Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-23
THE PYTHIAN EVENT
Preparations for the Great Conven-
tior Here in August.
l QUESTION OF RAILROAD RATES
A Large Attendance Expected From
All Over the Country.
A COMMITTEE IN SESSION

Preparations for the biennial convention
Of the Supreme Lodge. Knights Of Pythias,
ard the biennial encampment o. the Uni
form Rank, Knights of Pythias, go on
apace. There is enthusiasm in the air and
fiuency in the making Of glorious prophe-
sizes. The executive committee has it's coat
off and is reading the same sign of VIC
tory in the clouds which cheered on Con-
stantine. Headquarters is not a place of
rest. Everybody is bending to his oar, talk
ing business from the shoulder and shout
ing with both lungs of the great things
that are to come. Effort. work and hustle
are written in perspiration on the brow of
the committeeman, and their sinews are
stiffened for the task.
'Alrs well." is the password of the local
Pythians. and the vgor with which they
say 1t shows how earnest they are. The
committee was selected with view to the
working qualities of its members, and the
friends of the cause are not disappointed In
the choice. No authentic statement can at
this time be given as to how many men of
the Uniform Rank will encamp in Wash
ington. The communications received at
headquarters would seem to indicate that
the attendance will be q cause of pride to
the order and compliment to Washing
ton, but 1t would be premature and unsafe
to estimate in figures the throngs which
are to be here. The reason of this Is that
the question of railroad rates Is still un-
settled. and until this is disposed of no
positive information is likely to be given
cut as to how many men will come. Gen.
Carnahan knows more about this end of
the proposition than any other man in the
order. and just now he Is not taking re-
porters into his confidence. He is now in
Omaha stirring up enthusiasm and setting
the knights in those western parts to sing
ing the stirring words, "On to Washing
tcn."
The Railroad Rate Question.
Gen. John Z. Smith. the secretary Of the
transportation committee. told The Star
man, this afternoon. that. acting through
the advice of local railroad representatives,
he had addressed letters to the local pas
senger agents of railroads through the
country These letters had, In turn, been
transmitted to the general agents Of the
roads with certain recommendations. Here
the matter rests Nothing, thus far, has
been heard from the heads Of the railroads.
but 1t is thought reasonably certain that the
adjustment of the problem Is but a few
days of. Everything hinges on the matter
of transportation, and when the hitch just
indicated is overcome the highway for q
triumphal realization of the promoters Of
the convention and encampment will be
clear. Hopes will be realised and Wash
ington will be musical wtth ~ Harmony Of
military bands and the tramp of martial
warrant, that the rate OF fare will be set
at one cent per mile This VIII be q con-
siderable concession on the part of the
roads. and will insure mighty influx of
guests.
The public comfort committee will hold
meeting at the Hotel Belvidere tonight. and
the committee on press will assemble at
headquarters in the Warder building.
The Supreme Keeper Here.
DR.. R. L. C. White of Nashville, Tenn,
lraa 81 40 NI Il. II
Knights of Pythias. is in town. Although
the prime reason of his visit has no con-
nection with Pythian matters. yet incident
ally he has aided the local committeeman
with wise counsel and is giving them the
benefit of that ripe experience which he has
gained on many fields. He told The Star
man that he thought 1t was well within the
bounds of modesty and conservatism to
estimate that during the Pythian period in
August there would be here a hundred
thousand people who were not Washing
tonians. The attendance upon the biennial
conventions of the Supreme Lodge would be
fair, that upon the ehcampment of the Uni
formed Rank would be large. and the num-
Der OF camp followers, friends and relatives
of the active participants and the tourists
who would take advantage Of the cut rail-
road rates would be great.
He told the reporter that he wanted TO
correct an impression which has gone forth
to the effect that this assembly of knights
of Pythias was conclave. 1t was not
conclave. To call 1t q conclave would be
an infringement upon and adoption Ct the
nomenclature of the knights Templar He
explained that the Uniform Rank, which
numbers 10000 bore about the same rela-
ton to the Knights of Pythias as the
Knights Templar did to the Masons; 1t was
simply the military end of the order. The
Supreme Lodge numbered 122 men, and was
organized on the model of the United Sta ties
Senate, each grand lodge being entitled to
two supreme representatives, excepting in
the cases of jurisdictions with a constitu-
ency of 10000 or more These grand lodges
were entitled to a third representative and
perhaps a fourth. The grand lodges of
Pennsylvania and Ohio had four each and
Illinois and Indiana three each. All the
Manitoba. British Columbia, Ontario and
the British maritime provinces. were rep
resented by two each. He prophesied that
the convention and encampment would be
as great a success, II not greater than
that which was held at Kansas City in
August, 1892.
Committee on Constitution.
The constitutional committee, comprising
w. A. Radclff of Henderson. Ky; Geo. b.
Shaw of Wisconsin, w. d. Kennedy Of Chi
cago, NJ l.. Stevens of New York. j. H.
Alexander of Virginia and George E. Seay
of Tennessee, is conducting session at
Wormley's This meeting has no direct
connection with the coming convention, but
Is simply for the purpose of considering
changes in The constitution, which have
been variously suggested. and Of making
such recommendations as may be deemed
fit to the convention of the Supreme Lodge.