Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-22
.GRANDLODGE At WORK
Semi Annual Session of Dis
trict Odd Fellows.
BUSINESS TRANSACTED
VOTING MEMBERSHIP INCREASED
FROM rs TO 116.
Action Deferred on Question Of Homo
for Aged Members, Widows
and Orphans.
BUSINESS TRANSACTED

The Grand Lorge Of Odd Fellows began
its SEMI annual session at Odd Fellows
Hall, It'll street northwest, last evening.
Considerable business of Importance was
transacted, the most notable legislation be-
ing to increase the representation in the
Grand Lodge. Heretofore the Grand Lodge
has been composed of past grands elected
from subordinate lodges. Each subordinate
body was entitled to one representative in
the Grand Lodge for every twenty-fv
members on its roster. The legislation en-
acted last evening provides for an increase
in representation by which each subor-
dinate lodge has grand representative for
each fifteen of Its members
The first business was the hearing OF the
report of Grand Master COLLISION, reviewing
the good work of the last six months.
Considerable gains were reported in MEM
bership, both in the regular and in the
Rebekah lodges.
Reports of Committees.
The several committees OF the Grand
Lodge presented their reports for the
period. These committees are constituted
as follows: Appeals, w. w. MILAN. H. C.
Hazard. A. s. Webster; bylaws. Theodore
Mead Abel Bennett and D. w. Keck; Gre
dentials, Joseph L. Irwin. Elwyn Greene. ].
w. Holiday; finance, J. Thomas Petty,
Thomas w. Fowler and J. N. Belt: printing.
John H. Nalley, E. C. Grumley and w. G.
Elliott; Rebekas, John 1. Brown, H. G. VIII
son and Samuel HOwison; returns, w. H.
Mcneil, James Hughes and ]. Davis Brad
ford: state of the order, James H. Crew, F.
A. Stier.- ard John II. Wood; supervision,
William P. Allan, w. H. Phillips, ]. G. Dur
fey. The reports were all approved by the
Grand Lodge.
The question Of change in representa-
ton canre over from the Grand Lodge ses-
sion in January Two propositions were
vided for the amendment of the Grand
Lodge constitution so as to give all the past
grands in this jurisdiction votes as well as
seats In the grand body.
The other proposition, made by q. w.
Bradford, was to give each lodge a repre-
sentative for every fifteen members instead
Of every twenty-five, as previously. The
two propositions were debated at length,
feated almost unanimously, and the latter
carried by a substantial majority. The eff
feet Of the change will be to Increase the
voting membership Of the Grand Lodge
from seventy five to about 116.
The report on the Rebekah lodges by the
committee, headed by Past Grand Master
John 1. Brown. was a gratifying one. There
has been a large increase in membership,
and much activity on the part of the sew
eral new degree teams. More are to be or
ganized later.
Odd Fellows Home.
The matter of the proposed Odd Fellows
home was brought up last night, but action
was deferred until tonight
The matter Of the transfer of the fine
Odd Fellowship and general library owned
by the grand lodge to the Carnegie public
library. was also postponed until the annual
session in July.
The Grand Lodge passed formal resolu-
lions thanking the Grand Lodge of Vir-
ginia and the grand master of that body
Edward D. Hill, for waving jurisdiction
over persons working in Washington, and
living just across the boundary line in favor
of the district Grand Lodge.
At tonight's session the most important
business will be action upon the question
Of the minimum fee to be charged by sub
ordinate lodges for initiation. Heretofore
the minimum fee has been fixed at SO, al
though several Of the lodges have charged
a higher figure. some charging so and
$25. A proposition will be voted on tonight,
making the minimum fee $50, and it will
probably be carried.
The present officers Of the Grand Lodge
are as follows: Grand master, George T.
COLLISION; deputy grand master, James H.
Crew; grand warden, w. H. Mcneil grand
secretary E. T. .Pettingill: grand treasurer,
]. A. B. Espey; grand representatives, VIM
2. Allan and F. A. Stier; grand marshal
E. W. Bradford grand conductor, Philip
Walker; grand chaplain, j. W. Holiday:
grand guardian, A. r. VermilIion: grand
herald. NJ. B. Hundley.