The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-08

Presidency at the previous conventions,
but became an enthusiastic supporter Of
Mrs. MCGOWAN Immediately upon being
awarded the printing of the Lender at
the st. Paul convention.
I'VE know also that the order OF bush
ness was inverted at the ST. Pal. conven-
ton. and the contract for the Fraternal
Leader let at a time when sue BUSH
ness was not expected, and when the COM
peting bidders were given little opportufl-
ity to submit their propositions and vot-
ing delegates little time for Comparison
aud deliberation.
"A novel method on the part OF the SUI
preme President of fortify4hg her official
position through the increase in the pa
tronage connected with her office. is
found In the chang introduced at her sug-
gestion. in the assignment of Supreme
Deputies TO look after the branches.
Under the old system. Supreme Depu-
ties were designated by the Supreme
President at the beginning Of each term
to organize new anc in their re-
spective districts and to look after the
welfare OF the branches already in ex-
istence. Under this system all branches
were visited annually. and while the
growth in membership was marked, the
cost to the Association was comparatively
aUnder the new system the annual visit
ing OF branches is abolished. and special
deputies appointed by the Supreme Presi-
dent are sent at her direction to make
visits for this special purpose. There is
no regular deputy under this system to
which the branches may look for guild
anee, and the visits of these special depu-
ties are made usually just before the tri-
enniai election and to branches whose
support In the election Is sought,
These special deputies are not selected
with a view to economy. but seemingly
with a view to strengthening the power
of the supreme president by a judicious
distribution of patronage.
For example,, n deputy from Syracuse
is sent to visit branches 300 miles distant
and vice versa. and the only. conceivable
reason for the policy invoked Is TO molllfy
f ssteo oppS9 Fmeq t Pf fP2iweddsRRiIp en ef sho se
whose enmitv Is feared. This policy was
Instituted solely for purposes Of political
at has not only retarded the growth
of the society, but has doubled the cost
of the expansion secured. The following
prove the truth of the above observations:
"Old system. 1~S97-19o1. YEARLY average OF
new branches. organized, 81; yearly average
of new members admitted, 9,s63; average
yearly cost to association, $1,000.
New system, 1~9Q4-1906. yearly average
of new branches organized. Al; yearly
average of new members admitted, SOS;
avorage yearly cost to association, $1l,9sl."
Speaking Of the tactics employed by the
supreme recorder to further her own In
terests as well as those of the other Off
GERS associated with her, the writer of
the circular does not hesitate to say that
Illegal representations have been permit
ted at conventions in the past. Touching
on this, 1t reads in part:
The policy of the association is deter
mined by its delegates assembled In the
conventions. These elect the supreme off,
GERS. amend the constitution. make or
change the bylaws, and direct generally
the conduct of the organization.
If the association Is TO be managed IN
the interest of its members, 1t is essen
tial that these delegates be legally elected
from properly qualified branches. To adj
NIT to the convention delegates from
branches not having the requisite fifty
members is to abridge the rights of
branches having more than that number,
and make 1t possible for a minority to
control the action of the majority.
The sole power of passing upon the
eligibility of delegates and the right or
branches to representation in the conven-
ton is lodged with the supreme recorder.
She it is who alone knows the member
ship of each branch. Her books alone
contain the requisite data for determin-
ing the status of the various branches.
She alone has the power Of admitting del
egates to the convention.
An INSCRIPTIONS recorder, by the admls-
sion of Illegal and unqualified delegates,
could control the balance Of power in the
convention. sway the election of officers,
make what bylaws she desired, and direct
the action Of the convention generally.
An official in whom Is reposed such pow
err should be correspondence scrupulous In
it's exercise. There is much evidence to
show that the requisite scrupulous care
has not been exercised by this official in
the past. 1t is positively known that
/ HlduY llitSdl uticRdltS WE'RE duitliittu W
the Detroit convention in 1901. This fact
was presented to the supreme trustees In
October, 1908, but the supreme officials
admitted the fact only when forced to by
reference to the specific cases reported.
OF course. members have no way of de
termining how extensively delegates were
Illegally admitted to that and other con-
ventions. Such a matter could be deter
mined only by comparing the list of dele
gates with the official records In the SUI
preme recorders office. The trustees asked
the supreme recorder to furnish them with
n list of branches entitled to representa-
ton at the Detroit convention that they
might compare 1t with the delegaes In at
tendance, and thus determine the extent OF
the illegal representation. This list, now
ever, was not furnished, and While the
present supreme recorder remains In power
Ii is probable that the extent OF such IL
legal representation at the Detroit ana
other conventions will never be ascertained.
1t is by such contemplate methods that
an unworthy management retains Its con-
troll of q reputable organization.
Much mystery surrounds the disposition
of certain funds which it Is claimed was
paid for advertising In the Fraternal
Leader, and it Is hinted that such an in
come was never recorded in the official
reports of the association. The circular
reads thus:
The Fraternal Leader was made an adj
vertising medium in 1900 and remained
such from that time down to the year 100.
Many advertisements appeared in this or
gan monthly throughout this period. In
newspaper management the principal
source of income is derived from the adj
vertising; yet we search in Yain for n
item of income from this source in the off,
cial reports of tine supreme officers to the
conventions of 1901 and 1904. We know that
there has been income from his source,
but we do not know how much 1t has
been. We know that money has been re-
oeived for advertising In the F'raternas
Leader. but we do not know has
been done with 1t. We know that the re-
ceipts from this source should have found
their way into tho reports given out at the
Detroit and st. Pau conventions, but we
know that they have not found their way
there. This financial discrepancy Is obT
vious on the surface of the reports. Who
can say would be revealed II we
were to dig beneath the surface. No one
suspected the eoTdition Of the big life in
sLrance companies until after the investi-
CATION of the Armstrong committee.
A direct appeal to the delegates who will
attend the convention. the local members
of which will meet in this city tomorrow
night, Is expressed I'm the following:
In your hands is placed the welfare Of
the association. You have both the power
and the right to correct the foregoing
abuses. and you have a duty and obligation
to your sister member which you cannot
shirk. In justice to yourselves and TO the
society you represent, examine into the
foregoing facts and decide upon your
proper course. Do not be fhisled by spe-
cious promises and by explanations that do
not explain. Be fair TO yourselves. to the
administration and to the society. Ask
yourselves II you can, conscientiously, vote
officials.
Section 50 of the bylaws of the associa-