Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-12
DIR. EAsTON'S DETECTION.
An Analysis of the ClerEymnn's Com
pIafnt Against the A. =. A.

An Analysis of the Clergy mans Com
pIaint Against the A. +. A.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
He says: MY dissatisfaction with the
manner in which the organization is con-
Quoted dates back to May Of this year.
when 1 was selected as a delegate from the
District to the Supreme Council at Mil
waukee.''
DIR. Easton was never legally elected as
delegate to the Supreme Council at Mil
waulSee, as the committee on credentials
decided, and their decision was confirmed
on appeal to the convention. The doctor
then got mad wrote the supreme president
an outrageous letter, got several other
delegates who had been elected in the same
Mariner as the doctor. to sign IL, sent 1t 10
the supreme president ard left. Inc doctor
was there for the purpose, among other
things to get the Supreme Councifs IN
dorsement to make him chaplain or the
next House. as l am informed by one of the
delegates then present.
,.Wnen i arrived there 1 found deplof-
able condition of things" Now, the most
iepiorab BILE thing seems to be that the money
collected for the use of the Supreme Coun-
ell had been spent. and the treasury was
empty In my Judgment this shows only
that work had been done, and that the sub
ordinate councils had not been oVertaXed
.Over half of the men who sat in the SUI
pl enc body We're not entitled to seats, TN
der the constitution of the order. ThlS
statement needs verification. The constitu-
ton says that delegates cannot be seated
unless the council sending them is clear upon
the books of the Supreme Council. This re-
ferS principally, if not solely, to the per
capita tax due from the state councils to the
Supreme Council and not to Indebtedness
for supplies, for which some Indebtedness
must always be, as the state councils are in
constant receipt of supplies from the SUI
preme Council for the of their subordi-
nate councils Some of the state councils,
too, may have been somewhat behind in
their per capita tax, but these amounts had
been liquidated by properly Endorsed notes
of hand or by other satisfactory means.
They were seated by credentials COM
mittee, appointed one week before the con-
vention met by Supreme President Traynor."
He might have added exactly as the con-
stitution requires and as is usual in such
conventions
"A trust fund of several hundred dollars,
taken Up by subscription for a specific pur-
pose, had been misapplied." A printed re-
port which has been sent to me officially
from the supreme secretary shows that enc
mt mber of the order had misapplied a small
trust, but he has since been suspended from
the order, pending an investigation. This is
the only considerable defalcation that has
occurred in the United States.
utterly disguised, l left the convention
before Its adjournment, having previously
announced my intention to withdraw from
the ORDER
DIR. Easton has since written a letter in
which lie denies that he had withdrawn
intention, but says his words were with
draw from the convention."
l have just received letter, dated No
vember S. from Traynor, in which he says:
Since the foundation of your District
council DR.. Easton has written me relative
to his resignation and alleges as a reason
therefor my personal hostility toward
him." ITO the press 1 notice the doctor
has assigned different reason, alleging
as an excuse my incompetency and culpa-
b.Gty as an executive officer"
If lie desired to withdraw from the order
last May singular he should wait till again
defeated las he was last Monday, when he
ran for the presidency of the D. CO. 1t
takes a brave man to bear up under de-
feat. The doctor does not stand the test.
Did you not. doctor, in your prayer that
MOI day evening at the opening of the con-
yer ton, ask God to give us harmony in our
meeting? Did you mean 10 put in pro-
viso, in case your faction should succeed
in electinG you?" When you left the hall
with your supporters, all in high dudseon,
Immediately after your opponent was elect
ed. did you do so in the interest of har-
mory? There was. at least no further
disturbance after You left.
The power of the supreme president is, in
fact, supreme" How would you have it.
doctor? But If ne can pack convention
it is news to most of us, and there are some
fairly good politicians among us.
1T is useless to struggle against such an
organization" Yes, doctor; We think the
pope himself will soon agree with you on
that point. and your convictions will be
strengthened day by day time rolls on.
The discomfort is widespread through
out the order" l have just been conversng
with two very intelligent gentlemen of the
order, who have been travelling extensively
one in the east, the other in the west--and
they both declare they have seen no signs of
discomfort. and our A. i. A. papers say
nothing of it. Where does the doctor get
his news?
Now, doctor. you took the following oath:
Il solemnly bind myself to protect at all
times, ard with all means in my power,
the good name of this order and its mem
bers Amen How will you justify your
self for such open violation CT that
oath?
Friend Boyer says: ANY man may be-
come a member Of the association, provd-
ing he pledges himself never to vote for
Catholic" But our ritual says: with
he rap,I superstition and its modes OF
worship or its forms of prayers. we as
members OF this order, have little to say.
and never by our vote would we curtail It's
| religious privileges"
This order is based on individual liberty
of conscience and universal education: and
these are the fundamental principles of The
Declaration Of Independence and the Con
rtitution of the United States: and DIR.
Easton's detection will not check the on
ward career of the A. p. A. for a single
day. CHASE ROIS,
Pro Tenn. State Secretary.