Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-10-25
AS SEEN AT
WASHINGTON
New Mexico Represented First
Time at Sessions Supreme
Council Scottish Rite
Masonry.
STATEHOOD SITUATION
1t is Decidedly Mixed. A Remarkable
Demand Manifested for Informa.
ton About This Territory.

Colonel Frost returned last evening
IRON two weeks eastern tour, of
which time he spent one week in the
National Capital in attendance upon
the sessions of the Supreme Council
OF the Scottish Rite of Free Masonry
which body held it's biennial sessions
in that city beginning on the 18th and
ending on the 21st instant. Colonel
Frost represented the jurisdiction of
New Mexico. At the sessions, every
state and territory within the juris-
diction, being thirty states, and the
territories of New Mexico, Arizona and
Hawaii, were represented and the
meeting was one of the best attended
and most important in the history Of
the Rite which was established in the
United States in 1901. The Ancient
regulations of 1853, were amended in
some important particulars which will
De of interest to the one hundred and
fifty Scottish Rite Free Masons in
New Mexico. Hereafter candidates
for the degrees of the Scottish Rite
of Free Masonry will be required to
be members in good standing of a
subordinate lodge Of A. F. and A. Ma
sons, must be citizens of the United
States and must have resided within
the jurisdiction twelve months. After
receiving the degrees of the Rite they
will be required to become and re-
main members in good standing of the
several bodies, such as the Lodge of
Perfection, the Chapter of Rose Croix
Council of the Kadosh and Consistory
The fees for the degrees in the Chap
ter and in the Council were increased.
One hundred prominen. Masons
from various states were elected to
the 33d degree, being that of Honor
ary Inspector General. OF this num-
ber, forty were in Washington and
this the highest and last degree Of
the Scottish Rite was conferred upon
them by the supreme council.
New Mexico did not figure in this
line for obvious reasons, the member
ship here not being sufficiently large.
Doctor Samuel Columbus Clarke, Of
Bernalillo, was elected to the honorary
degree of Knight Commander of the
Court of Honor. This was the first
time that New Mexico was represent
ed at this gathering of distinguished
Masons and prominent citizens, and
this fact was appreciated by those
present at the sessions. Colonel Frost
of Santa Fe, and c. T. Brown OF Socor-
no, both 33d degree Masons were the
representatives.
The reports to the Supreme Council
for the two years ending June 30,
1905, show remarkable growth Of
Scottish Rite Free Masonry in the
southern jurisdiction. Over sixty-five
hundred Masons received the 32nd de-
gree during these years, although the
fees are very large. The fees for the
18th and 30th degrees have peen in
creased SIS in each case and despite
this increase it is believed that there
will be more applicants for the Scot
tish degrees from the fourth to the
thirty-second, inclusive, during the
coming two years than ever. The
more the teachings and principles OF
this grand order become known
through the Masonic world the more
aspirants appear; they are of the high
est kind of citizenship and OF the best
kind Of men. The present Sovereign
Grand Commander is Hon. James D.
Richardson, who for twenty years, rep
resented Tennessee congressional
district in the national House OF Rep
resentatives, and who is, in every re-
spect, a man admirably fitted for the
exalted position he now holds.
New Mexico in the Public Eye.
During his eastern visit, Colone
Frost distributed hundreds OF copies
Of bulletins descriptive Of the Terri
tory and the several counties, and
great many people called upon MN
who desired information concerning
the Sunshine Territory. New Mckee
Is evidently in the public eye, and TN
demand for information concernln'
the resources and conditions Is In
tense. On the train and at the hotel
in Chicago and in Washington, wher
Colonel Frost stopped, people calle'
constantly and desired information
which was cheerfully given them an
many expressed their desires and II
tentions to visit the Territory with
view to permanent location.
The Statehood Situation.
AS to statehood, the sentiment !
Washington seems to be that there
no certainty Of the passage Of joir
statehood bill; although 1t is believe
that a bill similar to the one thu
passed the House Of Representative
during the last session will pass tn
House. This, 1t is said, will happel
although there are number Of Repu1
lican members who voted for tn
measure during the last session WI
are opposed to It now. In the Senat