The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-25
RED MEN CONVENE
The Great Council Of New
Jersey Assemblies at
Trenton This
Morning.
AN IMPORTANT SESSION
Reception to the Great Incohonee-
Statistical Reports Show That
the Order is Flourish
AN IMPORTANT SESSION
ing.
sDeciaz to tho jersey Catu Ncscs.

So0liCli, llupION6Q OIuGF OIL 1kcQ MEL I'll
New Jersey, began its annual session
or, in Indian ~parlance, kindle its great
sun council fire-at the hall of the Y. M.
e. A., on State street, at 1890 this morn
ing. Large numbers of the members ar
rived last night, all of the great chiefs
coming in in the afternoon and being
comfortably domiciled at their hotels be-
fore supper time.
The session promises to be largely at
tended, and the business to be transacted
will be of a more than usually interest
ing character. The regular election for
great chiefs and representatives to the
Great Council of the United States takes
place this afternoon, as this is open
to every past sachem attending, it draws
a big crowd. After, the election there
will be a vote taken on several amend
ments offered last year and laid over.
These amendments, if adopted, would en-
tirely change the system of work In me
Great Council. AT present every past
sachem in the State who is In good stand
ing in his tribe can attend the sessions
and have a vote on every question COM
ing before it, but one of the proposed
amendments does away with this and re-
stricts the voting only to those who have
been elected by their tribes. AS it re-
-quires a nine-tenths vote to change the
laws, it is not probable that this will
pass.
Another amendment is to do away with
the election of great chiefs on the floor
of the Great Council and elect in the
tribes; but from talks with many of the
members who had arrived in Trenton last
night this proposition appears to have
even fewer friends than the former. The
past sachenS say they want to come to
the body and see whom they are voting
for, and not vote for a set of candidates
because some member of their tribe has
been at the grand body, met the men,
and say they are good fellows"
The funeral fund, which was adopted
iast year and which has been introduced
INTO about sixty-fiye tribes, will also
occupy some attention, as it is conceded
that numerous changes are necessary to
be made in it's laws to make 1t properly
effective. The Board Of Directors of this
association, which Is entirely outside the
jurisdiction of the great chiefs, will also
be elected, their terms expiring each year.
During the year there has been a change
or or love iowe Mor degree ~ me to o fbs c Ffom a : ! bisb,
est degree. h has caused considerable
friction in some parts of the State, while
others have taken to it very kindly. The
Great Council of the United States, and
vas always bitterly. opposed by the New
Jersey members, whose representatives
Always voted and worked to prevent its
i~ntroduct.on; but the change was made.
and now about fifty or sixty tribes have
5 on n a protest against the change
the Great Council of the United States
instructed to advocate its repeal.
Ion1ght there will be a reception ten
Council ofthe United States, Hon. Robert
a Hal: The Great ffhseohonee viii + Be-
Gh:sf q Records, charles hsiiss e g c sae grea 81
Themes 1nsaPags I. 1 Reoaaallsy' asd Past salp sreati
State. Other. distinguished guests will
De Great Senior Sycamore Walter f.
20 odgsr Great Prophet John q Poore.
the Great Council of Pennsylvania. Mayor
Yard Of this city and Mayor J. Teighfon
Westcott of Camden. the later being a
seats on the platform. Governor CRIES.
was invited to be present. and had fhe
hheglsiature kept him in Trenton today
guests of the Red Men: hut as # did not
ne ls compelled to fill an engagement
Mnlcn ne made for Paterson tonight. Ali
me otner crty officials, including the mem
bers of Council, have received card fnr
the reception. = hol
The report of the Great Chiefs. which
WI pe submitted to the Great Council.
show the Order to be in a healthv CON,
ed1tion, though a net loss of Isl member
is shown. Aneaoeis
The report, or long talk, of Great sach-
EN- =. =. Russell is an interesting docu-
nres were kindled during the great SIM
JUST ended, and four councils of the De
gree OF Pocahontas were also insttlt 1ted
says: year. ~
Il submit my report for the great s,,n,s
work with the feeling that 1 have endeay-
0red to do my duty as it appeared to me.
Inc long-continued depression In bust
ness has been felt more and more by
ln4nV TTIhaC Cnrr11 arf.
mission to pay one-half benefits. white
others have had to entirely cease ayme
IN the hope that their wampum NAV m
crease scs and better times come to all.
me CROWN Of our order should not
come to a standstfll. Many towns and via
Lagos are still without our order being
known among them. If all of our depu-
yes snould work as heartily as some have
cone. the result would be a grand one.
would recommend that this Great
council take some action whereby tribes
deslrous of consolidating with others NAV
De permitted to do so without loss to
themselves. I am led to do so from the
fact that in two cases we were called to
visit and consult with tribes who felt that
Ut would be for their best interests to
unite with another tribe. The Great
Council Of the United States has aid that
ing for consolidating.
Il would also suggest thai some way Of
payment for the services of the deputies
be In many cases they will
travel for a long distance, and at a COM
SIDERABLE out lay Of. wampum, and the
tribes fail to reimburse them. The Ia
borer is worthy of his hire is true in such
work as well as in n other
The report of Great Chief Of Records
d. M. Stevens, shows the following as the
present financial standing of the Great
Council
Balance in q. K. of WIS hands at last
settlement, 2,S9o.s4 received during great
sun for per capita tag, S5,353.55 from sup
plies, charter fees, etc, $685. total, S.
ESQ. Is; paid out per orders, 5 .444.4O. The
following is a summary of the member
ship and of the financial affairs of each
branch of the ORDER
Tribes-Members at last report. n nos.
adopted during the great sun, L,636; re-
instated, 365; admitted by card, IL: total
additions, 2,073; making a grand total Of
1908. From which deduct decrease by
suspensions, 1928: withdrawn by card.
ee; died, 176; expelled, 20; total, 2,1so; ieav-
dotte Tribe, No. 156, no report received.
40, making the present actual member.
ship accounted for 1860.
Number of applicants rejected, CO; num-
Der of tribes at present, l81; past great
incohonees. 1; -pasSAgreat sachems, 81:
past sachems, ESQ; amount Of tribes re,
ceipts, Sl71,813.47, paid for relief Of menu
bers, $50, 106.69; funeral benefits, S22. 730. "a.
widows and orphans, 1906; paid for other
purLoses, sS6, SSl. 80; wealth tf all tribes,
1924, 324. 81.
Degree Of Pocahontas-Nurnber OF coun-
ellis at last report, IS; mi of coun-
ellis at present, 81; humble of member
at last report 1 1856; gain by adoption,
etc, Az; total, 2, 1853: from which deduct
losses by suspensions etc. 2S2, leaving
Receipts of councils, S1Q,49S. 81; paid for
relief of members. 81. g1I gS " burial m "a