were organized at Newark, -, v.,
in 1874 By their report it will be seen that they
have during the past year increased tii1Tty-sl1
courts, four camps, andon Miriam Degree CouI.'
The total number Of courts and camps IS elsues-
one. There was paid for distress AMI enuo"mtnts
during the year m 10 "a AZ 2nd ~ a,'ts luz
r Thas membership is 3l21. The value Vi Hlgn
cm1rt property is $5l3.s3, and it has s@S5.o9 s:s9
cnsh in It's treasury,-all Of which was acquires
without any assessment or ta1alaon LUZ 1i1e P'''
Whole Courts Of Ancients are surrenderang
to the independents. Court Hope, no: l. os.,t'l 9,
London, Can, became Independent on tne ~ T.,
Of April last, the very day u that ,s "onan con,rr
1Sly w9Gn ,aJ ToI ;ni,encndent Of the Manchester
ost sts s. sssss Of anslsnts IN eanaoI
The General laws of the A. y. +. are afult!aiy
and loaded down with dead letters enacted t sn
tie year 17 1t is not the tap1 heln 81 'ne M They
have no representation IN Eng1aI, ~ ~ ~ more
Selects ssa sss bss b sss :: Fas = i al
when be represented sixty-t~o eouFts ou' -
ssifstftb!S T5s / g. laws are liberal and easy to be
s9s ID ss Ss s@
that in them y5u will lind more ,, ~, ~ R' ;1e
and entertain tina" 'ssy MSsas asy xsasos 5ss5s
5;sf sstseS s5 sss1s % sS Esf[es s ss
foFsstsrs afs Rytsa W. 2 t. coadaet ssadae
Y: s!:eE !: y: Fisg' R. W. d. : M "A' :.
Hall corner Of Adams damn a7G Wednesaays Of The