Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-19
PRESIDENTS MASONS
MAJORITY HAVE BEEN MEMBERS
OF THE FRATERNITY.
Both Roosevelt and Fairbanks Have
Taken Symbolic Degrees-Masonic
Strength in Washington.
Washington Correspondence Boston Transcript

Washington Correspondence Boston Transcript.
Roth Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Fairbanks
went into Masonry after they had been
chosen for the office of Vice President. Mr..
Roosevelt was popularity elected in Novem-
Der. 1900. and before the winter was over
he had become a member of Mat1necock
Lodge. at Oyster Bay. He has been elect
ed to receive the degrees in the Royal Arch
Chanter but has never taken them, De-
cause of the pressure of public business he
might of course take these degrees during
the summer vacations at Oyster Bay, put
this would now attract so much attention
as to embarrass him and the cnapter d.
that place and so he has decided 10 war;
TN after his term as President has expired
and he is once more a private citizen MI.
Fairbanks took the Symphonic plue Ioose
degrees in Indianapolis, under a dispense
ton from the Grand Lodge OF lndaana, our
ing the recent holiday recess, the three de-
grees being conferred in one day. He mas
since Immediately following the adoourn-
ment of the special. session OF the Senate'
taken the chapter degrees also unoer as
pensation and in one day. 1t IS SAID 10 DC
his purpose during the present year 70 take
the remaining degrees or the YORK rue,
ending with that OF KNIGHT Iemplal' anu
then to take the Scottish Rite degrees, up
to and Including 32d. He will thus be SHOWN
all the mysteries of the order far ahead OF
the man whose place in the White House ne
hopes to fill after l9Oo.
Washington to Roosevelt.
II is rather a noteworthy fact that the
great majority Of Presidents of the United
States. from Washington down to Roose-
Welt have been members of the Masonic
fraternity. In the later years the pest
known of these are Garfield, Harrison ana
Mckinley. Garfield was Knight Templar
and held his membership In all the YORK
rite bodies in this city. He was chartes
member of Washington blue lodee anu
remained on its rolls until his death. NC
Kinley was also Knight Iempiar' Out HIS
membership was in Ohio.
John Quincy Adams, who came into the
presidency during the days OF the anu
Mason excitement, talked and wrote
against the order with considerable vigor;;
Andrew Jackson was at one time grano
master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee.
An informal poll was made of the TWO
houses of Congress a few years ago by a
Washington Mason, and 1t was discovered
that more than 81 per cent or the mem
bers of the House were in the order. ana
more than 80 per cent Of the members OK
the Senate.
Eight Thousand Masons.
The city Of Washington is perhaps the
strongest Masonic city in the world. or Its
nopulation of 27S,OOO, after deducting 95l-
600 negroes, 1900 people remain from
whom to draw for Masonic purposes. fne
register of the Grand Lodge OF the city
shows that there are more than 5000 af-
filiated Masons here, belonging to twenty
seven blue lodges. There are fourteen
ROYAL Arch chapters. and five commando
ries of Knights Templars. washington is
also the headquarters of the Scottish Rite
of the southern jurisdiction and on that
account the Scottish Rite bodies here are
also especially strong.
Several earnest efforts have been made
nv local lodges to have President Roosevelt
visit them, but thus far without avail. he
feels that he cannot accept one invitation
of this character without accepting others,
and to accept all that would come would
be highly inconvenient. He has been made
an honorary member Of two Of the local
blue lodges. Mr.. Fairbanks has already
visited several of the local lodges and 1t is
probable that these visits will be continued
next winter, and during the rest or his
term as Vice President.
President Garfield was charter member
of Pentalpha Lodge, No. %, and President
Roosevelt is an honorary member OF ZEN
talpha Lodge and Federal Lodge, No. /.