Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-13
GRAND LODGE OF TEMPLARs.
Business Transacted mt the Meeting
Last Nfght.

The annual session of the District or Co
| lumbia Grand Lodge of Good Templars
was resumed last evening in the hall Of
| Columbia Lodge. in Society Temple. After
| approving the journal Of the previous ses-
| sion a report was received from a commit
| tee appointed at the last annual session to
codify the laws of the Grand Lodge. The
| only section of the report of public interest
was that changing the legislative commit
tee to 1.-The committee on legislation and
enforcement of prohibitive laws" which
will hereafter be so known, and will be
composed of five members, appointed by
the incoming grand chief templar.
Mr.. A. II. Frear, chairman OF the finance
committee, presented report, which
caused much discussion and consumed
much of the time of the session. The
grand secretary had asked that permanent
headquarters be established for the order
at some convenient place in the city. The
idea was approved, and was referred to the
newly elected executive committee to be
put in operation If there are sufficient
funds on hand to do so without embar-
rassment to the Grand Lodge. The propo-
sition TO establish a minimum rate for ini-
tiation throughout this jurisdiction was.
after discussion, referred to the subordi-
nate lodges for approval or disapprovaL
Copies of the constitution will hereafter
be presented to each newly initiated men,
Der of the order Immediately on admission
to the subordinate lodge.
But tne portion OF the report winch pro-
voked the most intense interest and heated
debate was as usual, one which touched
upon the question of taxation, and from
all accounts, the discussion resembled very
much the scenes in the House of Represen-
tatives pending the consideration of the
late Wilson bill. OF course. the officers
wanted the per capita tax to the Grand
Lodge increased from seven cents per
quarter the present fgure) to ten cents,
the argument being made that the in
creased revenue was needed to properly
defray the running expenses of the Grand
Lodge.
But the delegates who were there to de-
fend their local membership from the at
tempts to loot their treasures by the adj
dition OF i per cent per month to their
taxes outnumbered those who urged that
provision should be made to enable the
grand officers to advance the temperance
cause by holding public meetings and by
providing the munitions of war with which
to push the temperance battle to the gates,
&c, and the taxes will not be increased at
this time Grand Secretary Jesse c. Suter
called attention to the reports from grand
lodges in other jurisdictions and indicated
Wisconsin, Maine, Ohio and other states
where the tax was several times higher
than here and where the money was used
to further the best interests of the organ
ization and the cause ii represents. 1t was
contended that no one priced a cheap or
ganiZation and that IL would elevate the
tone of the order If its expenses were in
creased and the money properly used to
bring the movement more clearly before the
people. But the grand lodge will continue
to struggle along without the increased per
capita.
A proposition to pay the expenses of q
delegate to represent the Juvenile temples
in this Jurisdiction in the International In
stitute of Juvenile Temples, which meets in
Boston next June, was defeated, and the
delegate will either walk pay his own
hotel bills and railway fare. Mr.. S. w. Rus
sell, the newly elected superintendent of
the juveniles in this District, said that the
children would be represented even IL this
had to be DONE
The grand chief templar had recon-
mended that the membership of the SUBJ
ordinate lodges should become more act
lively interested In the work of suppressing
the liquor traffic by opposing the granting
of licenses and in every suitable way take
an active part in the temperance agitation.
This met the approval of the committee on
state of the order, and ii was adopted a
policy for the future by the Grand Lodge.
The legislative committee will also take a
more aggressive part in the efforts to Sc
cure temperance legislation and will appear
before the committees of Congress and the
Commissioners at all proper times and on
all suitable occasions, and will supplement
the work of the Anti-saloon League of the
District. The watchword for the future
will be 1.-THE Saloon Must Co." At least,
this was the decision of the Grand Lodge.
The Grand Lodge adjourned shortly be-
fore midnight. Tonght's session will be
held at Typographical Temple. on G street.