Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-18

cautions following thereform, the
lamentable fact still exists that men
have been and are admitted who
drink intoxicating liquors from four
to eight times daily and in many in
stances where their inteinperate hab-
its have procured their discharge by
employers. Of the number of deaths
by suicide, nearly all are trsceable 70
this cause. Mention is made Of an
instance where P. NJ. w. was 20
much under the influence Of liquor
while in the Lodge room as to be
incapable of performing tho duties
of his Office, and of another case
where brother boasted that he had
taken twenty Scotch whiskeys that
day and then felt that he was in pro-
per condition for business.
Men should not be permitted 70
enter our door and then lead life
of drunkenness, bringing misery on
those they are bound to love and
protect, and at last ending their
career in the drunkard's grave to the
depletion Of our treasury and humil-
ity of our fraternity. With this
impeachment upon their record, and
the glaring acts before them that
more than twenty-five per cent. Of
deaths in that Order are directly or
indirectly caused by alcoholic drinks,
they dare not take any decisive stand
againts its use.
There was o very mild effort made
to amend the constitution 30 az 70
expel drunkards. It was referred
to the Committee on Amendments,
and came back with the following
report, which was adopted BY Tho
Grand Lodge; We fully believe
that the habitual use Of intoxicating
drinks is the cause of much suffering
and crime, as we'll as many deaths.
in our Order. Your Committee are
of the opinion that il the spirit and let-
ter of the law were carefully exscu-
ted by the members in recommending
and by the medical examined in ex-
amining, the Order, as we'll as hu.
manity, would be benefited thereby.
We would therefore recommend that
the most careful scrutiny be exercis-
ed by the members Of the Order in
regard to applicants. and that . fer
as possible all habitual drinkeFe -:
denied admission 70 the Ord z "
truly wondalEHr ana intorsSfin& -
port, one which has besn % often
repeated in the preceding Grand and
Supreme Lodges that nearly every
member has had it memorixed for
three years. Thatia a. heavy q blow
as the Workmen dare give ia intsm-
perance. I have already made this
letter too long, but I still wish to
compare death rates in the Workmen
for the last two years with that of
the Champions, and let temperance
people see the cost Of insurance in
each.
The death rates in the Workmen
for two years have been about 7.31
in 1000 each year; in the Champ
ions, 2.86 in 1000, making 4.46
more deaths in 1000 in the Work
men than in the Champions.
Aside from Lodge dues, il has
cost each Workman $50 for two
years to be insured for $4,000 which
is a remarkable cheap rate compared
to Insurance Companies. In tho
Champions it has cost each membeA
(aside from Lodge dues) at the rate
Of $12 for two years insurance Of
$4,000.
It is worth two and q half times
more money to have insurance in
the Workmen with the privilege Of
dying Of" Acute or Chronic Aloohol-
ism" or Delirium Tremens" or
" Suicide" than it is to have insur-
ance in a Temperance Order and no
Scotch whiskies."
OsoAR Il. GoADoN.