The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-03-03
'TOlIS ON =. !. :. 7. Z.
-
. e !. EXPLAINS ]Il / \
His Connection With the Pythian r.
-, and S. Tax. .'.' ..." -

10 the Edltor or Tne Advocate: :,
In its issue OF the 18th of February
the Mountain Leader under the, cap
tion PAY Your tPythian Temple and
Sanitarium Tax proceeded to laud
the present administration and to
cast reflections upon the last.
I am unable to see why the friends
iof the present administration persist
In such actions, unless it is because
they think that l may possibly be
candidate for Grand Chancellor again.
IL this is, true, ! want to relieve their
suspense and set their souls at rest
by saying came out of office with
less money than when l went in and
with knowledge OF the selfishness,
treachery and deception Of many of
our Pythian brethren that is mystify-
ing to any one who loves the order.
therefore l shall not again seek office
at the hands Of the Grand Ladge, but
Will content myself with standing
aside and seeing The Leader, and
It's cohorts reign in their glory. ~------
Coming to the question of the
IemDle and Sanitarium Tax for 1909,
l wish to say that the law makes 1t
the duty Of the Grand Keeper of
Records and Seals to collect this tax
and transmit 1t to the secretary of
the Temple and Sanitarium Commits
sion. Consequently in the early part
or April, 1909 addressed the follow
ing letter: - go,
Office Of The
Grand Chancellor. '..
Charleston, w. Va. -....
April 9Th, 1909.
10 the Pythian Lodges Of the State
OF West Virginia:
your attention is hereby called to
the Supreme Law imposing an annual
tax of 20 cents on each financial mem
Der. All lodges are requested to col
lect- said -tax-and- forward II TO tho
Grand Keeper Of Records and Seals,
II. II. Railey, not later than the 18th
day of April.
Yours in F. G. & B.,
-'-.-- - w. b: Th enapson, C. c.
| am sure that was as much sur
prised as anyone else to know that
this tax had not been sent to the sec
retary Of the Commissi on. -.y ~ r,
Continuing the d1ead er Std tes iSc"rhe
present administration. In every re re-
slect Baa s
Surely everyone wilt be glad to get
thls Information, coming as it does
from the Grand Chancellor's moutha|
piece. This brings to mind the story
IN Aesop's fables where the man and
the lion disputed as to which belong
ed to the nobler race. The man con-
tended that lie belonged to the nobler |
race and attempted to substantiate |
his position by saying he had seen a |
statue or man leaping over a lion. |
The lion replied, that proves moth
Ing. Had the lion been the SCULPTOR
he would have been leaping over the |
man. If the present administration |
Is success, (and we hope it Isl it is
mainly to two causes
first, the favorable change in the
industrial conditions that enables
the members 20 do more fraternal |
work second, the fact that the Pyth-
ians in the state are united in an ef-
tort to make 1T a success, while the
last administration had to content it.
self with the aid Of those who SUP
ported it at Huntington, the others
sulking in their tents and being to |
Dythianism like the missing link in |
the history of Christ, they did moth
Ing except to food the state with let |
ters that did much to destroy conf |
dence and thus weaken the order. |
Riding into power by such question
able methods it would be the part Of |
wisdom for the administration
clear itself Of the charge of treason |
and gain the respect that is essential |
to the success Of the order.
--W--L -Thnmpsnnx tt
Thomas, w. Va. |
February 2S, 1910.
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