The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-20
CHANCELLOR BLACKwELL's TOUR.
High Praise for washington-Loyaity to
America the Live Issue.

High Praise for washington-Loyaity to
America the Live Issue.
Supreme Commander w. w. Blackwell
of the Knights of Pythias, who was so
royalty entertained in Seattle and on the
Sound generally few weeks ago, reached
his home at Henderson. Ky, the day be-
fore Independence day and spoke in glow
ing terms of his trip of 10 900 miles
through the West and the Pacific coast
states, where he attended the annual
meetings of the Grand lodges OF fourteen
jurisdictions. In two column interview
given the Henderson Daily Journal Mr..
Blackwell indicated that the principle of
loyalty TO the government and language
of the country, on which the Germans
have joined issue with him in the order,
will be the burning question ut the forth
coming session of the Supreme Lodge at
Washington City. He also paid glowing
tribute 10 the people of Washington, say
ing when asked what he thought of them:
"Grandest in the world, sir; the most
loyal, most hospltable, most entertaining
people TO be found anywhere. There Is
nothing too good for the visitor: their
great hearts just open up and load one
down with attention and welcome; they
laugh when you are with them and regret
deeply your departure; they are the very
cream OF Pythians, and every lodge Is
made up of the best representatives of Gull
tured society to be found in the state.
The supreme commander gives an inter-
esting account of his trip and the impress
sions made on his mind by the intellectual
strength that be found in the order every
where he went, keeping pace with the
rapid numerical growth of Pythianism in
al In fol Of he 70
use tho English language exclusively in
the proceedings of the order and to require
pledge of loyalty to the government,
which has aroused the opposition of Ger
man-Americans. he said:
'in this connection We have been hav-
ing trouble with a certain element in our
order which is fighting for a new German
ritual TO be used in the lodges in this
couatry. Is it possible that 10000 Ger
mans can dictate TO 900 600 what shall and
what shall not be doneP Must it be that
in America, in an institution strictly
American, we must have forced into our
order ideas that are foreignisias, that are
unpatriotIe and apart from the feeling Of
our loyal people, that anarchism social
ism, communism and damphoolism shall
find Judgment IN our ranks all because of
the stubbornness of lot of German
Americans We hold that when man
takes the oath of allegiance. that when he
has learned our language sufficiently TO
speak 1t and has learned our laws so that
he can understandingly obey them. such
persons are not German. Italian or
Russian Americans but Americans. plain
cItizens of this great country. with one
purpose, one equality and one desire"
The supreme commander showed the re-
porter of the Daily journal the many gifts
he had received on has recent journey as
souvenirs and testimonials. A beautiful
solid silver tea service presented to him at
San Jose, Cal, was conspicuous among
them; another was a solid gold-headed
cane made of wood taken from the wreck
of the old Beaver; another was an en-
crossed address, handsomely cased in fall
Russian leather. presented By the lodges
of British Columbia
The Supreme Lodge of the United States
and Canada will meet in Washington City
in August Commander Blackwell will
| not be a candidate for reelection. lie
thinks the high office will be given TO
Hon. Walter b. Richie, OF Lima, o.