The newspaper., 1909-04-09
The Gyrstious Of = Timer.
BY BuRRITT HAMILTON.

BY BURRITT HAMILTON.
Burning curiosity has thrown lit
tie light upon the hidden ways OF
secret societies. We all know that
one who belongs is a ''j'iner," and
that one who does not belong is an
"outsider." At this point General
knowledge pauses, embarrassed and
without the password.
The finer and the outsider look
upon each other with a degree of
suspicion.
Secrecy is obviously the cloak of
shame" thinks the outsider.
"You must be too mean to get In"
is the liners mental rejoinder.
Here the matter rests. Here it has
rested since Solomon dedicated his
temple. Here it might have con-
tinued to rest, had not the letters
from Gubbins to Tompson, and
from Tompson to Gubbins, been ex-
humed from a discarded file by a
prying Office boy.
The "old man." fired the boy,
kept the letters, and died. Perhaps
he read the letters. Anyhow, one
should not discharge help nor read
forbidden writings inconsiderately.
AS executor OF the deceased's estate,
his assets were mostly liabilities
l have been required to sell his be-
longings under an order of court.
which must not be disobeyed. So at
last, with judicial sanction and by
due process OF law, the inmost work
ings OF secret societies-the gyra-
tions of the j'iner-are to be laid
open to the world.
EXHIBIT A
BALooNBURG, Oct. 10. l90-
My Dear Tompson: / am in a
duce of dilemma. Am up for mayor
at the coming election. My oppon-
ent is a member OF the Ancient leagu-
ers tfounded last year, and l am
invited to join. To enter a secret
order violates my life long princi.
Piles; to decline endangers my cleo
ton. The Ancient Leaguers control
the local situation. What do you
advise? Answer quick,
Sincerely, SAMUEL GUBBISs.
EXHIBIT
AERoPLANE, Oct. 16, I90-
My Dear Old Gubby: Your letter
received. You don't want advice.
All you want 10 some one to lay IT
to. when you stifie your imaginary
principles to crafty your ambitions.
You have already fully decided to
join the Ancient Leaguers. Now you
are trying to fix things up, so you
may explain that you did it ''by ad-
vice of council"
For twenty-five years you have
been paving the air about secret So
cieties.-have been pointing to me
as an awful example OF the effects OF
being a Tiner.-until the statute OF
limitations has run against your pet
aversion. and you find yourself alone
on the job of slandering these organ
izations,-alone and impotent. like
a blinking owl hooting against sun
rise.
Ii Is cheerful to note your pathetic
references to lifelong principles"
Let me tell you. il is your egotism,
not your principles, that will get
jolted II you don't wake up. What
do you suppose the Ancient Leagu-
ers will do to an old fossil that joins
their order for the transparent pur-
pose of gaining votes? | will tell
you. they will eat him alive, II YOU
are bent on political suicide. carry
out your present intention. 1t will
Ice educational 1t will teach you
that. while you may hastily lend
yourself to "A powerful secret order,
the powerful secret order will not
hastily lend itself to you.
Were | less your friend, should
not write thus plainly. With all
your faults, l have liked you since
the early days when, as coadven-
turers and fellow sufferers. we
hooked n cob pipe and practised
smoking behind the old barn at
home. feel that know you inside
and out.-my opportunities for OBJ
servation have been exceptional. On
the strength of all this | NAV Mt