The Russellville Democrat., 1884-05-08

rights, ard that he is at liberty to
 with and vote for candidates
 Of his own political party. In the
 initiatory proceedings he is informed
 hy the President of the lodge inst he
 must De obligated which does not conflict with his duty to his God, himself, his neighbor or country, with this assurance he IS obligated to keep the secrets of the order, and to support the constitution and laws of the order, and abide by the rules of the Grand Coucil of the E. 0. +. But, once in the lodge he is whipped into line andcr an empty political resolution that is adopted by his lodge, which makes that lodge po- litical body so far as the majority is con .erncd If some of the members oppose this resolution they are bran ded as violators of their obligation and traitors. Now sir, what does these words violation of obligation and traitors mean2 It means peuu- ry in the first, and traitor means one wEo has violated his allegiance to his country and is not worthy to live --one of the highest crimes known to our criminal law. Perjury is 9 felony and is punishable by impris. onment in the state prison. Is it possible that men has to be accused of such crimes as traitor, when he belongs to secret order and his opinion of matters should be differ ent from that of his brothers in the order? These assertions are made and the person making them knows that there is no law in the order to punish member for criminal of
 fense, nor is there any law to enforce this wonderful political resolution that we hear so much talk of. Where is the penalty for failure upon the part of any member to comply with iti Now sir, we ask has any one violat- ed obligation by joining the order and holding to his old political par ty? I answer with the obligation be- fore me, no! But the obligation goes further, "you shall abide by the rules of the Grand Council" The grand council, ignored politics. that is, it refused to take notice of, and the county council by it's act did as the Grand Council had ordered, and the members of the county council being true to their obligation ex- cluded politics from their order in this country, and now we find that subordinate lodges are overriding the action of the grand, and county councils, by introducing and adopt ing, political resolutions III their lodges, and turning their lodges into political caucusses, and they tell us 1t is not political to do this. The order has certain fundamental prin- ciples. It has a constitution and bylaws, and it has been up to short time hon. political, and now by intro
 ducing politics into it this vital cord is to be severed and the order will die. Had this organization been in- troduced into this county as re- publican institution no democrat would have jolned It. Had it been introduced as democratic institu
 tion no republican would have joined it. But after it has been organized as non political institution it is to be turned into secret political par ty, without a name, without plat form or any political principles, only to elect men to office that has no politics. I give it as my opinion that the lodges who have adopted this great resolution is out of order and the sooner they place themselves in order the better. LONELY SAM.