The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-06-05
Intimations That the Color
Question Is Not the
Only Issue in the
Controversy.
WILL THE HIGH COURT GIVE In /?
Views Of Local Members of the
Order on the Subject Of the
Relations of American Foresters
to the High Court.

The approaching Subsidiary High Court
of the United States of the Order of For
esters is anticipated with much interest
by members of the order throughout the
land. 1t is likely that it will cut itself
aloof from its English head and establish
itself as Court of sovereign power and
jurisdiction.
The cause of this severance of its rela-
tions with the High Court of the World
has already been stated in the columns of
THE JERSEY CITY NEWS. 1t was due, SO
the general story ran, to the insistance of
the High Court that colored man, who
had been admittedt by Massachusetts
court and turned oht by the Subsidiary
High Court, should be reinstated by
the Sovereign Court in England. There
was an immediate revolt on the part of
the Foresters of this country. The uni
versatility of the protest may be judged
from the fact that Of all the courts in this
county Court Bergen alone stood true to
the old allegiance.
1t is scarcely possible that this unanim-
ity of sentiment was the outgrowth en-
tirely of discussion of the color line.
Such an issue would not have brought all
the courts in the country into unison,
and it is shrewdly suspected that there
are other causes of discomfort.
In the hope of learning what the senti-
ments of the courts on the subject are,
reporter of The JERSEY CITY NEWS yes
terday interviewed several of the chief
rangers and others conspicuous in the
order.
A HIGH COURT DEFENDER.
1t seemed to be proper first to see Chief
Ranger Bonell of Court Bergen, who is
staunch defender of the High Court of
the World. He believes in the universal
ity of the order. For if Forestry is good
at all, said he, cit ought to reach all civil
lized races of men. The standard of For
estry depends on the character rather
than the color of its members, and the
sooner the courts recognize that the
better. There are certain qualifications
which should be possessed by all For
esters, and these are clearly laid down in
our obligations but these have been Woe
fully disregarded, and Forestry is looked
upon by many of its members as Il sick
benefit society rather than as brother
hood for the elevation of all.
Secession has been in the minds and
upon the tongues of many of its leaders
for very long time, and the seed has
been industriously sown. We shall see
what the crop will be-
II will stand by the order which has
stood the test for more than century,
rather than join any new tangled order
of today.
'But tell you it is not color at all that
has caused the agitation. 1t is personal
agrandizement 1t is desire to get on
the top of the heap and crow, without any
authority like the High Court to call one
down.
ONLY A LooPHoLE.
"The color line is only a loophole
through which many courts desire to
creep from the authority of the High
N<Ar,r,t 81 4 -
understands her position. She put her
self right with the High Court of the
World and withdrew from the Subsidiary
High Court of America, and notified it of
the same. The vote was almost unani-
nous, and was ultimately made unani-
NOUS She will stand, even if she stands
alone, and is willing to discuss the ques-
ton of secession with any court or any
equal number of Foresters, and would be
especially glad to meet upon the forum
those who have been so industriously
sowing the seeds of discord and dissen-
sion.
1--WE have membership of 100, with an
average attendance of fully two-thirds
that number. | do not believe we will
lose single member over this question.
1t is not a matter of politics nor religion.
''As to what / think with reference to
the nationality, politics or religion of
those who are agitating the question, as
Forester would prefer to say nothing. |
have dropped my own nationality and am
an American / tell you the color line is
not the bone of contention. Every court
has the right to use its own discretion
with regard to the admission of candi-
dates"
THE AMERICAN IDEA.
Past Chief Ranger of Court Jersey City
J. F. O'Mealia is candidate for delegate
to the Minneapolis Convention, which
meets next August. In an interview yes
terday he said
1.-The question of proving loyal to the
Subsidiary High Court OF the United
States-for | will not call it secession
from the High Court of the Worlds not
so much one of drawing a color line as
that of general jurisdiction. At the
Leeds (EnglanO Convention, held
six years ago, 500 Of the 513 dele
gates present voted to grant the
American Subsidiary High Court the
privilege of making its own general laws
In deciding who were eligible to member
ship we supplied the words white male
in our law. Some time ago Massa-
chussetts court admitted colored man
The Subsidiary High Court would not
allow this aud suspended the court,
which Immediately wrote to the Ex-
ecutfve Council of the High Court of the
World and was granted a special dispen-
sation All other American courts were
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