Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-01-13
THE PATRIARCHAL WAR AMONG
THE ODD FELLOWS.

THE ODD FELLOWS.
Seven years of bitter warfare by the
sovereign grand lodge of Odd Fellows
upon the Patriarchal circle, mempership
in which is restricted to Odd Fellows,
will culminate to-day 10 either wholesale
secession of Patriarchs from the parent
order or the entire disruption of the latter
order. - The Patriarchal circle was or
gained in Milwaukee as progressive
display rank of Odd Fellowship, though
claiming to be distinct in it's operations.
Since the second year of its establishment
there has been an ancrimonious contest
between its members and the ron Patri-
archal factioDssof Odd Fellows. Though
censured and frowped upon by the SOW
ereign grand lodge, the circle has in
creased in numerical and financial
strength until now it is a powerful secret
society, principally rooted in Wisconsin,
Illinois and Ohio, and almost entirely
confined to nine northwestern states. 1t
has | Ia subordinate temples and MEM
bership exceeding 5000. At the recent
meeting OF the sovereign grand lodge the
ultimatum was decided upo7 of requiring
Patriarchs to either abandon the circle or
Odd Fellowship, the order to go into
operation to-day.
In his circular of instructions the
grand sire threatened, upon the refusal Of
subordinate jurisdiction to obey the order
expelling Patriarchs who decline to give
up allegiance to the circle, to suspend
the charters Of all offending lodges. In
Milwaukee lodges the Patriarchs greatly
outnumber the Odd Fellows, and when
the grand sire's instructions came before
them few nights ago, they were tabled
amid scenes of great excitement. THIS
was supposed to furnish the keynote for
war all along the line, it being proposed
to dispute expulsion in the courts if
necessary. The reason why many Patri-
archs are especially desirOus to avoid
expulsion is because many of them are
heavily insured in the Odd Fellows
insurance company, and have paid large
sums into the treasury of the branch
| The sovereign grand lodge will compel
them 10 give up all claims to the policies
What the outcome Of the trouble will
be is merely matter of conjecture 1t
was supposed until yesterday that the
Patriarchs would not resign from Odd
Fellowship, and at the same time would
resist expulsion, leaving the courts 70
determine their rights. The action of
past Supreme Oracle Peter Van.Vechten,
however, in declaring that be will give
up his card without Itruggle after hav-
ing been an Odd Fellow "a years, is
considered significant. Tt is now believed
that the main body of Patriarchs will
leave the order quietly, and under his
leadership build up an Independent
order.
Milwaukee being the headquarters of
the Patriarchal circle, the action taken
here will possibly dictate the policy of
temples iE Illinois, Ohio. Iowa and other
states. One of the leading Patriarchs in
Milwaukee said yesterday that the Patri
archs were exceedingly bitter in their
feelings toward the sovereign grand lodge
officers. He claimed that the resolution
passed censuring the Patriarchal organi-
zation. at Session at which there were
only sixteen Uniformed Patrarchs was
signed by members o: the grand eDcamp-
ment, not one of whom was Uniformed
Patriarch at that time, and had never
been in sympathy with them and the
ceDsorious portion was interpolated with
indellible pencil after the original report
had been written and signed in ink and
then bulldozed through. The same is
true of the resolution of censure passed
by the sovereign grand lodge. It passed
because large.number of members were
not Uniformed Patrinrchs at that time.
The point at issue seems to be more
question of principle than material COIL
sideration The Patriarchs wear a uni
form and the sovereign grand lodge Off
GERS do not deem it possible that civil
and benevolent organizations can work
iD harmony with military societies. For
this reason the Pairiarcbs were forbidden
from wearing swords. chapeau gauntlets,
etc.. on the ground that 1t was the pre-
rogative of the sovereign grand sire to
suppress any .such innoyations. The
uniforms were worn in, open defiance,
however.
Ehe secession will take some of the
leading Odd Fellows of Milwaukee, La
Crosse, Oshkosh and other Wisconsin
cities out of the Odd Fellow order, and it
is surmised here that similar action will
occur elsewhere. = MilWaukee Sentinel
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