Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-02-25
KANSAS WORKNIEN Max QUIT
SUPREME LODGE OF THE U. S.
Members Think They Can Get Along
Better Without Sending Money
To The Supreme Lodge
Would Keep 1t At Home.

sauna, FeD. 2Z.-The session Ol
the Grand Lodge, A. o. U. W., com
mencing here today promises to be
one Of the most interesting in the his
tory of the order in Kansas, Two bis
fights have already come to the
front. The larger of these will be
the attempt of the Kansas grand
lodge to secede from the national
body, or supreme lodge.
"a great many of the delegates
feel" said q. M. Forde, of Emporia,
this morning, who has been grand
recorder of the lodge for 2S consecu-
tive years and will be reelected here,
that as 1t costs us, or will soon cost
us about $40, year to belong to
the supreme lodge, we might as well
withdraw our affiliation with 1t and
save that much to our members. AS
1t now stands our share of the per
capita tax to the supreme lodge
amount to about $4,000 a year. If we
stay in until the assessment of the
fraternal aid fund by the supreme
lodge we will have to turn over to-
it about $500 a month or over $780,
900 year. There will be a sharp
fight made for secession and would
not be surprised If 1t will win"
There will also be a fight to reduce
the assessments against the members
of the state to make an income barely
sufficient to meet the death losses.
AS 1t now is, besides the dues, which
are paid four times a year, each
member is assessed nearly every
month for the benefit fund. AT pres
ent the surplus in this fund is over
100000 which is turned over to
what is called an investment fund
and with it is bought bonds, etc., In
the name of the order, the income
from these investments going to
swell the fund. A goo0 many dele
gates think the fund is large enough
and that the assessments should be
made to meet actual requirements to
pay death losses only.
II do not think" said Mr.. Forde
today, "that this measure will carry,
though l am sure it will be intro
duced."
The idea seems to be that the as
sessments are not large and with
them the order will soon be Glib
raIter, financially.
1t developed with the arrival Of
Jome of the advance guard, that there
Is, after all, opposition to the re-
election of John Crider, of Fort Scott, {
rs grand master workman. He is q
". M. Mishler, of Atchison. 1t is fur
her discovered that in addition to G
'ittsburg and Wichita, Independence I
s also candidate for the next meet e
ng place two years from now. r
1t seems likely now that the enter c
ainment of the visitors by local b
ommittee appointed to show the one '
nd one-half thousand of them S
through Salinas industries and her h
arious points of interest, will take 81
lace Tuesday afternoon. :
ION Tuesday morning the commit
ee will be appointed" said Mr..
'orde, "and II they are not ready to
eport till late in the afternoon as
Ometime happens. the members will
eSgIad to avail themselves Of the in
itation to see the city. If the COM
llttees are ready to report, however,
he trip will have to be postponed"
1t has been decided, too, to give
he play, "My Brothers Keeper"
-hich tells an A. o. U. W. story,
NO nights instead of one. 1t will be
resented at the Pierce both Tuesday
vening and Wednesday evening.
Abilene may have a grand officer in
r. T. R. Conklin who Is receiving
oom for grand medical examiner. 1t
practically certain that a change
Ill be made and he is very popular
mong central and western Kansas
elegates.