New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-10
EYPEDIENCI.
SOME DARING AND DESPERATE ENPERl
MEETS


abencss 10 effect some good end or the purpose III
tended: propriety under the particular c'c""'
stances Of the case: the practcabiy OF a ihe"S"e
.s often obvious when the expediency 81 II Is q"o
tonabe." -
"rxpedencv.' is an important factor In our every
day life "a well as Masonically. In the nomha''Hs
conventions Of both our political parties me "or"
Is often applied our party leaders do not inquire
Is he honest; Is he capable and IL he worthy VI te
distinction we are about TO confer upon MN p''
rather Can we elect him? What strength ca" Nv
bring TO tho ticket and, above all. what good VIII
he be TO ',is" TO have him elected? And thus IN
foror men are often selected, simply because they
| arc available" Sometimes these persons are
noneniities and therefore have few enemies OF cIe
they ire interruptions and resort to every c%peuI-
ent TO attain their end.
In our lodges Il Is sometimes found expedient to
elect men for office who should have remained noor
members Sometimes II will occur that there Is
lack of Interest Either nobody desires hc Master
ship or those that are most anxious are the least
qualified for 1t. and then members. although they
wish only the good Of the lodge VIII consent 10 any
inferior member taking the chair. In some cases
the personal ambition NJ one man VIII XIII OH OF
destroy all interest In lodge affairs. He will con-
stany plot TO secure the Masters chair for HIM
self. ard only allows those members 10 occupy
Wardens positions who would not become his OPP
poncn,a or candidates for the distinction Of the
East.
20 be in the East year after year. and thus dis
courage the rising element; and when all interest
I'm lodge affairs destroyed through their graspng
ambition. and the attendance Of the lodge is run
down. and they have. so to speak, driven away
good men who also desired advancement. and some
poor stick follows their forced abdcation and can
not at once build the lodge M. these men point TO
The result: see I can run the lodge as nobody
can" lie was all the time destroying inc useful useful
mess Of his .odgc and the interest OF Its members
and called 1t success; , -, ,,, ,,
entitled 10 become Master. II s true. he knows the
or usage lie has not the slightest executive
ability or any krowledge or aim at the higher and
on parrot-lke the entire work He must not be
Interrupted. or else he Is Obliged TO commence all
You might well tall organ erinder musical
genius because he grirds out the finest operate
this man repeat his lessons" and considering him
Masters chair. only to md ont their grieyous mis-
TAX" when II IS too late. and after the odgc has
ignorance OF the Master. Especially does this or
where the brother has serv'd one or more terms
the East seems TO be more apparent. and IL too
often aeted upon by me nnshimMnE or careless
Ana v.ry enen, too brethren are elected or ap
slant attendants ~ every meeting OF the lodge
While regular attendance deserves the greatest
pra!s" and credit IL certainly does not qualify q
brother 10 hold Office II he Ia not otherwise fitted
for n.
rNiedency.' properly applied. which viii bring
about better ana higher state OF affairs tme4
when We must resort To some plan or cXpedent
I" change tho channel OF work or OF thought and
For instance. | remember the work Of Il certain
lodge vas brought 20 a stand through tn" i-fecl-
II the Gaagners. the OConnors or the Murphys
proposed good man the solomons. the Jacobs and
the Lcyys were to blackbal him. while II the
latter proposed ever good the former
Woui use iheir Prerogatiye, saying that they
| Wought IN" Iodg" had enough Of that kind. and
objection was The result. or course the members
werc afraid 20 propose anybody. and the work
lodge was III prepared Tor the emergency. The
point Of deaih and ,Hc lodge Would have TO bear ear
~" funeral expenses. there wer" several widows
regular pensioners, and what to become OF
them? The membership was not composed OF
wealthy men. ana those who had HE good OF tho
nsyth ny, op "ouli be me
gr 'iIon Some began 10 talk Of Withdrawing To Join
som" ether lodge wher" better feeling existed
, Inc Mas'er was az ,oss what TO do in this emer-
others begged and Threatened. but Of course. no
ye, black lite joker turned up Every S" iimq p"'''
rg to oil eSpedient was resorted to-
the sum required FOR n proposition zoe: then a
brother who seldom came TO the lodge-hence a
comparative stranger 10 both factions-was induced
no no M I, IL ,9" pr9pPson OF myth neutral
dence. occupa ion. etc. everything looked proper
and in order Instead of the usual three. tiye OF The
were appointed on "A committee OF Investigation. and
wers solemnliy charged to make II most thor,
standing OF the candidate Oi course the refer
enccs given. as well as the entire committee were
IN the secret. Great preparations were made the
secretary had sent ont special and urgent Invita-
ions to al the he members to be present and hear
@a ao o., q, the Sod I've o H. flaming enosy
ing, OF the candidate proposed. they unanimously
and heartily reported very favoraby. by this time
II vas evident that something was in the wind.
sometime unusua was going on and some OF the
and the Lcvys began to look somewhat blue and
uneasy
The W MOI Mnis upon proper melton re-
duly elected 1t the frat clear ballot obtained In
10 that night ana eight genuine Propositions we're
at once handed IN The Ice vas broken and there
H xrdn One s bk Sa ap
peared every time in a certain lodge. No matter
earnestly or urgently favorable the committee
ported this sinsl" black cub Ga% was there all the
na;conten,. and yet Keep the secret OF the ballo.
nvioablo In this case the Master kept his own
| six cubes In the box. instead of ballong when
| quietly removed one black ball each time. Six
tin es this manoeuyrs WAS gone though with; and
Master Ia the face and again he ordered the ballot
| spread. when. to cverybodys surprise. an old and
up. looked Into the box. deliberately adjusted his
| glasses and made search, but, not finding what he
| deposited a black cube. But. in his triumph at
| the thought of being prepared and thus fons
pos his ballot, and the Master " had him ui there
m % S Quiet old M not him ~ome tho
the lodge thGreaftrr and the little bact Joker dig,
SooIds Good howevcr IN rare cs"s oniy and MI
tiers should be OF their ground and above all
When al iheIr aim and object anc truly honest and
| sincere the brethren willing 10 forgive even
AN OLD SECRETARY.
ROW. ARCH ITEMS
Manhattan chapter held n nleasant convention