Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-24

Sam Ullman.
 .Infrmary-J. Newman, L. Levy, L. Sehenck.
 Trustee of Cleveland Orphan asylum Sam Schloss.
 Central board of endowment-Henry Marx, five years.
 Appeal committee-J Lowenthal, A. H. Kaiser, M. Sternberger, Hugo Brown, Otto Goldstieker
 General committee-Nathan Cohen, Charles Frenkel, l.. J. Adler, c. s. Ru- benstein, T. Fonheimer, M. Friedman.
 MIKE MOHR,
 Chairman" Adopted.
 Report of the Finance Committee. To the Worthy District Grand Lodge, 10. B. B.. No. r.
 Brethren: Your finance committee nave had before them the report Of the audit ing committee, appointed by the grand president, Charles F. Moritz, and take pleasure in confirming it's conelusolns. The district has indeed cause to congratulate itself upon the perfect manner in which the books and accounts are kept. The amendments to the endowment laws en- acted at your convention at NashViile necessitated additional keeping of ac- counts and books, as the principle Of con" centration of securities of the endowment fund was so strongly asserted and en- acted and again do we find here the samo systematic method which insures cor rectness and safety. The heavy respon- sibility thereby entailed and the work heaped upon your secretary can only De realized by those who, like ourselves. are officially privileged in evidencing these matters in the discharge of the duty entrusted to us.
 In the progress of our work we couid not help but notice the disproportion of the expense charged against the general fund of the district and that against tho endowment fund. The latter, entailing the heaviest portion of all the labor, re- sponsibility and expense, only bears 23 per cent of same, when the reverse should be the case. The secretarys sal ary for instance. which is $240O, has S165O charged to the general fund and only $f5o to the endowment fund.
 We find that owing to the vastly in creased expense for mileage the district fund has dwindled down to about $l20O. and at this ratio the time would not be far distant when that fund would be ex- hausted and the district be compelled 10 impose heavier charges for district grand lodge dues. We regret that former finance committees did not allude to the matter.
 We have no doubt the same ideas herein enunciated also struck them; hence there is no doubt but that they will confirm what we say on the sup1ect. Tt is a glaring injustice, therefore, that all the burden should rest upon the dis trict fund and such a disproportionate one upon the endowment branch, which like any other insurance department, should bear it's proper quota Of expense Hence it is the opinion of the committee that more equal division should be enacted in this proportion, towit: That at least one-half of the secretary's salary should be charged to the endowment fund; and even in adopting this recom- mendation we feel that a still greater charge might in justice be made. We have taken the moderate view or the sup ject, and urge it's adoption. For the purpose of posting you with reference to the receipts and disbursements of the two great departments, we beg to say that the district direct received $3975.2l, with an expense charged against It or $4973.28, whilst the endowment account shows the receipt of about $65, 900, with an expense charged against it of only $123264. We submit these figures. They bear their own comment, and we will add that in no district of the order in this country does such disproportionate ratio of division exist. "The recommendation of the central board, with reference to the increase of the secretary's salary, has also come up before us for discussion. We are entirely satisfied of it's justice and express our strong approval. We have already spoken of the great and laborious task devolving upon the secretary, and feel that increas- ed responsibility and labor should be compensated.
 We therefore recommend an incraese of $500 in the salary of the secretary per annum.
 Tn line with the recommendations above, we suggest that the present per capita tax be maintained for this term. Fraternally submitted.
 ''C. G. LEVI,
 "J MAGNUS,
 'L LEVY,
 I'll. BROWN,
 "C. L. GROSS,
 IS. PHILIPSON,
 "L. MAYER"
 The report of the finance committee was received and the recommendations therein taken up seriatim. The first rec ommendation was to divide the secre- tary's salary evenly between the general and endowment funds. It was adopted The second was to add $500 to the secre- tary's salary. It created considerable discussion.
 Secretary Strauss arose and said that if it was in flush times and the lodge in good condition financially he would ap- preciate the raise, but as it was he was not in favor of it. This act of magma nimity was loudly cheered by the con vention.
 Mr. Leon Levy moved to adopt the rec ommendation. Mr. Mohr moved as a substitute to strike out the recommenda- tion from the report and sustain the secretarys request not to raise his salary The recommendation was referred back to the finance committed and in defer ence to the grand secretary was with drawn.
 The report of the finance committee was then adopted as a whole.
 The committee on Cleveland home re- ported, recommending the election of a committee to act in conference next July with similar committees from district lodges 2. 6 and on the enlargement of