The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-23

or United W0fhneH. 1ASFHiHS aHn ~
ternoon sessions were held. but 1t was
found impossible to finish all the busi-
ness that was up for consideration and
action, so that another session will be
held this morning and probably one In
the afternoon. Considerable Of the
business transacted yesterday was Of
interest only to members Of the order
and It not given out for publication.
The most important and interesting
action taken at the present grand lodge
meeting was the adoption of the reso-
luton providing for the issuance Of
! 81, OOO benefit certificates in addition NJ
those at present in use, which are for
$1,000 The larger part OF the morning
session yesterday was devoted TO a dis
cuBsion Of this change and the predicted
strong opposition was there In force,
but the advocates OF the proposed
change were Just a little more numerous
than the opponents Of the measure and
succeeded in carrying 1t through. Grand
Master Workman McCluskey antici-
pates that the $1,000 benefit certificates
win be the means OF largely increasing
the membership OF the order during the
coming year, q condition OF Affairs that
is desired generally by the members.
Another important matter under con-
sIderation was the recommendation of
measures to bring about an extension OF
the order. The situation is best ex-
plained by the following extract from
the annual report OF Grand Master
Workman McCluskey's annual report;
The Needs ofshe Order.
under the present system an crgan-
izer is sent to new field. lodge is In
stituted, the members are started In the
york and the organize alter a day or
two or a week takes his departure for
new fields, and the lodge, unsktiied IN
the work, with practically no experience
or knowledge OF the business workings
OF the order, is left to care for itself.
with possibly once a year visit from
the grn I'd :ne ter workman, With IN
almost certain rSSult TINT the lodge
stands still or goes backward. The
system Of visitation By lodge deputies
unhesitatingiy pronounce failure. The
work should be directed from head
quarters and should start at the very
time the organizer ia sent to new field.
Every aid should be given him In his
work; public attention should be at
tracted TO the order In the locality where
he is working; public meetings should
be called. where an entertainment could
be provided that would Insure the ut
tendance OF the people; competent
speakers TO address them. where the
aims and objects OF the order could be
clearly set forth, Its financial cost given
without error or Misrepresentation; in
a word. a thorough advertisement OF the
order be given to aid the organizer, and
then. with the lodge fairly organized.
the organizer should continue with the
lodge until II Is fairly on its feet and q
thorough knowledge OF its workings In
stilled into It's officers. A lodge started
under these conditions must succeed
and the order grow and prosper in that
locality.
''The system OF lodge visitation by
means OF deputies (who ore paid only
their expenses and nothing for their
tlme). as have said, / pronounce un-
hesitatingly failure. A lodge from It's
reports shows that tt IS losing members;
the interest has died out; the order Is
going down hill: the grand master
workman may not have time TO visit II,
or II n visit is mnile. IN evening Is pass
ed with the few faithful members who
gather to receive him. or a deputy Is
sent who likewise makes friendly call.
Some little life may be stirred up, but
absent, and the visit results practically
In no good being done. This system,
believe, should be radically changed
To Revive Interest.
when the report from lodge shows
that the interest is waning and the
lodge going down hill, the grand master
workman or committee on extension
should have power to Immediately de-
tail special deputy to visit the lodge
not for day. but q week or two or three
II net tessary-wllere he could walt upon
ita individual members and bring them
out TO the lodge meeting. arouse an In
tercst among It's members and start
them ngain into life and action, and Il
necessary 10 help them, call public
meeting TO advertise the order and
bring Il before the people. The expense
OF all this should be borne by the grand
lodge direct. and believe would be re-
paid five-fold in the year by the increase
nj membership. The committee on ex-
tension Of the order, or grand master
workman. should have full power and
funds ut hts or their disposal Tor this
purpose, always. however. keeping
within reasonable bounds In the expen-
ditures. and consulting with the COM
mittce on finance as TO the amounts that
Gould be reasonably placed at their dis
poSal. To sum up the wholc;n n general
supervision by means Of deputies. coin-
inissionod expressly for the work and
with Reasonable pay for the time efn-
ployed; all expenses, either for old or
new lodges. to be borne directly By the
grand lodge.
II reach these conclusions from my
observation that the one mud only aeed
OF our great frlitrnlty Is to keep allve
the lnterest IN the lodge room work. for
wherever there IL n live lodge that
shows mn interest In the work, that :
lodge is hut little troubled with dues-
tions Of assessments or other radical
changes In the plans that have been
pursued FOR twcnty-scven years by our
order. and fully believing that this In
terest cnn DO kept up In our lodges by
the plan have Indicated, ] respectfully
ask for II the confederation OF your
honorable body"
The plan HugEpEted by Grand Master
Workman McCluukey went through
without opposition and viii accomplish
gratifying results during the ensuing
year.
Tho salaries OF grand lodge officers
were increased ns follows; Grand mas
ter workman, from nothing to $500;
grand receiver, frlpn Sl60 70 $500; grnnd
medical CNnminqr, from 500 TO 5000;
grand recorder from $500 to $50,
Tho report ef the c5RsIaittec on laws
sustained the decisions OF Grand Master
Workman McCluSkey during tho past
year, and waa adopted by tho grand
lodge
An nnepdmort wus introduced max
Ing the chairman OF the grand lOdge
finance committee a member OF the
grand lodge, but was rejected.
Tho mnttcr OF n settlement with the