The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-08-03
KNIGHTS ARE
IN SESSION
ANNUAL CONVENTION OF PYTHi.
AN ORDER Is BEING
HELD.

tering regalia and tens of thousands of
the rank and file of the Pythian army
invaded the city of baked beans and
culture today to take part in the glo-
rious program arranged for the TWEEN
! ty- fifth program convention of the
Knights of Pythas and the encamp-
ment of the uniformed rank.
| Never before in the history of Bos-
ton has a fraternal gathering attract
ed has an attendance, and the prophesy
that 10000 visitors will be here during
the the week is in fair way to be full
filled. 1t is estimated that before the
great conclave classes Saturday mil
| lion dollars will have been expended by
| the entertainment committee and the
visiting members, breaking all records
| for a convention of fraternal order.
Addresses of welcome by Boston city
officials the formal opening of the uni
| formed rank encampment and d mag
nificent electrical display are features
| Of today's program. Two great par
AIDES will be held during the week, in
which Pythians from every state of the
union and many from Canada will
participate. Elaborate decorations have
already been installed along the line of
march. The first of these spectacles,
the military parade of the uniformed
rank, will take place tomorrow. We'd
nesday will be the great day for the
| subordinate lodges. The parade will
take up the greater part Of the morn
| ing while the afternoon will be devoted
to reviews and drills. In the evening
reception will be held complimentary
| to the subordinate lodges. Thursday
will be devoted to sightseeing with a
grand military ball in the evening
Friday will be another sight seeing day
and in the evening the first and third
! ranks will be conferred. On Saturday
evening festivities will be closed with
a grand carnival on the Charles river.
Legislation of Importance to the
order will be enacted there will be a
new supreme character elected to sue
coed the present efficient chief exc
cutive Of the order, Judge Charles A.
Barnes, of Illinois. 1t is, customary for
the supreme lodge officers to advance in
rotation, but it is not certain that all
the present line will be promoted
The order now has Il membership Of
nearly 100000, Ohio, Indiana and IL
linois leading in numbers. Charles y.
Barnes. of Jacksonville, H., is su-
preme chancellor: Henry P Brown. OF
Texas, supreme vice chancellor. and
r. L. c. White of Nashville, Tenn,
supreme keeper of record and seals.
The name of the order has a CLASH
cal origin. being based on a story told
by Plutarch. Cimero and others of two
friends in Syracuse, one of whom be-
ing condemned to death by the tyrant
Dyonisiaus, and wishing before death.
to visit his friends. offered the other
friend as surety for his safe return.
He did return. just as his friend Da-
mon was being led forth to execution.
For this the tyrant RENTED the SEN
tence and asked to be admitted as a
third in a friendship so real. The name
of the condemned man is given as
Phintias, lately changed. we know not
how. to Pythias.
The origin of this order is not lost
in the msts of antiquity or fable. 1t
was organized in Washington, D. c..
February 10. 1864, by four or five per-
sons, one of them being Schuyler Col
fax. later under Grant. vice president
of the United States. The main feat
ures of the organization and it's ritual
are largely due to Ernest G. Rathbone.
It's primary object was to enlist young
men as helpers to Mr.. Lincoln in his
efforts to preserve the union, and Mr..
Lincoln himself highly appreciated the
| order. Since the war it has spread
through the south as we'll as the north.
There is a lodge in Hawaii and one in
the Philippines.
Beside the General order and I'M
der separate officers are the Endow-
ment rank with some nearly 10000
members, an insurance company late
ly re-organized on al old line basis
at rate rather lower than the regu-
lar companies. and the Uniform Rank,
military organization having nearly
$4,000 members.
The government of the order is
r1,o at bat Of "a Tinted