The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-27
RESIGNATION
NOT ACCEPTED
Veteran Recorder of Workmen
Takes Manly Stand.
TO PROTECT FINE RECORD
Sustained by What Amounts
to Vote of Confidence.
AN INTERESTING MAN
Deputy System Sustained by
the Grand Lodge.

The dramatic event OF the annual ses-
sion Of the grand lodge Of Workmen oc
CURED yesterday afternoon, when e. NJ
Forde. the veteran grand recorder OF the
jurisdiction. rendered his resignation
The leading men in the a. o. L. W.
say the circumstances which led Up 10 il
constitute the most regrettable event in
the history Of the grand lodge
For some time-a year or more-Mr-
Forde has been working day and night
doing & business which involved almost a
million dollars in small monthly trans
actions. besides preparing data for the
supreme lodge and q score or more Of
other duties which call for the stTictest
personal Afternoon. The severity OF the
work so affected his health that his ply
sicians have been warning him OF dan
Eerous results. Yesterday the committee
on good Of the order, knowing the neces-
sity for extra office health. and know
ing the immense tax Of over work levied
on Sir. Forde. offered a resolution that
the finance committee allow his Office an
additional $1,000 for clerical help. This
resolution passed practically by a unani-
nous vote. Afterwards when the finance
committee reported il was found that z
minority report was made by one men,
Der Of the committee opposing the in
crease recommended by the grand lodge
Itself, the committee on the good OF the
order and q majority of the finance
committee. This minority report was ac-
cOmpanied by q speech TO the galleries
as il would be called in a political con
vention or in the legislature, and the
grand lodge actually reversed its for
mer action in sustaining the minority.
Then is when Mr.. Forde rose TO his feet
and made what Ed Murphy. Henry Shin
der and others say was the most manly
speech they ever heard made before a
grand lodge or any other body OF people.
1T Forde simply said in substance:
Ny brothers. I can draw from you in
this grand lodge $500 during the next
two years. but with my present force l
cannot give you satisfactory results. NJ
record for twenty-five wears as your
grand Recorder has been such that l can
not mar il with service poorly performed
SO hereby tender you my resignation
Every leading man in the grand lodge
saw the seriousness Of the situation and
the great loss Mr. Forbes resignation
would cause TO the grand lodge. R W.
Turner. the newly elected grand master.
was the first TO act He moved that tho
resignation of Mr.. Forde be not accept
ed, and also moved a reconsideration Of
the action that prompted il. BY this
grand lodge realized the injustice that
had been done TO Mr.. Forde and they
corrected il by almost q unanimous vote
II is said by Mr.. Murphy OF Leaven-
worth. who witnessed the scene when
Mr.. FOrde rendered his resignation. that
he saw twenty or more veterans in grand
lodge work with tears in their eyes
The present status Of the case is that
Mr.. Forde is still the grand recorder.
n mill ID 90
long as he may choose 10 serve and his
health VIII allow him.
Mr. FOrde is an interesting man Not
till last night after the work OF the
grand lodge had been completed and ad-
tournment taken, could a reporter for
the Eagle find chance TO talk with him
go busy had Re been during the grand
lodge session. He is a walking encvclo-
pedia in the matter Of information con-
corning the history. objects growth and
details Of the great organization OF
Workmen lie can make dry statistics
Fascinating by the way he explains them
and while the fact that his reelection as
grand recorder twenty-five consecutive
years might very well seem to be due 10
rs great popularity and affability. never
theless the fact is that il is due almost
altogether TO the fact Of his remarkable
efficiency and great integrity His honor
is his best bondsran and although $50 90
go through his hands annually there IS
not leader in the grand lodge who
would not take his word as security for
It.
The grand lodge vas instituted in Kan
sas IN 1873 and either in that year or the
next Mr.. Forde was its grand master
Anyho after his first years service he
was elected grand recorder and has held
the ONCE ever since over 8. coo fsl have
passed through his hands and every dol
lar and penny Of il has been properly
accounted for. Proha bly, no such an
smount Of money has passed through the
nanos OF any other hanSan except IL be
state treasurer Of four years service
Nhen somebody told him last night
that his was 4 record 10 be proud of Nf~
toTde said: 1 am as proud OF il as il
mad served the people as governor ~
United States senator.
He keeps tie accounts of 81 on NOM
beis q the organization, upon the ac-
oaracy and honesty Of which depends the
oIllinate payment OF oo4 70 the wild
ows and orphans Of Kansas members
Besides his duties as grand recorder
MI Forde visits the supreme lodge an
nuallE AZ his own expense in order n
Keep abreast Of the workings OF the great
fraternal organization.
Reminiscently, last night he said. we
nave a great order. Imagine its growth
since Father CPchUTch started K il
: eililsylNania thirty-five years ago. At
- = was started without any intention |
oI making Il national or even a state
organiza ton Father Upchu-eh's fBes 4
was 10 get few workme1 Together 20 /
EMP In dollar each for he widow or 4
orpnans Of brother in case y ~ 4
oeath- Later II was based on the 3, 49, 4
!, lillcale plan bur il vas n-e Years
S4o!e tne order had enough members
- gay q $50 beneficiary Crtu then
49, pad q dollar each. For instance
" hen they had only $40 members -ra,-
- o.liN Si't When ;hey had secured I
!. nm nets1-1 Of 600 and one died .b-1.
e around and secured another
..-e''-A-er 10 take his place The Dopl,tar-
~ o. ne idea caused II 20 grow Of Us
'--'-sIeht virtue Until now We have
a. me nited States $1,000 members
Us organization Il has uafs =,
oeath losses. 70 widows ans er-,g,-.
Pr clpaly. $1,000 or. and last ,sar
: zone paid death losses II Tho a~,,,,-. ~
. IN Kansas We have s5o lodges
al1o ~" members. We paid ont las,
ar . eeneaciarles no less than So r.oa
N-iIO'' meant al insurance OF comic Il
-. ~--oNs and an education and good
tralhins. 70 say nothing abo-,r rl-r.,-
OF food and clothing for man -. :;
az Forde Is a great believer E, -.
ecucaIion or the people along ~ rs~sS
:. IFa,sr'iaI insurance and says thar that
was Ire primary object of tha sien,,-,
system, which he considers a spleD3i.,
thihs under good and careful and watch
Iut Hlaia eelf1ent He has seen al the
ups and downs Of the orsaaizatiHr j.
kansas during the ups and downs ar,s
varying conditions CT the state and is