The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-06
INSTRUCTIVE FACTS
ABOUT THE ELKS
Growth and Principles of This Highly
Popular Organization.
SCRANTON LODGES FINE QUARTERS
They Are Not Surpassed ON the
American COntinent..The Recent
Grand Lodge at Cincinnati. Inter.
csting Communication from ex.
Grand District Deputy G. Ben
,DOhnSOu


l promised you. Il night or two ago,
an article on Elkism and proceed to re-
deem the promise. The order has been
very much in evidence in Scranton for
some days, and ] think To its credit and
that of the city. In Elkism Scranton
stands out distinctly as the owner and
occupier of the finest club and lodge
rooms in the country Here. as in every
other connection. Scranton does nothing
without doing it well The best thing
that can be said for the Order of Elks
Is that II practices. reduces to visible
fact, what other good people merely
preach. When. some months ago. the
lodge rendered reception to Superior
Court Judge p. =. Smith. being pleased
that one of its members had been ele-
waited to so distinguished a position,
Judge willard was present and one of
the speakers. The judge said--I quote
from memory and, though possibly de-
parting from the words am true to his
meaning-'l am a loyal Scrantonian.
ready at all times to sound our city's
praises and eXalt its works. l thought
| had seen everything here that was
worth seeing. But find that had not
seen this finest of all her association
halls, ana | am more deeply impressed
than ! can say with the telling fact
that here Republican and Democrat,
jew and gentle, Catholic and Prutes-
tant. native born and emgrant meet in
complete fraternity. Here and SO far
as my observation has gone, here only,
you have, to your own JOY and great
advantage, fully exemplified the basic
principles Of Democratic Republican,
ism
The best comment on such u state
ment from such a source is no comment
al all.
CINCINNATI SESSION.
The order Of Elks has recently been
in national session at Cincinnati. Here
our townsman, DR.. =. r. Gunster. was
chosen district deputy grand exalted
ruler for Eastern Pennsylvania, and as
such will be the official head of the boys
in this section for the ensuing year. No
better choice could have been made
The doctors professional minstrations
are deemed essential in many house
holds and he is in consequence Il very
busy man, but he is devout as an Elk.
a pau " us lIltlDltS, poSttu III llS
history, and a sympathiZer with its am
bitions and will manage. In some way,
To give all the time to the place that its
duties may demand
AS illustrating the esteem in which
Elks are generally held it may be re-
marked that at Cincinnati the delegate
found il very difficult tu spend any
money. Offering his legal tender for
4. H., Al
seat in Il theatre or a ride on the street
car, he was met with the announcement
that the official badge ne wore was an
open sesame to the best Cincinnati could
give her honored guests.
Reports read at the convention show
that the Order of Elks has a total MEM
brrshp of BOAT. and the only secret of
the order is its charity, for no ELK may
say who is h-lped and how much ia
given. Jesus, of Bethlehem. co,inseled
this rule
The grand exalted ruler-elect (by
the way, the only quarrel | have
with the order Is ON the score of these
absurdly high sounding titles) is Meade
-. Detweiler, the eloquent district-at-
torney of Dauphin county. There was
faction i'm the order a year ago. The
members obliged to live with each other
i'm proper Difference. We're divided into
two hostile camps. Detwiler. honored
by one faction with its leadership,
threw his great influence into the scale
for reconciliation and peace and. thus
demonstrating his fidelity to the grand
principles of the order. fairly won the
high position he has achieved.
THE ORDERS STRENGTH
The great strength of the Elks abides
in the fact that in its creed all men are
men, regardless of all or any religious
political. sectional or other differences
Manhood is the measure of man: good
fellowship Il stepping stone to the or
ders most coveted privileges. But no
little of the high standing of the order
is owing to its rule that no matter how
big the city. no city can have more than
one lodge. and no lodge can admit to
membership person coming within the
territorial jurisdiction of another
lodge, without that other lodges con-
sent. Members of other orders not thus
protected will realize the great advant-
age that comes from this rule.
For one I think the greatest need of
the order is state grand lodges. The
body has become too big to be safely
governed by one central authority. Bi-
ennial reunions. under the auspices of
supreme lodge and annual cOnvoca-
tions in each state. would bring what is
already the only distinctive American
order into greater harmony with the
American system. The central virtue
of the American plan is in the munci-
pal subordination to the state. and the
state subordination to the union. Had
secession prevailed we should have had
as many warning governments as we
now have harmonious states If slavery
had made a southern confederacy. free
silver would have made Il confederacy
of west and south. What IL true of us
as whole people. Is true of those of us
who are Elks. We need the wholesome
restraint of an authority between the
municipal and the national. that is
farther away than those we meet every
day. and yet not so far off as San Fran
cisco is from Bangor.
c. BEN JOHNSON.