The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-14
HOT CONTEST FOR
RULER OF B.P.O.E.
James L. SammiS of Iowa Wins
After Long Struggle That
ArOuses Bitterness.
CHARGE OF UNFAIRNESS
MADE BY EXALTED RULER
Detroit Has An Easy Victory
For Honor of Entertaining
EIks Next June.

LOS ANGELES, July 13.-The Grand
Lodge of Elks today elected the follow
ing officers;
Exalted ruler, james Q. samnnis,
Lemars, Ia.
Leading knight, Warren G. sayre,
Wabash. Ind
Lecturing knight, J. D. Jones, Scran.
ton, Pa.
Secretary, Fred c. Robinson, Du.
buque, Ia,
Treasurer, Edwin r. Leach, New
York
Trustee, Perry A. Clay, Denver.
Tyler, Charles l.. Dicker, Bemidiie,
MINI.
Inner guard, A. NJ Taylor, st. Angus
tine, Fla.
The balloting for grand exalted loyal
knight resulted in no election. four
candidates being voted for and no one
receiving majority j. L. Preston OF
Wyoming received 325 votes.
Another ballot Will be taken tomor-
row.
The count was completed at clock,
and after the official notification Of
the result had been made to Grand Ex-
salted Ruler Holland at his headquarters
at the Alexandra hotel, the results were
given to the press.
The vote for the grand exalted ruler
was extremely close. Sammis receiving
900 votes and Hermann 529,
Hot Fight for Ruler.
The big fight Of the session OF the
grand lodge was over the election of a
grand exalted ruler The result of this
contest was il doubt until the count of
the votes was completed.
During the last hours the struggle
for votes. led by the Iowa delegation
for Sammis, and the Ohio delegation for
Hermann. grew INTO a bitter one, and
into this final struggle many prominent
Elks, including Rush l.. Holland. the
present grand exalted ruler. were drawn.
In statemer: regarding the publica-
tion of letter he had written TO Sam
mis-. Mr.. Holland complained that un-
fairness had been shown in not giving
out the entire contents of the letter. but
only such portions as made il appear
that he had endorsed the candidacy of
Sammis.
The only other contest was over the
office Of grand exalted lecturing
knight. Harry Walter Of Philadelphia.
aud j. D. Jones of Scranton. Pa, were
nominated. Jones developed consider
able strength during the last hours.
Detroit for Next Meeting.
The only business transacted by the
grand lodge today, outside OF the cleo
ti0n of Officers. was the selection of
Detroit as the place for holding the re-
union in 1910. ST. Louis, Boston and
Portland. Or, were mentioned as rivals
OF Detroit. but no strength for any one
Of these developed, aud when ST. Louis
Withdrew from the contest, Detroit was
named by acclamatior.
Thousands Of visitors to the reunion,
who did not attend the session Of the
grand lodge. went 10 Santa Monica,
Ocean Park and Venice, nearby beach
resorts. where progra mme Of enter
taiDment was provided.
In the annual report Of Grand Ex-
aIted Ruler Holland. the matter Of
establishing an orphanage for the chill
drep OF deceased Elks is submitted TO
the grand lodge without recommends
ton.
Plans for New Home.
The location of the present National
Elks home at Bedford. Va. was criti-
eiscd by the grand exalted ruler. who
suggested that fund OF 92l6.OO0 be
raised by the order during the next ten
years, By an annual assessment Of five
cents Il member, and that n new home
be built in some other city.
The report shows that the last wear
has been one of unprecedented pros
pcrity for the order Forty-rwo new
lodges have been established, and the
total number of members exceeds 30O,-
COO
The report condemns the uge of mem
bership in the Elks order for political
purposes and urges the expulsion of any
member so abusing his privileges.