The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-08

The new constitution of the Benevolent
the last session of the grand lodge held in
st. Louis hes been ratified by a majority
of the lodges throughout this state. This
information was received in st. Paul yes
to-day and under the new constitution
the affairs of the order will be managed
on a new basis
The old constitution was drawn by
Martin A. Foran, Cleveland, and adopted
at Atlantic City five years ago The con-.
stftution which will In the future govern
the business of the order was prepared by
E. M Bartlett, Omaha; George A. Clug-
ston, Mansfield O.; and c. S. Bartram,
of St Paul. AT the annual meeting held
In New Orleans IN 1895 the document was
presented end adopted by the grand
lodge, but serious objection was raised to
one Of it's principal features and it was
rejected by the subordinate lodges. A
second committee, consisting of Messrs.
Clugston and Bartram Judge Bartlett be-
ing ABSENT of the original committee;
Scott Holmes, Cincinnati; Arthur c..
Moreland, and Thomas F. Brogan, New
York, was appointed at the st. Louis
meeting to revise the document and re-
submit 1t. With the objectionable feature
elimfna ted it WAS adopted and now, being
ratified by the subordinate lodges, be-
comes the law Of the order Jan. ].
The new constitution is a step far in
advance Of the old, in keeping with the
rapid growth of the order. 1t is the first
comprehensive set Of laws the order has
had. One of it's especially excellent
features Is its code for the trial of Of
fenses, which feature was carefully pre-
pared by Messrs. Moreland and Brcgan.
Under the old constitution, lodges could
be established in a city of any size, al
though in cases of cities of less than 5000
inhabitants a special permit from the
grand exalted ruler was necessary.
Under the new constitution, the minimum
limit Of 5000 is arbitrarily fixed. Some of
the other important changes made are:
All sessions of the grand lodge during
any one year must be held where the
regular session for that year was or is
to be held.
No special session can be called within
thirty days of the time for the meeting
of the grand lodge.
Election Of officers Of the grand lodge
| shall occur at the first day of the ses-
sion. instead Of being the last order of
business on the last day, as at present.
| Three trustees shall be elected next
| year for one, two and three years re-
| SpectiVely, and thereafter one shall be
! elected each year, instead OF the entire
board being elected each year, as at pres
! ent
The grand exalted ruler is given power
| to convene a subordinate lodge at any
| time.
| Amendments to the constitution are
| hereafter to be voted upon first by the
| grand lodge. and then by subordinate
| lodges, as now, but hereafter the vote In
| subordinate lodges shall be based upon
| one vote for each fifty members, whereas
| at present the vote of one lodge counts
as much as the vote of another, irrespec-
tive Of the number of its members.
Such committees as can dispose Of any
! portion Of their work in advance of the
meeting Of the grand lodge are authorized
| to meet two days in advance Of the SEES
! sion.
! The committee on laws and appeals and
! the committee on grievances, of the grand
| lodge, are differently constituted than I'M
| der the present law. The appeals por-
| ton Of the business now goes to the
! former committee on grievances now
! known as the committee on appeals and
/ grievances), leaving the laws alone to the
| committee on laws
1 There are also important changes in
the duties Of other committees, especially
| of those of the committee or returns and
! credentials.
| The law regarding the admission Of
! candidates is by the new law made so
| plain that there can be no misunderstand-
! ing of 1t. Heretofore it has been so vague
| as to be capable of many different con-
structions.
The annual password is abolished.
There are many other charges which
1t is not permissible to print.