The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-10-20
SUPREME RECENT
GIVES DECISIONS
Chief of the Royal Arcanum
Issues a Warning Against
Resisting New Laws.
THEY WILL BE UPHELD
MEMBERS WILL ONLY SUFFER
LOSS IF THEY CONTRIBUTE
MONEY FOR A LEGAL FIGHT.

Supreme Regent Howard G. Virgins.
of the Royal Arcanum, has just issued
/ two important decisions bearing upon the
attempt of some of the members to fight
the increase in the assessment rates.
Not long since delegates representing
Councils in many of the Eastern States
met in New York to form a league for
| the purpose of resisting in the courts the
attempt of the Supreme Council officers
to put the new rates into effect on the
| last day of the present month. Similar
meetings were held in the Central and
| Western States with the same objects in
view. At first these gatherings took the
| form of indignation meetings, but later
on they developed into more powerful
agencies, and several of the Grand Coun-
| ellis held special meetings, the outcome of
which was to demand that a special
meeting of the Supreme Council be held
to rescind the new rate" legislation
adopted at the annual meeting held last
April. The Supreme Council held the
| special session, but its action was to re-
affirm iss action taken in April.
This action was not expected by those
who objected to the new rates, although
many of them agreed that the old rates
| had been found inadequate. The next
step taken by the dissatisfied members
was to resume meetings in different sec
tions of the country, and plans were
made to resist the Supreme Council in
! the courts. Circulars were issued to
demning the action Of the Supreme Coun-
Gil as unjust in some respects
At this juncture Supreme Regent Wig
gins stepped in with an official decision,
which in part reads as follows
| Section 612 Of the general laws of the
Royal Arcanum provides that no cireu-
! lar, resolution or document relating to
the laws or general management Of the
order shall be published, issued or circrs
| lated by a Council or member, or be read
in or acted upon by any Council unless
| the same shall bear the approval of the
| Grand Regent of the jurisdiction in
which it is published, issued or circulat-
l Cd, VI DS lhC AuPACAiC AANSGAls
''The attention of officers and mem
bers is hereby specifically called to the
above law, and Grand Regents are here
| by requested to strictly enforce the law
and cause any further infractions there
of to be punished in accordance with the
laws of the order
The Supreme Regent recites the fact
that the law has been violated many
| times within the past three months and
adds these words
Officers and members of all subordin-
ate Councils are hereby notified that the
reading at meetings of Councils Of such
documents constitutes strict violation
of the laws.
Laws are enacted to be respected and
obeyed, and must not be rendered mop
erative or nugatory through Indifference
or undue liberality.
| 1T is confidently expected that mem
bers will yield ready and willing COM
pliance with the mandates of our laws.
and that no case will arise demanding
further official action. =
1 During the agitation number of
Councils were called upon to vote funds
with which to defray the expenses of
| legal actions to prevent the Supreme
| Council officers from carrying out the
! legislation of the Supreme body. The
| promulgatin decision in which he
| rules that all funds of the Councils
"shall be used or held in trust, for such
1 purposes as shall promote the interests
and objects of the order"
1T cannot be claimed" says the or
der's executive, that the use of any part
4 of the general fund of Council, in at
tempting to resist or defeat the duly en-
acted laws of the order, is for the pur-
pose of promoting its interests and OBJ
jects' This fund must not be used for
the purpose of creating discord and dis
content.
| 1T follows that the action of any
Council in voting to appropriate a..y por-
ton Of its general fund to be used for
the purpose, directly or indirectly, Of OPP
posing the recent legislation of the Su-
/ preme Council. is Illegal and under the
plain provisions of our laws, prohibited.
Meanwhile. the order is suffering from
suspensions for non-payment of assess
ments, 9,675 members being dropped dur
ing last month. New York contributed
the largest number, 2,557. Illinois was
second, with 1892, and Pennsylvania
third, with 994 New Jersey lost from
this cause. T9!.
i Much Importance is attached to the re-
cent action of New York Council No,
34S. of New York City. This branch i
the largest in the country. and has more
than 1000 members. 1t has resolved to
| ''reafiirm its loyalty to and confidence in
the Royal Arcanum, and acquiesces in
the wisdom of the Supreme Councils
action.
1t has been said that the Supr%sae Of
fcers have pursued digniied course in
combating the efforts made to thwart
the new legislation, and while ready to
defend any action, they hook for the
time to come when the better judgment
Of the members will prevail. and the or
der settle down to enjoy an era Of pros
perity.