The Red Cloud chief., 1895-03-22

Reasons why the session ri
1895 was Abandoned.


ed III " district court by CERTAIN
members Of the Ancient Order OF
United Workmen against the grand
lodge officers Of that order has created
much interest throughout the state.
As there are more than eighteen
thousand members Of that order iu
Nebraska any matter bringing into
question the policy or acts of the
officers naturally attracts much atten.
ton. The suit was brought, as was
previously stated in these columns, by
William Gray, G. + Barras and II. NJ.
Casebeer, members of the order, living
in Lincoln, for a writ Of mandamus to
compel Grand Master Workman j. G..
TAFT. or Acting Grand Master Work.
man r. ". Latin, to issue instructions
TO the lodges If the state to elect rep.
resentatives to a grand lodge session
to be held at Kearney In May, 1895.
The claims of the grand lodge officers,
aud the grounds on which they intend
to resist the petition for mandsmus
ara substantially as follows: The as
%sertion that Grand Master Workman
Tate sent notice to the lodges that no
grand lodge session would be held
this year on account of lack Of funds,
is denied, and the reason Of waving
the session is said to be that in month
Of October, 1894, Grand Island lodge
No. | sent to the grand master work
man a resolution asking him to sub
nit to the lodges Of the state a propl-
sition to waive the session Of 1895, 10
view Of the fact that many members
Of the order had been rendered desti-
tute by theifailure Of crops, and to
use the money which the assistance Of
such needy members. This PROPOSE
ton was submitted by tho grand mas.
ter workman to the lodges Of the state
for their action, and out Of a total Of
30S lodges then in existence, only
twelve voted in the negative, and 26S
lodges voted in favor Of the PROPOSE
ton to waive the session of the grand
lodge, which was t%hereupon declared
carried. On this practically unani-
nous vote of the lodges of the state,
Mr.. TAFT issued his proclamation as
grand master workman, stating that
no session Of the grand lodge would
be held in 1895 and that the estimat.
ed expense Of such session, $4,000
would be set aside from the grand
lodge funds as a special relief fund
for the purpose of providing for the
necessities and maintaining 10 good
standing within the order those mem
bers who, by reason of the drouth and
failure of crops had been rendered un.
able to provide for themselves. The
assertion that the grand master work
man arbitrarily instructed the subor.
dinate lodges not to elect representa-
tives to the grand lodge because OF
lack Of funds is shown by the forego.
ing statements to b. entirely untrue.
The waving OIL postponement Of the
grand lodge session is fully Endorsed
by nearly every member Of the order
in Nebraska, and the practical good
effects of the use of the funds referred
to have been realized by many lodges
situated within the district suffering
from the drouth of 1894.
In reference to the alleged defalca.
tion Of ex.Grsnd Recorder Payne, it
is admitted that after the election Of
Payne as grand recorder in 1893,
there occurred q small deficiency in
his accounts, where.upon he was com.
PEELED to resign the Office of grand re.
corder. 1t is set forth that the de.
ficiency is in the process Of collection
a par, Of the shortage having been
paid. 1t is further set forth that the
bond Of Payne is good and that the
principal bondsmen have been fully
consulted in the matter and have
agreed to the plan which has been ia
ken, by which the funds belonging t.
, the grand lodge will be paid into TIT
treasury within a reasonable time, thu
plan adopted having been intended t.
" collect the amount without forcipl
the bondsmen to pay said deficiency
1t is stated, however, that the bonds
y men hold themselves in readiness ant
have agreed to make good the amour