Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-19
THE !: 0: O. F.
Handsome Growth Shown by
Reports Of the Officers
In Their Review of the Work During
Year Just Closed.
Order Prospering the World Over and Has
Great Future Ahead.

Detroit. Mich. Sept 1S.-Sovereign
grand officers, Grand Lodge and Grand
Encampment officials and various other
functionaries of the Independent Or
der Of ODD Fellows, walked to the
opening session of the 18th annual
meeting Of the order. today. through a
drenchlng rain. They were escorted
from headquarters. the Hotel Cldimac.
% the Detroit Opera house, where pub
lie reception exercises were held by the
military environments of the order pre-
sent in the city. Arrived in front of
the theatre, the PatriaIchs Militant
stood in line with swords at present.
while 200 umbrella bearing Sovereign
and state officers, delegates to the Sow
ereign Grand Lodge ana to the Michi-
gan Grand Lodge filed pas. III pairs
and entered.
The proceedings opened with orches-
tral music. Gov. Pingree was unable
[" appear owing To illness. and Mayor
MaybUry welcomed the visitors on be-
half of the city and state. of odd Eel
lowship, the mayor said: 1t was one
If the first. if not the first society To
MAKE men brothers"
Hon. Alfred s. Pinkcrton, grand sire.
responded to the welcomes. after which
the Sovereign Grand Lodgr representa-
tivcs proceeded tn Harmonic hail. where
The first business session was held.
Grand Sire P!nkertun m1de his annual
report 10 the Sovereign Grand Lodge.
He said:
The evidence Il the work Of the ag-
-rossive, progressive force Of odd Eel
l0wship is rcfutation Of the false as
sertion that preSer. citizens III the
world are nat M good as were their
fathers. Welcome every agency that
lends helping hand to those WHO need
it, December alst lest cur subordinate
lodge membership was s3o.9G1 ana the
number If sisters enrolled in the Re
bekah lodges numbered 190,007. These
figures enabled Us for the first time to
honestly claim fraternal affiliations
with over 1,000, 600 persons Referring
10 the finances Of the order Mr.. Pink
crton said: The great source Of our
financial life Is the income derived from
the sale Of supplies ii has never been
our policy To accumulate money neither
has intentional extravaganza been in
dulged in. still as a rule our eXpendi-
lures exceed our revenues. and con
tnuance of such a condition can have
but one result. | don't know that the
biennial sessions of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge or a fixed place Of meet
ing. will solve the problem. The seem
ing remedy is a reduction in the sum
paid for mileage.
The grand sire gave an epitome his
tory Of the order and its growth refer
ring to the relation existing between
the American order and those of for
a!gn countries. He reported that af-
fairs of the diversely situated and
widely separated brotherhood We're
generally in a prosperous condition.
Appended TO the report We're reports on
the condition Of the order in Europe
Japan, South America, Alaska and
Northwest Canada.
Grand Secretary Grants report was
very voluminous. The secretary re
ported encouraging increases for the |
year in both subordinate and Rebekah !
branches, that of the former having !
been greater than in any year since |
1892. 4 small decrease was reported |
in the Encampment branch much |
smaller, however. than in any other of |
several years past
Another evidence of progress during |
the year" SAID the secretary, lis found |
in their unusually long lists Of war
rants issued In Hawaii. Newfound
land, the Netherlands and Alaska new
charters have been asked for. Favor
able reports are coming from Cuba.
and a new lodge is to be instituted at
Buenos Ayres. The number of Soy
ereign Grand Lodge representatives. is
Continued on page 81