The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-28
A HALF MILLION
Knights of Pythias Represented
at Supreme Lodge
Which Has Opened It's Session
at Milwaukee.
BIENNIAL ADD RES S
Of Thomas G. Sample, Head of
the Order.
BIENNIAL RES S
Reports Show Flourishing Con-
ditiOn of the Brotherhood.

| Detroit, Mich, Aug. 28-Masonic tenn
| pie today appeared transformed into a
| temple of Pythianism. Several largely
| attended gatherings Of Pythians and
| branch orders were in progress stimuli
/ taneously within the big structure.
| Chief of these were the open meetings
| of the supreme lodge knights of Pythias
| and of the supreme lodge of the Pythian
sisterhood. The initial meeting of the
order of Rathbone Sisters was postponed
until tomorrow. Supreme Chancellor
Thomas G. Sample, of Allegheny, Pa,
head of the Pythian order, presided over
| the supreme lodge meeting. In his BIZ
-ennial address he said:
THE condition of the order throughout
the supreme domain with but few ex-
ceptions, is hourishing. The growth of
| the Knights of Pythias in the past So
years has been marvellous, and to the
student of secret societies has been a
wonder. This growth in its early his
tory, however, was not generally of a
character that would give to it or any
other society stability. This is a plain
fact, which is evident to US all now
OF late years the men who have been
admitted to our ranks have come to us
| because of our principles, and. re-
suit, the personnel OF the OTQ6T is DGlLeE
today than ever before The decree seems
to have gone forth from the subordinate
lodges, as a rule, that quality and not
quantity is what is desired
In some of the grand domains there
is still that spirit manifested of desire
to evade laws made for the government
of the order, not in regard to any par
ticular subject, but all the laws we have
enacted. One of the causes for this
seeming spirit of discomfort is the fact
that in many of the subordinate and
grand lodges we have men filling sal
aried positions, both in this order and
others, and in many cases the older or
ganizations pay the highest salary. As
| a consequence we find the latter or
ganizations receive their best efforts,
and, at the same time, they are so inn
bued with the laws of these rival in
| stitutions they can not resist the tenn
tatiOn to engraft their peculiar ideas
into the management of the affairs of
the knights of PythiaS. This incubus,
unless removed, will sooner or later drag
this order, we all love so much, down
to a mere existence, instead of being
competitor for first honor as the strong
est and most influential of all secret or
ders-
enough. strong enough, brainy enough
and influential enough to work out
their own salvation, and 1 would
strongly recommend that any supreme
officer or representative or grand or
subordinate lodge officer who is so en-
tangled with other organizations that
he cannot give us his best efforts and
best thoughts should step down and out
of official positions and allow them to
be elected who believe that we have the
best secret order that floats a banner
in this great nation today. When this
is done then will we indeed have within
our ranks only those who can render a
loyal obedience to it's laws and regula-
tionS.
Members in a few domains have vio-
lated stringent legislation relative to
the admission of saloon-keepers, bar
tenders and gamblers; others have set
at defiance your laws relative to the
initiation fees and the law relative to
Sunday excursions, using the lodge
name but calling it a pleasure club,
loudly clamoring for permission to have
intoxicating liqours at entertainments
on the theory that other and older in
stitutions of a similar nature permit it.
II have unbounded faith in the loyal
ty of a very large percentage of the
membership to the laws OF the order
but this body should enact legislation
at this session in unmistakable Ian
guage that will compel the grand chan
cellors to enforce the palm provisions
of the laws you have made; and if, af-
ter due notification from the supreme
chancellor that laws have been violat-
ed, the said grand chacellOrs fail to ap-
ply the remedy, the authority should be
given the supreme chancellor to at once
suspend such officer pending an investi-
cation by the supreme tribunal. AS 1T
is now, the terms of both the supreme
and grand chance1lors expire before an
opportunity in many cases is presented
for the offenders to be brought before
the legal tribunal of the order. Drastic
measures of this character would not
have to be applied more than once or
twice until such troubles would dis
appear from the ranks of this order
never to return. Let US make a deter
mined effort to assist in maintaining
the high standard which will come to
this fraternity by simply enforcing our
own laws
made to the supreme lodge from the diff
ferent grand domains, showed a mem
bership of 4T0.79S. The returns received
to December 81 1899, show a total mem
bership of 491, ,672, net increase for the
year 1899 of 21.589- From the figures of
of the losses and gains during the term
ending June 80, 1900, it appears that we
have today a membership of sos, 800. with
Is grand domains yet to hear from. a net
gain for the two years of 81, ,S09- This is
a splendid showing, and with this in
gratifying thought that in nearly all the
Grand Domains those who are casting
their lot with US today are doing so from
the fact that we are progressive, patriot
ic and have all the attributes essential
to make an up to date order. Do not
therefore at this convention let the word
go out that we are Tetrograding, but let
us rather push forward to a higher plane
of usefulness and influence.
THE betterment of the condition Of
the uniform rank of this order is a sub
ject which should receive at your hands
the most careful consideration. They
should be given the widest latitude III
the making of the laws for their own
government.
eff there be one feature of this order
more sacred than any other in the eyes
of the membership. it should be the en-
dOwnment rank 1 was afraid that the