The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-30
MAY MAKE ACHApGE
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS TALK OF A
NEW METHOD FOR ELECTING
OFFICERS.
WILL WAIT ANOTHER YEAR.
SUGGESTION THAT EACH LODGE
HAVE AS MANY VOTES AS
REPRESENTATIVES,
STANDING COMMITTEES NAMED.
Judge Orr Chairman of That Re-
Iating to Law-CIOse of the
Convention.

The grand lodge, Knights of Pythias,
closed it's session yesterday afternoon,
after tranSactlng great amount OF
business. Of principal interest was the
proposition submitted providing for
change in the manner of electing grand
lodge officers. At present they are
chosen by the representatives to the
grand lodge, each subordinate lodge
being entitled to one, two or three of
such delegates. The new plan is to
provide for a popular election in the
lodge by their members, each lodge to
have as many electoral votes as it has
representatives Owing to the impor-
lance of the contemplated change, it
was decided to postpone action until
next year, and in the meantime the
keeper of records and seals is instruct
ed to prepare copies of the measure
and send them to the subordinate
lodges. This system of electing the
grand officers has been in vogue in
Ohio for the past fifteen years, and is
sometimes referred to as the "Ohio
plan" 1t is said to be very satisfac-
tory in it's operation. The following
appropriations were made:
Expenses of the convention .......... 81, 800
Printing proceedings. ;;;........;..;.....;. $40
Travelling expenses of the grand ehancel-
Tor -. .............,.......... oVO
Salary of the grand chancellor ........... 900
Expense allowance of keeper of records
Salary of grand master of exchequer.... 100
Supreme representative tax ..........,.. 10y
Contingent expenses ................ 1UO
Grand Chancellor Stratton made the
following appointments Of standing
committees:
Law-Judge G. NJ. Orr, of St. Paul c. w.
Stilson, of Duluth, and w. ". Rauth, of Du-
Iuth.
Fraternal correspondence. J., stobbart'
ton, and F. c. Whitney, of Marshall.
In the appeal to the grand lodge from
the decision of a local lodge, expelling
q member for alleged misconduct the
grand lodge sustained the subordinate
one, although it expressed a doubt as
to the guilt of the accused,
The request for an appropriation to
aid in the building of the memorial
monument to George B. Shaw, at Eau
Claire, was referred to the subordinate
lodges The late Mr.. Shaw was the
supreme chancellor of the order.
A vote of thanks was given the Fort
Smelling lodge and band for contrib
uting to the success and pleasure OF
the convention. An appropriation was
made to purchase souvenir badges for
the Smelling knights.
A vote of thanks was also extended
to Gov Clough and a committee ap-
pointed to present it.
The grand lodge directed that the
financial officers for the ensuing year
be bonded by a fidelity bond.
Memorial pages were ordered set
aside for records in memory Of the de-
ceased knights of the past year.
Judge Orr, chairman Of the COM
mite to prepare a history of the or
der of this state, reported that the
committee had been appointed so late
that it was impossible to do the work
assigned to it. The time was extended
to the next grand lodge session.
The proposition to change the time
for the meeting of the grand lodge
from September to January was
promptly voted down.
A resolution was adopted calling fol-
the equalization of the minimum fee
for conferring the three ranks, the
idea being to have the same initiation
fee in all lodges of the state.
The supreme representatives were
Instructed to introduce a measure If
the supreme lodge providing for uni
versal telegraphic code. This happens
to be the only order without such 6
code.
Invitations were received from the
local committee Of Minneapolis to wit
ness the contest in rank work between
the teams of Minneapolis and Hermior
lodges Friday evening. The confess
will be on the exemplification of the
knight rank.
The officers-elect were then installed
by Past Grand Chancellor JOSEPH
Schroeder, of Racine, Wis, assisted BY
G. G. Bottom, past grand chancellor
of Colorado. MI Schroeder also ex
emplifed and explained the secre
work of the order in mastery man
ner.
The convention then adjourned, clos