The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-27
A. D. j. v. N SESSION
important Subjects Engage
Attention of Workmen.
CONDITION OF THE ORDER
Is the Subject of Much Joy
and Qualification.

Leavenworth, Kan, Feb 2s.-The TWEEN
ty-third annual session of the Kansas
/ grand lodge, Ancient Order Of United
Workmen. was formally opened at Chick
erng hail in this city at 10 o'clock yes
terday by Grand Master Workman ]. H
! order Of Fort Scott
For the first time in four years the
( election Of a new grand master workman
I viii be among the contests that usually
/ engage the delegates in the selection Of
grand officers. John Fl. Crider Of Fort
| Scott as declined to be q, candidate. The
most formidable candidate is George H
Lamb Of Yates Center chairman Of the
law committee.
Among the most important features to
be considered by the grand lodge will be
the holding of biennial instead Of annual
sessions. Last year Grand Master Work
man Crider called the attention Of the
grand ledge to the fact that the sessions
for the past eight years have cost annual
~ on the average S7,346.37, and believed
that biennial sessions would result in a
great saving to the order. The committee
a that time recommended the subject b
referred to the subordinate lodges, with
Instructions to vote upon same at the
annual election IN December, 1900, and IN
the event a majority Of the votes cast
shall be in favor OF a change to biennial
sessions, it shall be considered and held
to be Instructions to the grand lodge of
1901 to change The laws in accordance
Herewith.
Grand Recorder Forde reports that out
Of nearly 400)0 members, but 1876 votes
were east. For the change. 1881, and
against biennial sessions 2.2S5, giving the
supporters Of the proposition a majority
of l06. This vote is, according to many Of
the delegates, not satisfactory, and will
not be deemed instruction sufficient to
vote for change Out Of nearly 500
lodges IS lodges with a membership of
1000 made no report Of any vote Only
a little over . per cent of the member
ship went on record.
The annual report Of Grand Master
Workman Crider is an interesting paper.
Every page is filed with valuable infor-
nation aud suggestions. AS he retires
from Office many Of his recommendation
VIII unquesl ionably receive serious con-
sideration and probably approval He
urges in the strongest terms an increase
of the grand master workman's salary,
giving reasons for it based upon four
years experieu &c. Concluding this sub
ject, he says:
Il am aware Of the fact that for all
this some brothers think $3.50 and ex-
penses adequate, perhaps more than ade-
quate, compensation. Probably some of
these would undertake to perform all !
these duties for less money. Each one Of /
us could probably name a neighbOr who /
would be willing to assume the duties |
and responsibilities Of the governor Of !
Kansas for $1,G0 per year, or for a few
thousand annually would assume the po-
siion of president Of the United States |
Still. somehow or other, such gentlemen |
are never called upon to assume such po-
sitions- possibly to the great loss Of the |
state or nation. The cry is, The salary
Is too much; why, he can save something
out of it,
The annual report Of the grand recorder
is largely If % statistical nature and
abounds with tables and figures almost
bewildering to the individual. and forms
a good idea as to the amount of labor
his Office is required TO perform during
the year
The order during the past year gained
in membership 4733, organized IS new
lodges, giving a net increase of g: .2.06f
fun rate $4,000 and 6012 half rate Cs1 00O
certificates ISSUED. making total for 1893
of ,96, as sainst $50 in 1873. a net in
crease of 1053. The average age of new
members for the fun rate was % years.
10 months and 10 days. and for half rates
Is years, months and IA DAYS
The total expenses of the order. inolud-
Ing the 1900 grand ledge session, were 500
inc o