Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-30
INFIRM ILLINOIS MAsONs
ARE TO HAVE A HOME

If the aged and infirm Masons of
Illinois, their widows and orphans. do
not have home it will not be the fault
of former Grand Master Charles F.
Hitchcock, of Peoria, and a band of
workers representing the lodges of
that and other cities.
There is a dispute in the Masonic
fraternity as to whether Masonic
bodies should establish what is term
ed charity home. Those opposed
think Masons should go down in their
pockets and hand out dollar to the
applicant when he needs it. and not
let his right hand know what is done
by the left, or vice versa. The other
crowd think the best way to distrib-
ute charity is through united, sys-
| tematic manner, and in this case it
is through Masonic home. The
move doubtless will cause an increase
of the percapita tax from 60 cents to
70 cents, probably to 81 head. This
would only be an increase of 10 or 40
cents a year, which no one would
feel, and it would bring a neat sum
to hand for the home
At the three days session of the
grand lodge to be leld in Chicago at
IStudebaker hall Oct. :, and o, the
question of the acceptance of the
Quincy gift of a big farm will come
up for consideration. \ farmer Ma
son died several years ago and be-
queathed to the grand lodge his large
farm. 1t is a fine piece of land and
lies conveniently to a good town. 1t
was specified that there should be
{n1 fO, h..
and infirm of the fraternity. The
question of the establishment of n
home was brought up before the
grand lodge and was discussed. 1t
was referred to a committee to report
back a plan for the utilization of the
land in compliance with the speci-
fed terms of the will. The commit
tee filed an acceptance of the gift
and will report in favor of the es-
tablishment of the home. While the
report has not been made public, it is
rumored that the committees report
is favorable.
The question is, will the grand
lodge accept the report of the COM
mittee?" said Mr.. Hitchcock Il trust
it will. / think it will.
''There has always been opposition
to the plan of a charity home, as it
is called, and in the Masonic frater-
nifty there will always be opposition.
1t is simply a difference in interpre-
tatiOn of what is Masonry and char
ity. Some think it best to help the
infirm quietly. Others think system
and method the better plan. 1
think the latter more advisable,
more advantageous, and in the long
run, does the most good for the least
money.
''Of course if the home is estab-
lished the per capita tax will be rails
ed, because We will need money for
support. but the little sum of Is cents
additional, or at the limit 40 cents
additional each year, will not affect
anyone. 1t will be doing a whole lot
of good for a small sum.
''Of course L do not mean to say
the treasury of the grand lodge is
full for all demands, but when it
comes to running home more money
is needed than is now coming in. Re-
Gently $4,000 was returned to the
lodges by order of the grand lodge
for the reason there was no special
use for the money. Those opposed to
the home were in favor of the re-
turn of this money. / think the home
will be authorized and built eventu-
ally"