The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-26
DISPUTE OF THE ELKS.
Peace Will Be Established Before the
Savannah Reunion.

The Cause of the Trouble at Johns
town-Mr. W. P. Bailey Says the
Next Grand Lodge Meeting Will Be
One of the Largest the Order Has
Ever Held-They All Want to Come
South.
Mr.. William P. Bailey, who repre-
sented the Savannah lodge, B. p. o.
Elks at the jamestown, n. Y. convention,
returned to the city yesterday morning.
The situation among the Elks, while at
present it is rather discordant, will, he
thinks, before another convention is held,
be peaceful and harmonious.
The trouble, he says, grew out of
an action taken at the last meeting Of the
grand lodge at Detroit. The grand lodge
then delegated the power to the grand
trustees to select the next place of meet
ing, as in the case of former selections
when made by the session of the grand
lodge, aud announced some time before
hand, some of the railroads had failed to
give the proper reduced fares. The grand
trustees telegraphed Grand Exalted
Ruler Apperly to meet them at some
point for the purpose of determining
where the next session should be held
He did not have time after the receipt of
the telegram to meet them at the time
and place named, and instead Of waiting
for him they named Atlantic City as the
place for the holding of this years
session.
Mr.. Apperly held that he was not prop
erly treated, and was very indignant He
then expelled the three grand trustees,
and appointed three others, who named
T. 81 e.
meeting. Some of the lodges sided with
Mr.. Apperly, while others upheld
the action of the grand trus-
tees who were expelled by him.
The consequence was some OF the
lodges sent their delegates TO Atlantic
City and others TO Jamestown. Most of
the eastern lodges sent their representa-
tives to Atlantic City, while nearly all
the western and southern lodges were
represented at the jamestown meeting
The jamestown convention had the large
majority. There were 1873 delegates at
jamestown, and l heard there were only
90 at Atlantic City. One or two of the
eastern lodges divided on the question,
and left their delegates uninstructed
Some of them went to one and some to
the other convention. In fact many of
the delegates went uninstructed, and my
lodge, before left, told me | could go
either to jamestown or Atlantic City.
The split, therefore, was on the right of
che grand trustees to select the place of
meeting without consulting the grand ex-
allied ruler, according to the agreement
which had been made.
81 thought it proper that I should remain
at jamestown, as the recognized head and
center of the lodge were there, and the
secessionists, as we called them, were
largely in the minority. We elected
William H. Friday, of the Brooklyn
lodge, grand exalted ruler. He is a good
man, and | have every reason to believe
that he will bring about an understanding
and re-establish harmony in the ranks of
the Elks. He stated in his speech that
1t would be the object of his administra-
ton to bring about harmony and an ad-
Justment of the difficulties. The Brook
lyn lodge was one of the dissenters, and
NJ was believed his election would result
largely in conciliatihg this, as well as
some of the other eastern lodges.
THE condition Of affairs now is not one
of harmony. If the other crowd organ
lied lodge, which I believe they have
lodges, both of which will claim to have
been legally chosen. The general impress
sion, however, was that this condition of
affairs would not last long, and it is the
opinion OF many that Grand Exalted
Ruler Friday viii bring the two divisions
together within short time"
MIR. Bailey was a member of the COM
mittee on credentials and returns, one of
the most important committees in the
convention. He invited the convention to
come to Savannah next year and the in
vitation was accepted with thanks. The
meeting, or reunion as it is called, will be
held here June 18 next, and the chances
are it will be one of the largest the order
has had in some time. The fact that there
has been a dissension of a most serious
nature in the ranks of the Elks will prob.
ably make the next convention one OF the
most interesting, as well as large one.