Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-04
Knights of Pythias Plan to
Gust Him at Oskaloosa
Convention
HAS BEEN BOSS OF THE ORDER
A Certain Faction Of the Order Dis
contented Under His Ru'e-PIans
Are Under Way to Mako Entire Re-
vision Of the Laws Relating to EIee-
ton Of Officials.
Special to Tlmes-Republican.

SpeClaI 10 IImeS- heDuDl1CGHs
Davenport Aug. Alt is probable
that Ben L. Salnger, the well-knoWn
Carroll and Davenport attorney, mem :
Der Of the firm Of Salinger, Scott d
Theophilus. would deny that he ID the
car of Iowa Pythianism, but there are
some members of the order who are
rising up in their places and Gaining
him that. In fact, from the camp of
the enemy comes stories that declare
that the dethroning of Mr.. Salinger
viii! be the principal aim Of large
contingent to the next grand lodge OF
the Iowa Pythians.
Unless all signs fail, the coming sea-
son of the Pythian grand lodge at Us
kaloosa will be made memorable by
the adoption of some RADICAL legis!a-
ton, all intended to wipe out the pres
ent "Salinger dynasty" and to inaugur-
ate system of elections that Will ef-
fectualy prevent the forming of ANY
other com bination" or dynasty with
power to run the affairs of the order
according to the wishes of the few in
control, regardless of the wishes of the
general membership of the state.
Want More Liberal Plan.
| A prominent member of the order
stated that he is in favor of an even
| more liberal and comprehensive plan
! for grand lodge elections than has
been so long in vogue among the Odd
Fellows of the country, his idea being
| that every member in good standing
ought 70 have the privilege of voting
| for every candidate for grand lodge
| offices.
The Pythian above quoted states
that in his opinion all nominations in
the Pythian grand lodge should be
made as they are by the Odd Fellows,
and these candidates voted upon later
in each lodge, every member in good
standing being permitted to vote:
He holds that it is manifestly unfair
to bar a member from voting because
he has not had the opportunity to go
thru the chairs" and asserts that the
rule of combining the voting power TO
past noble grands, as in the Odd Eel
lows, or to past chancellor command
ers. in the X. P's, would tend to limit
the field of desirable candidates for
grand lodge positions to those men
who might have the greatest pull
with the officers of the lodges.
Salinger is Dictator.
| 1t is an open secret that Ben. /.
| Salinger of Carroll, is the dictator to
the Pythian grand lodge of Iowa;
that .Salinger has made" more grand
| chancellors than any other man in
the state, and in many cases con-
trolled the appointments as we'll as
the official actions of his favorites. Be-
cause several of the lodges of the
state had the courage to criticize the
"Salinger dynasty" they were severely
called down" by Grand Chancellor
Billby, who has threatened to take
their charters away from them. Mr..
Billby has issued a circular to the or
der in which he seeks to Justify his
action, but his explanations are not
satisfactory, and they will undoubt-
eddy be the subject of some lively dis
cussions at Oskaloosa
Law May Be Revised.
In fact 1t will not be surprising if
the grand lodge entirely revises the
law relating to elections of grand
lodge officials outside of the "dynas-
ty' lodge officials, with the result that
the delegates outside of the dynasty
would nominate an entirely new set
of officers and that their efforts would
be rewarded by an overwhelming cleo
ton of the new candidates when the
members were allowed to vote, as
many prominent Pythians declare
Shou1d he the rule.