The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-22
MEETING OF
GRAND LODGE
Advance Guard of WOrkmen
Arriving in Wichita.
ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE
Biennial Sessions May be De-
CIared for.
ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE

The advance guard of the A. o. U. w
legions who will own Wichita this week
arrived in the city yesterday. Their
headquarters are at the Carey hotel and
from present appearances that house will
be taxed beyond its capacity to accom-
modate.
The local committee has been very
successful in the arrangements they have
made to provide comfort for their guests
and the individual members of it are un-
firing in their efforts to make the Wis
itors feel that Wichita is the only town
in the state fit to hold a grand lodge
meeting in. The visitors who have al
ready arrived are unstinted in their
praise of the warmth of their welcome
tC the Peerless Princess.
4 his promises to be the most important
and interesting meeting in the history
of the Kansas grand lodge. Many sub
jects of vital Importance will come up
for consideration. The most notable of
them is probably the proposition to hold
grand lodge meetings every two years
instead of annually. Some prominent
Workmen believe the proposition will
The expense attached TO a grand lodge
meeting is quite heavy and not few
prominent Workmen believe that annual
grand lodge meetings are unnecessary.
There will be proposition to elect the
grand officers on the initiative plan; that
Is, by vote Of the members of the lacOl
lodges. This will probably be defeated as
the sentiment for a departure from the
present method is not strong.
The grand lodge will probably express
itself in opposition to paying thousands
OF dollars annually TO jurisdictions which
claim inability to maintain themselves.
One of the charitable acts of the order
in its early days-about 1878, when yellow
fever swept over the south-was to help
jurisdictions where the death rate be-
came unusually high on account of ca
lamities. This charitable custom was di-
verted to the custom of helping juris-
dictions where the death rate became
high on account of the old age of mem
bers or some other cause not growing out
of calamities. Last year Kansas paid
practically 10000 to eastern states where
Workmen are inactive and do not rustic
for young members to minimize death
/
strong sentiment in Kansas to compel
eastern jurisdictions to rustic for young
blood and to return to the original idea
of helping only jurisdictions which suffer
from calamities such as Texas suffered
In the Galveston tidal wave. In the east
Workman insurance has become largely
speculative Old men have it carried for
their young relatives-many of them dis
tant relatives. The proper thing for
such jurisdictions to do is to raise the
rate and be self sustaining and not look
for outside help except in cases Of ca
lamity.
Another issue VIII be the subject Of dis
irict deputies. Some of the leaders are
opposed to deputies. while others are not
only in favor IF them bat are in favor
of increasing their pay. 1t is said
Kansas has graduated more good depu-
ties than any other state in the Union
and there is a big demand for them all
over the United States not only by the
Workmen but by other orders as well
Those who believe in the deputy system
say that the pay must be increased in
this state or the best men will be taken
away. The duties Of the deputies are
~ o'NAi' new iht'itlDtIS AOE local lodges
and 20 get members who have dropped
out by default of payment of dues or
for other causes to return.
The big item Of interest in the work of
the grand lodge win be the election 90.
Grand Master and Grand Receiver.
For Frand Master. whose Office pays
$3.50 a year. the contestants are r. w.
Turner of Mankato. John H. Cridcr of
Fort Scott Judge Footc of Topeka. and
]. Q. Kelly OF Marion. Some people
think that Mr.. Turner has walk away:
others that Mr.. Crider has a cinch: others
that Judge Foote viii cause a STAMPEDE
towards him. and stll others believe
that the magic name Of Kelly will have
\ tremendous influence on thu delegates
The second big contest Mil be for
grand receiver. The candidates are John
Breidenthal, W II. L. Peppercn OF Con
cordia. and Frank Feare of Hutchinson.
ECHOES OF THE LOBBY.
One Of the brightest and keenest men
already in town to attend the grand lodge
Is -,e