Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-20
RATES ACCEPTED.
Vote Of Grand Lodge, A. 0. U.
W., Was 1903 to 30.
Maine Is 18th State to Adopt the
New Rates.
Eighty five. out Of Ninety three Lodges
Represented at Meeting.

+ BY vote of 103 to &c. the Grand
Lodge of Maine, A. o. U. W., at its
special meeting held in this city, yes
terday, voted to accept the new rates
proposed by the Supreme Lodge Of the
United States. This action of the
highest body of the order in Maine set
ties the controversy that has been
waged so vigorously Of late, and puts
an end to all talk Of secession which
has been made. The action is of vital
interest to all of the more than 5000
members of the order in Maine. 4.
There are SO lodges of the A. o. U.
W., in Maine, and of these IS were
represented at yesterdays meeting in
Meonian hall. In the Grand Lodge
each subordinate lodge has one vote
for every 100 members or a fractional
part thereof, and one additional vote
for each additional 100 members or
fractional part thereof. There were
about 140 voting delegates present at
the sessions.
The officers of the Grand Lodge of
Maine were present, as follows: Past
Grand Master Workman, e. F. Dam
forth Of Skowhegan, Past Grand Mas
ter Workman Parker Spofford Of
Bucksrort. Grand Master Workman
L. NJ. Staples of Washington. Grand
Foreman d. B. Phelan Of Danforth,
Grand Overseer Joseph Il. Hall of Ban
gor, Grand Recorder A. G. Andrews Of
Augusta, Grand Receiver g. f. Roberts
of Portland, and the committee on
laws, consisting of l.. L. Walton of
Skowhegan, Edwin Stone of Biddeford,
and G. E. Meserve of Rockland
The Grand Lodge was called to order
at 10 A. NJ. by Grand Master Workman
Staples. who presided through the day.
and after the committee on credentials
had finished it's work only the Grand
Lodge officers and the accredited dele
gates We're allowed in the hall, all out
siders and other members of the order
being excluded. William H. Miller Of
ST. Louis. supreme master workman
of the order, was present and a large
part of the morning session was given
over to his explanation Of the new as
sessment rates. A great many Ques-
tons We're asked from the floor. but
there was little discussion or debate.
A vote was taken to accept the new
rates at this session, but it was dis
covered that the matter must first go
before the committee ON laws, and so
the vote was declared void. The morn
ing session continued until past the
noon hour, and then an adjournment
was made for dinner.
- H.
assembled behind closed doors and the
consideration of the proposed rates was
continued. At $40 vote was reached
with the result that 1913 delegates voted
in favor Of accepting the new rates,
and 80 voted against them. The result
was received with much applause and
the, Grand Lodge was quickly adj
journed. After the adjournment. Past
Supreme Master Workman Tate of Ne
braska, addressed the gathering, warm
ly eulogizing the work which the order
has done in the past IS years and urg-
ing all members to stand together and
help carry it on in the future.
I OF the 40 Grand Lodges in the Unit
ed States. Maine is the 18th to adopt
the new rates, which the financial con-
dition of the order has compelled the
Supreme Lodge to draw up and recon-
mend. These rates will increase as
sessments. particularly on the older
members, but they bring with them
various options and benefits. which did
not exist in the former plan. After the
meeting. the Grand Lodge officers ex-
pressed themselves as we'll satisfied
with the action taken and confident
that it meant increased prosperity for
the order throughout the State. The
order has about half a million members
throughout the country, and 1926
lodges in its 40 Grand Lodge jurisdic-
tons.