Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-15
SIXTY SECOND ANNUAL.
Coneetnicut Grand Lodge. I. o. o. F.
 Met in New Haven To-day.

Met in New Haven To-day.
 New Haven, May 15.-The sixty second annual convention of the Con neeticut Grand lodge, I. O. o. F., open ed here at ten o'clock this morning in Odd Fellows hall. Grand Master S. G. B. Blackman presided. There were about $50 delegates representing SS lodges in the state.
 After the meeting was called to or der and several minor matters were discussed Secretary Botsford submit ted his report for the year. The en- tire morning was taken up with busi- ness matters. At noon the convention adjourned for lunch and reconvened at ? o'clock, at which time the election of offices for the ensuing year took place.
 Frederick Botsford, grand secretary, in presenting his report, prefaced it with the statement that though 1900 was a presidential year, and people were deeply engrossed in politics, good gains had nevertheless been made by the order both in funds and member ship, in spite of unfayorable circum- stances.
 OAC lOdSS WAS dQuSQ 7s QQI1IlS lue, year, making the total at the present time SS The total receipts of subor- dinate lodges during the year were $159,3S602, and the expenses $141,- 219.21, giving a net gain of SIS, 166.S1, brings the total fund of the lodges up to S4S4, GIFTS.
 The membership is now 17,541, gain of 393 during the year. Of the number added, 965 were initiated. A were admitted by card and 32 rein stated. From this total of additions, however, 646 are to be deducted on ac- count of withdrawals, S9, suspensions for non-payment of dues 349, expelled $, and deceased POO.
 The receipts of the Grand lodge for the year ending May l, 1901, were $3,- 535.21
 Rebekah lodges in Connecticut num- Der AS, with a total membership of D. 7T6, net gain of 109. The member ship includes 2,222 brothers and B. 554 sisters. The receipts of Rebekah lodges were $10,957.96 and the ex- penses $10,034.90, of which $2,552.77 was for relief of members. The net gain for the years was $923.0 .06.
 The amount paid for relief by the subordinate lodges of Odd Fellows dur ing the year was $69, ,460.2S.
 1.-The prospects for 1901 are really brilliant continued the secretary, and i'll my opinion we shall pass the 1S.000 mark i'll July, and possibly even now that mark has been reached. Since 1869 there has not been year when we have not made an advance in membership and funds.
 ''The signal failure at the last ses- sion to make an equitable adjustment on the question of dues and benefits, due to a strong opposition to increas- ing the dues and a stronger opposition to any interference by the Grand lodge in the management of the finan- cial affairs of the subordinate lodges. is thing of the past, and while many deplore the result, yet the inyestiga- ton and discussion for two years re- suited in educating the brotherhood, and there is at this time a general movement to grade and bring within the boundaries of safety the benefits awarded to the sick in q manner that will bear lightly on the majority and do injustice to none. The great dan- ger has been and still exists in paying full benefits for continuous sickness beyond the first year. I think the subordinate lodges will universally see the iniquity of paying full benefits to sick brothers for from fifteen to thirty years and deplete the fund to such an extent as to ruin the lodge and leave 75 per cent of it's membership stranded after a lifetime of hard work for the order. The time spent for two years on the question of dues and benefits was not lost; it is doing its work and perhaps on wiser plan than that pro- posed by the Grand lodge. I predict that proper and equitable grading of benefits for continuous sickness after the first year will solve the problem and place our lodges on safe and firm foundation without injustice to any am willing to leave this matter to the honesty. equity and generosity of the brotherhood without any fear of the results.