The Irish standard., 1900-06-23
secretary and state treasurer. I will

say, however, that the total number adj
mitted during the two years ending
Dec. 81, 1899, was 1,1o7, and the total
number of lapses was $50, leaving a
net gain of SIT, and total membership
on Dec. 81 last of 3,713, and during the
quarter ending March 81, 1900, there
were initiated $50 members, and re-
Gently the organization OF Houston
county was perfected with an enroll
mcnt OF IL members, thus making with
the increase since the first of April ap-
proximatcly 1900 members in good
standing in the order in this state.
Therefore it will be seen that the in
crease during the first three months of
the present year is equal to more than
two-thirds the increase of the twenty
four preceding months, thus demon
strating that the stimulus given to the
work of recruiting by the insurance
fund gave good results.
The observations l have made and
the experience have had since I have
held the office with which you so gen.
erously honorcd me, have forced me to
the conviction that if we would in
crease in numbers as we should, and
keep pace with other fraternities about
us we must take some steps radically
different from anything we have done
in the past. firmly believe that il the
Ancient Order of Hibernians had rcgu-
lar organizers in the field working I'M
der the direction Of the various state
organizations, we would instead OF
having 10000 members have five times
that number. In this connection per-
NIT me to quote what former National
President NJ i. Wilhcrc said i'll his re-
port to the national convention at New
! Orleans i'll lSo2, on the question OF cx-
tending the organizations: Frankly
speaking, consider ii Il shame and a
humiliation to an organization OF the
character and magnitude OF ours, that
there is not sufficient public spirit in it
to appropriate Il few dollars for such a
audablc work. This is the day and the
age OF organization for any and all
purposcs-good and bad Legitimate
and illcgitimatc societies are growing
and spreading throughout the land
With all the secret and irrcligious So
cictics marsllallcd against us--wtl the
spirit OF knownotl,ingism cropping out
in spots here and Herewith the dam
nablc curse of English bigotry, prejudice
and hatred which has followed us across
the Atlantic confronting us at every
step, ask you, brother delegates, what
are we doing in the direction of unity
ing and soldiiying our people and gath
crlng them into our organization
which | consider the best, as it is the
oldest and strongest society of the pco-
pic OF our race and creed in the world
| trust this convention will not adjourn
without making proper provision fol
carrying out this most important work. :"
| therefore recommend to your con-
sideration the feasibility and advisable
ity Of authorizing your state officers TO
deputizc one or more suitable persons,
members OF the order, in this state, to
organize divisions, both in organized
and unorganizcd counties, and | fur
Their recommend that every person All
thoriZcd by the constitution or the by
laws, or by the state officers, il You
| ri, >,,1 Al al, T..
authority, shall receive as compensation
two-thirds of the initiation fees OF the
charter members OF any division by him
organized, but in no case should he re-
ccivc any greater sum than fifty dollars
for each division. That the person so
organizing shall promptly report to
ter members, the total amount received
for limitations, the compensation re-
ccivcd by him, such report to be &C
companicd by statement of the Gnan-
cial secretary Of the division, giving
the number of charter members, the
initiation fees paid by each, and the
amount OF such fees remaining in the
treasury.
However, il this plan l have here
outlined be thought not the most prac-
ticablc, feel confident that this CON
vention is fully competent to deal with
this and all other matters pertaining to
the growth and welfare of our beloved
order.
Since section 4 of article 10 of the
constitution provides that states paying
an insurance benefit of not less than
$500 on the death of a member, may de-
tcrminc not to pay sick benefits or flu
neral expenses, would respectfully
recommend that your bylaws be so
drafted and adopted that the matter Of
paying sick benefits be delegated OK.
clusivcly to the county boards, and mas
much as we are paying the bcncfciarics
Of our deceased brothers the sum Of
ST. 900, believe it to be for the best
interest of the order that no division
shall be required to pay any sum what
ever to such bcnfciaries for funeral OK
penses.
And lastly, l trust that you will sec
to it that your bylaws will provide that
tho ctatc cccrctarv and tho state treas