The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-16
SHALL PYTHIANS
ADMIT SISTERS?
Burning Question Before Supreme
Lodge in Session in Louis
vile.

louisville, KY, Aug. 16.-The SUI
prerne lodge which is the business
department of the Knights OF tPythlas,
opened it's sessions here. today. Among
matters of interest was a proposal Tor
changing the password annually m
stead Of semi-annually.
The lodge will also be called upon
! TO settle the relation of the endoW-
| Ynent rank to the regular lodge. Many
/ enthusiastic knights feel that the
/ knights of Pythias is fraternal Or
| der rather than an insurance organ
| ization, and that the insurance feature
should be eliminated. The insurance
Feature represented by the endoW-
Iment rank Is an old institution OF the
!Pythians and it will not go easily.
The stirring business, however, is
whether the Rathbone Sisters are 10
he admitted. The Rathbone Sisters
Fhave been knocking at the door OF
fthe Pythians for ten years or more
Eand have been denied entrance. Old
thine Pythians feel that the Pythian
hall is a place for knights only.
After addresses of welcome and re-
sponses the delegates went into eXecu-
tive session to hear the reports.
Thirty-six states are represented,
and each delegation has been allotted
Ia position in the parade of today.
Flames r. Carnahan, supreme COM
marshal.
Cincinnati has apparently dropped
put of the contest for the next meet
ing. New Orleans and Nashville are
the only cities now in the race.
Chancenor's Report.
The biennial report Of Supreme
Chancellor Tracy r. Bangs Of GRAND
Forks, N. D., contained the following:
At present our ability to expand Is
limited by the English-speaking zone
,Would it not be wise to take some &C
zion authorizing the printing or the rltua
On languages other than English.
The military branch has been the cause
of much concern. We have for year:
taken it upon faith and 1t strikes me thai
tit is about time to stop long enough te
Ftake stock and endeavor to ascertain
whether the uniform rank as now man
aged and Centralized Is benefit or hin
kdrance. The statistics show that we ar
txoing steadily backward in this rank.
I believe that the great cause for los
of interest, loss of membership and gen
eral deterioration is lack of home ruiz
and the fact that the rank IS over-of
ficered, over-controlled and has run u
form rather than substance.
There is enough energy exerted eac1
year in the work of upbuilding this orde
to carry it beyond and ahead Of any othe
orga1 ization, were it not for tn
eneryating effects Of the canke
sore, suspension for non-payment o
dues" 1t has become an evil because tn
power to suspend is lodged in the wron
body.
The report of R. I. G. White, su
preme keeper of records and seal
shows that the total number Of sub
ordinate lodges Dec. 81, 1908, wa
1928, and the total mem bership 594,
883-a net gain Of 1913 lodges an
32,556 members. The total receipt
of grand lodges were $4,S73,569, o
which $1,533,435 was expended for re
lief The total suspension for non-pay
ment Of dues in 1908 were 32,781
the total for this cause since 1863
669,424.
Thomas D. Meares, supreme maste
of the exchequer, reported receipt
ofi$164,618 and expenditures, of $125,
los, leaving $39,512 on hand.