Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-09-15
kilograms to The Star.
THE WAR IN SOUTH AMERICA
A TRUCE PROPOSED.
MOVING ON CABUL.
/. 0. O. F. GRAND LODGE.
THE YELLOW FEVER.

Meeting Of the Grand Lodge,

L. q. O.. r. -
Meeting of the Grand Lodge.
BALTIMORE. September 15-The annual se,.
sion OF the Right Worthy Grand Lodge OF the
United States OF the Independent Order OF @ id
Feiiows began at O'Clock this morning In Odd
continue through the week. All the states and
most OF the territories were represented by
delegations. The total number or delegates is
portion to the number OF Odd Fellows they
contain respectively. The officers OF the Grand
Lodge who were elected last year to serve two
years are as follows: John B. Harman, n. W.
Grand Sire, San Francisco, Cal; Luther j.
Glenn, X. w. Deputy Grand Sire, Atlanta, Ga !:
James L. Ridgeley, r. w. Grand e. and X Sec
retary, Baltimore, Md; Joshua vansant. r. W.
Ross, r: w. Assistant Grand Secretary, Balti-
more, Md; Rev. j. w. Venable, r. w. Grand
chaplain, versailles, KY; B. H. Woodell, r. w.
Grand cal Guardian; , Chas. H. Catch, r. w. Grand
from the District Of Columbia consists OF John
F. Havenner, w. r. Mclean, and John T. Given
TIE proceedings were opened with prayer by
Deputy Grand Sire declared the Grand Lodge
open for the transaction of business The
Grand Sire presented his annual report, which
was referred to special committee for distri-
button. The Grand Secretary and Grand Treas
urers reports were presented and referred to
a special committee. The report OF the Grand
Sire gives the condition OF the order al the
present time as follows with q comparison OF
increase. 2: number of subordinate lodges, 6,9.5
increase, 81; OF grand encampmeDts 49, same as
last year; subordinate encampments, 1,S63, In
crease 2S OF lodge limitations, 33 $50, decrease,
1921; OF lodge members, 44,229, decrease, 5;72S:
OF encampment members, 50, ,40S, decrease q 3.9:
total relief 81 405.6s, increase, $35, ,13s 81:
The report then gives the decisions of the Grand
Sire on various matters and questions com
ing before him on the subject OF representation
10 the Grand Lodge he says: "We ought to re-
duce representation to one for each grand body.
This would give us Grand Lodge OF 81 mem
bers, not counting Chill and Switzerland. and
for long time the membership would be under
100; The truth is, this lodge should be composed
r1t0ry, or country under our Jurisdiction, and
not one from each grand body. This would
make grand body OF As members at present.
to fifty years-a body larger than the senates of
most Of the states OF the Union. Even without
consolidation or segregation OF Grand Lodges
and Grand Encampments this result could be
houses OF our state legislatures elect U. S. Sem
atoIs In joint convention. In regard to raising
revenue for the support OF the Grand Lodge,
tax is the true plan, and perfectly just. Possibly
with this reduction and by strict economy in all
respects. especially In printing. by emitting
dIsa dhas unjust ~ annual Donation Of the journal and
siOns, our expenses may be brought within our
income. At our present expense It will require
a representation tax OF over $500 to meet It, In
short. cur financial system is failure. But
for the extraordinary revenue derived from
the revision OF the work In 1s45 and In
1928, we would have been bankrupt ere uoW.'
The report continues: ''The time has come for
Sufficient facts have been ascertained to justify
1t. Subordinate grand bodies DO not take hold
OF the matter In earnest. Let us establish at
least minimum and require the sick and gen.
eial fund to be kept separate from the manage
men; fund, and prohibit the latter from being
paid out Of the former. Reflection has
convinced me that our whole policy Of allowing
power o. bate and making motions is wrong.
This 81 d be purely representative body,
and tb ,nly should be allowed to speak In it
who sent here as representatives. The
nate iJdge, where dwells the mass OF Odd Fell
lows, the stronger 1t will be. II past grand
sire. in the judgment OF his state grand lodge,
ative, let the lodge elect him: otherwise, let
him stay at home, unless he prefers to visit us
as brother, when he will always be welcome
for any one except grand representatives"
The report takes strong ground against
adopting system of 'lHe insurance" or
endowment as it is termed, and says:-"This
body must determine whether 1t shall become
principle OF the order. The endowment plan
now before this lodge involves a vast financial
scheme, embracing the entire Jurisdiction of
Odd Fellowship in America; imposes upon the
grand sire, grand secretary and grand treasurer
most onerous duties, and exposes the order to
the dangers and disgrace OF insolvency and
crime. 1t creates within itself q power greater
than itself. In short, it converts odd Fellow
ship into colossal insurance company, and
that would be death to our Institution" The
report favors repeal OF the provision of the
constitution restricting membership to free
white males. Efforts have been made to remove
this qualification as to color so far as concerns
civilized Indians and foreign countries. The
operation OF this disqualification in the Sand.
wlch Islands, Australia and New Zealand has
been bad, and that continually. To force upon
those countries our notions upon that subject
would lie unjust.
The report OF the grand treasurer for the
fiscal year ending August 81, 1879, shows the
total receipts OF the grand lodge, including q
cash balance OF SIC, ,66l on hand at the close OF
the previous fiscal year, to have been $40 466 49,
and the total disbursements $37 971 49, leaving
cash balance OF $11 ,445.17. Deduct1ng the cash
balance on hand and the amount received from
the sale OF U. S. bonds, the revenue proper for
the fiscal year was $50, ,664. Is, and deducting
from the disbursements the amount invested fn
the purchase OF U. s. bonds, the expenses
proper were $29, $3.50, leaving balance of the
revenue proper OF 81, 1,2S1.6l at the close OF the
year.
THE AEGHANlSTAN OUTBREAK.
Com DliCAtiOnS AriSinU frAnn a. and