Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-24
elected the delegates. This substitute

moved that the election of these officers
 be deferred until the committee on
 finance report. The committee reported
 a shortage of funds, and the three dele
 gates, on motion of c. F. Moritz, were
 elected to go to Cleveland and act with
 the trustees, paying their own expenses. The secretary read a telegram from
 Chicago informing the convention of the serious illness of Brother E. A. Frankland, the first president of grand lodge No. z.
 Judge Marx moved that the sum of $50 be paid to the orator, MT. Charles Rosen of New Orleans, to defray his expenses
 to and from Montgomery. The motion
 was finally amended so as to defray all his expenses, and unanimously passed. Sergeant-at-Arms A. S. Hirscher of Birmingham was called home on business of importance by telegram, and was granted permission to go. A vote of
 thanks was rendered him by the conven-
 tion for services rendered.
 It being 1 o'clock the convention ad- journed until D. m.
 Afternoon Session.
 The most important matter which has come or will come before the grand lodge came up this afternoon, and is embodied in the report of the endowment commit tee, which is as follows:
 To the President and Members of Dis
 trict Grand Lodge No T. l. o. B. B. Brethren: Your committee has been in
 session for many hours, devoting their
 undivided attention to the report of the
 special committee appointed at Nash vile last year, of which committee Brother Jacques Loeb is chairman. The importance of the special report and the startling disclosures therein contained have caused your committee, for the time being, to ignore all other matters referred to it, and which will be taken up for future consideration dur ing the present convention. In reference
 to the report of the special committee we beg to say, as early as 1881 the atten- ton of the convention was called to the fact that the endowment system In
 vogue was utterly unsafe. AS a result of this disclosure committee was ap- pointed which formulated scheme to be submitted to the next subsequent convention, held at Galveston, Tex, in 1882. Unfortunately the discussion fol- lowing the proposition then made re- suited in compromise. In 1886 the mat ter was again most earnestly called to your attention by the chairman of this committee Again a committee was ap-
 pointed to report at the next subsequent convention. In 1887 this committee, com posed of Brothers Leo N Levi and Samr uel Hirsch, reported to the convention at Memphis, Tenn, a plan formulated by the venerable Brother J. Bush, and urged the adoption of the same pro tracted and heated discussion followed and the convention, instead Of adopting the committees S report and the plan pro-
 posed by Brother Bush, resorted to an other compromise. The committee, in accepting the compromise, warned the convention that the plan suggested py Brother Bush could not with safety De altered, as proposed in the compromise The compromise was, however, adopted and our endowment conducted under it's provisions until year ago at Nash- vile, when, after repeated failures, one of the original features of the Busn plan was adopted, to-wit: A practical contra liza tiOn of the funds.
 The committee of which Brother Loep was made chairman at Nashvllie mas uis- covered what has been so repeatedly stated to the grand lodge in former years that the problem of insuring the nves of our members can only be solved by scientific methods, and that any tenn porizing with the true principles or ln- surance can only postpone, but cannot avert ultimate disaster. We deem 1t
 proper to say this much in support or
 the report of Brother Loeb's committee
 and to commend him and his fellow
 members on the committee for the zeal,
 energy and capacity displayed in investi-
 gatng the question and presenting IL 10
 the grand lodge. We are not prepared,
 however, to present for present consider
 alton the recommendations contained In
 the report The subject treated in the
 report is of such vital import and the rec
 concentrations so sweeping as to deserve
 the most mature consideration. The data
 upon which the actuary bases his calcu-
 latlOnS SlOulQ De caTeIully eAdHllDta hiio
 his methods in arriving at his conclu-
 sions considered with earnest de1bera-
 tion and in the light of our fraternal obs
 Iigations. The actuary deals with the
 problem from scientific point exclusive
 ly. While science must be the basis or
 any scheme of endowment, we do not
 think we should lose sight of other con-
 alterations.
 We are further of the opinion that a
 matter of such vast importance. should
 I,A caH xpif
 lodges an opportunity to first consider 1t
 and to select delegates to represent them
 in that regard.
 We are further of the opinion that the
 matter is of such nature as cannot be
 properly disposed of at an ordinary con
 vention at which other business and en-
 tertainments draw so largely upon the time and attention of the delegates. We are further of the opinion that be- fore following the recommendations of
 the actuary consulted by Brother Loeb's
 committee, we should consult with our brethren in other districts who have gone through like difficulties, and also get the
 benefit of Brother Bush'S counsel. We believe that while great delay in putting our endowment upon safe basis would result in untold disaster, a little delay would be of advantage. We therefore recommend,
 1. That a special convention be called by the president within ninety days from May 1, 1895, at -; that at said conven- tion the basis of representation be the same as that prevailing in a regular con vention and that the mileage of the del egates be paid as in ordinary cases; that the report of Brother Loeb's committee
 be sent to the subordinate lodges. and that the lodges be informed by the pres ident's call that the entire endowment system will come up for consideration, and that no other business will be trans- acted by the convention.
 2. That the call should state positively and distinctly that the delegates assem-