Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-07-09

Z 4
der Of Elks is now herding in Los An
geles, and the Southern California
metropolis is doing itself proud while
entertaining them. Organized forty
two years ago, the Elks at once set
out to live up to their reputation as
the "Best People on Earth" Their
lodges have multiplied with a re-
markable rapidity in these fOrty-twel
years, and instead of being only a !
struggling little society in New York,
made up mainly of Thespians, and
calling themselves the Jolly Corks,
they are now an order with nearly
100000 members in the United States
! and many thousands in Canada. In
the two countries they have some
1900 lodges. They are a liberal Or
der, the grand lodge in the United
States and its component parts hav-
ing distributed over $36O,O0O in bene-
fits during the past year. Besides
this there is more than 100000 in
reserve in the treasury of the grand
lodge.
| The Elks have always responded to
the call of distress in times of great
national or international calamity.
When the San Francisco earthquake
was first reported, the grand lodge
sent a check for $4,000 for the re-
lief of San Francisco Elks. Later,
every lodge in the country supple
mented this donation. But the San
Francisco Elks were game. They
would not accept a cent of the money
that came, and in due course it was
all returned to the donors. 1t is said
that not a single San Francisco ELI
accepted aid from any source during
those trying times. When the earth
quake at Messina was reported thu
: Elks were among the earliest con
tributors to the relief of the stricken
I, yet no publicity was given to thei
handsome donation. 1t is not thei
4 way. In giving they take the beauti
full course of not letting their on
I hand know what the other does.
The founding of this peculiarl
American order was due largely t
the efforts of an Englishman, Charlie
g A. s. Vivian, who became the frs
: exalted ruler Of the grand lodge. H
y was a theatrical performer, and whe
= the question of name better suite
e to the enlarged scope of the orde
came up he wanted to call them Blu
q faloes. There was stiff fight b.
IT tween the advocates of Buffalo an
Is those who favored Elk. When IL
lie latter was chosen there were sixtee
IS votes cast, nine for Elk and seven fl
Sc Buffalo. But even that closely fougl
contest did not settle the matter.
was only after many works of natur
history had been examined and Il
70 relative merits of the elk and buffa
I'd as symbols of the things for which Il
C. order stood had been established, tn
to the difference was finally and fOrev
a resolved in favor of the elk. TIL
n. animal fights only in defense of itse
ed its mate or its young, but when
m does fight it is one of the most fear
ad of all the denizens of the animal kin
at dom.
as From the day that the elk was
he lected to represent the brotherhoC
ed. there has been steady growth of
he order. The value of the proper
He they own runs into the millions, a
ad the number of members is annua
I'm increasing. They number amo
got their members many Of the leadi
40 citizens of the United States. W
ce, lam Jennings Bryan is an Elk. So
the Ex-Vice President Fairbanks, SCI
the tors Bailey, LaFollette, Tillman, CT
He genheim and Cummins. John Sh;
ere Williams, Governor John A. Johns
out and many other prominent politi
lad leaders are members Of the order.
eed For doing "stunts" there is
cry other order in America that can S
lre' pass the Elks. They are true
Oy lovers, although they possess I'll
'hd serious moments as well. Every
city in the country wants to capt
the annual herding. Little cities n
have no such desire, since there
ar so many visitors they would swa
TO the hotel accommodations of a sn
'a'- place. 1t is nothing out of the orc
a airy for them to have parade fit
OF miles long, and no matter if Old So
t ti coming down at white heat, the E
1ne will have their annual process
I a And such show as they put up.
way circus managers might well be