Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-05-13


 legislature, articles of incorporation of the grand court were drawn up and duly presented to them for action. Ow- ing, however, to the present well-known status of our legislature, no formal ac- tion has been taken by it.
 The funeral fund of the grand court is in a very pleasing condition notwith- standing that the calls upon it have been very heavy. Eighteen courts are December 15, 1890, it paid $1,35O for death benefits, $S5O of this being paid to three courts. The laws of the fund | were amended somewhat, but they are in need of still further revision, espe- cially in regard to notifying a court when it is suspended. In November | 1890 Court Ever Welcome of Bristol pre- ] scented a claim of $100 on the funeral | fund, which the executive committee refused to pay for the following reasons: l In August 1890 an assessment was or dered by the executive committee, and | notice of this was sent to the courts August IA, 1890. According to the laws court failing to pay its assessment within thirty days after the levy stands suspended. Consequently on September 15 this court became suspended and did 1 fits again until November %. On Octo- Der 19, occurred the death. The court claimed that the notice was not received by them until at the time when it was paid. The examination of the courts books failed to reveal any entry of the notice being received until on the date claimed by the court. Your ex- ecutive committee, while believing that they had no right to pay the benefit, yet are of the opinion that the claim was a just one, and have therefore re- | fo II, to i, t,a recommendation that the benefit be paid.
 Court Hermann of New Haven sent a communication to the executive com mittee stating that most of their mem- bers could not read English and re- questing to have the subordinate court constitution printed in German. The | executive committee have referred the matter to the grand court. There are three German courts in the state, To- cated at New Haven, with member ship of 2S6,
 Your executive committee, during the past term have been considerably in- terested in the juvenile branch of our order. In November a committee was appointed to study up the working of the junior courts and report upon the advisability of establishing the branch in this state This committee soon be- came convinced that junior would prove valuable aid to the order. Con- sequently with the authority of the ex- ecutive committee they set themselves to work to start junior court. On
 March 2S junior court was instituted
 in New Haven with g members. This,
 we may say, completes the cycle of For estry in the state. Every degree and
 branch is now represented. We have
 three sanctuaries of the shepherds, four
 encampments of the knights, nine cir.
 cles of the companions and two courts
 of the juniors.
 The question of bonds which the sub ordinate courts require from certain o1
 their officers is one in which to my mind the courts exercise too little care. Oi
 course all courts require bonds, but it is
 the kind of a bond which the court k
 willing to accept that I desire to speak of. I have known of a number of de
 faulting secretaries and treasurers, bu
 in not one single case, to my knowledge = | was the court able to obtain any redress from the bondsmen. The causes of thi
 have been CD worthless bondsmen; e 5 legal inaccuracies in drafting the bond
 (3) allowing bond to lapse in Case of re election; (q fraternal considerations
 when the bondsman was a member O the same court. When the constitution
 for sub-courts was under consideration
 by the executive committee, this ques
 tion was thoroughly discussed, but W, s were unable to devise any plan whereb,
 all these evils could be eradicated; how . ever law was introduced requrin,
 that bondsmen should not be member X of the same courts as the principals.
 do not know as any law could be de vised which would cover all possibl
 cases. Fidelity, companions, in my opin . ion offer the best and safest bond tha
 can be procured.
 . Notwithstanding the fact that during
 the past year or two our order has ha f an unprecedented growth, it is still de e sirable that we should put forth an effor f in every direction to further increas
 our membership. One method of doin }. this by interesting the general publi a in our work, has not in my opinion re f ceived the attention from us it deserves nn nn I refer to the matter of public installa Y, tion. Of course our regular installatio work could not be done. It would b Y necessary to have a special installatio -f ceremony prepared and adopted for put 4 lie use. A resolution should be intro , duced at the high court meeting direc n ing that committee be appointed t ,s prepare such a ritual.
 is Among the many important matter e to come before the convention, there d one in which wish to urge you to tax " careful and deliberate action. I hay n referance to the brethern who will r, l. present you at the high court conve1 le tion next August. Our membershi s. will entitle us to six representative I Those six brothers should be men wll Is by their ability and knowledge of tE g order are able to legislate for it's best il 1. terests. We want only those who hay es due regard for the duty they owe til e body which has selected them and d thorough appreciation of the respons i- bilities of their position in regard to tt es order at large.
 Before closing wish to express m Id appreciation of the earnest and col es scientious work performed by my e at laborers and co-members of the execl h. tive committee. In all our deliberi IS tions, the ''good of the order' has bee