Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-25

The local Junior Order Of the unttet
American Mechanics yesterday received O.
telegram from w H Meirs secretary us
the State Council of New Jersey. which
has caused great amount OF satisfac-
ton in their ranks. The telegram read.
New Jersey wins. vice Char celier Pit
ney dismissed the national bill
tsigned) ..W HI. nfEIRS -
This is the first great fight which ths
Junior Order of the organization has won
) In the legal battle. which Is being waged
In half dozen States against the Ma
tional Council or mother organization OF
the Mechanics.
time ago arrayed the two branches OF
the order against each other. and gave
bosh the right to act Independently. Thu
decision in New Jersey is an absolute vic.
tory for the Junior Order or 81 nsurgents.'.
as they are termed, and a forerunner OF
what they hope Is to be the decision IN
other States.
The trouble between the Insurgents
or Junior Order and the National Council
or i''Loynlists' dates back 70 the Mime
apolis convention of 1889, when five States
Withdrew from the National Council, be-
cause OF certain very objectsona bic laws
and radical departures from the by-lavs
and constitution adopted In the original
CHARTER. At this convention five Statas
Withdrew from the National Council orr
account OF differences arising n relation
to the scope and power OF the rulers OF
the council and their power to interiors
with State rights.
The laws adopted az this conversions
gave the States with minority members.
ships as much power as the larger States,
and empowered the judieio-ysof the Ma
tional Council to wipe out charters. expect
members without even so much SO the
right of appeal. and in many otl1ars ways
to employ drastic measures at utter ru-
rance with the original scope Of thu Or
Eanization.
Five States Withdrew.
When 1t became apparent thar nothing
could be done to alter the sens, of the
convention five States withdrew from
the National Council.
These States included New York. with
membership OF 10000: New Jersey. wirh
member ship of 5000; pennsylvanIn.
with membership Of $4,000. the District
OF Columbia. With membership OF z GO
and virginia. with a membership Of 10000.
Since then the litigation ia the courts
mas Waxed warm. and at llmes exceed
tngly bitter. This has been especially
true of New York and New JerscysSA
recent decision In the New York courts
empowered the Insurgents and the Log
al1sts to act Independently Of Zach CtEer.
and the fight on the side lines In tnat
State has been hotly contested, with the
membership of the former CROWN, stead;
lily In numbers, " hiie the Iatter has me-
| tertally diminished. s
Z One OF the serious bones O. Contention
has been a law adopted by the National
Council. practically makins ;le orzln-
la ton an Insurance order ty the esrlb-
ltshment of beneficiary ttsg.ee yffcf,
was wholly in opposition to TIE original
inception and purpose OF the or.auixa-
I ton. 80
The efforts Of the Loya:ists ia whfn
the insurgents into line have he a s,se.l-
nous Suits were instituted II tn. Ave
States mentioned for the purpcss az br.ng
Ing the Insurgents to terms. but so far
the best that/the National Council could
do was to break even in New York ti1a
courts there refusing to ir,te sare. and
authorizing and empowering Iot1 sides
70 act independently. as al-aliy outlined.
BegtninR OF the End.
But the sweeping victory in Nav Ier-S
sey has greatly encoura ged tho lnst,r..
gents. and they say it Is but the beyifi-
ning Of the end OF the mothss sor..er ss
/ g. members which ompsise ths JUNIOR
Order In New Jersey vera incorp..r.1tcd
In that State more than twenty years
before the National Council was orgAas
ICED. .s5-z;as
There are 1890 Of the Insurgents In thfn
city. and they were Incorporated by act
OF the Legisfature in February. 1900 They
nled bill In the courts here IL June. lMf.
against the National Council, ID hapa
the courts pass on thar rights of f,lris-
dictton, and ahsolve them from the dras.
tic rule Of the National Council. GOV.
A.. J. Montague and Samuel rs. Andersen
are thetr8counsel. The National councu
has also filed cross bill There are only
about 200 members OF the latter branch
In tbs city.