The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-03
IT WILL CARRY.
(Continued from Page One

other question CONSIDERED except LHS
proposed amendment to the laws ana
| constitution providing for the adrnis-
sion of women. After that IS disposed
| of there is nothing more to be done
| and the grand lodge will adjourn.
| There was a meeting held last nlgnt
for the comforting of the grand lodge
degree upon those who are eligible to
it, they being only those who nave
passed through the master workman
chair Nearly every lodge in the state
is represented here and the great
majority of them are terribly in earn
est for the admission OF women into
the order and the discussions this
afternoon along this line were inter-
esting and at times some of the
speakers became eloquent in their ad-
vocacy of the amendment to the laws.
1t may be that there will be such
objection to the unanimous considera-
ton of the amendments that the grand
lodge will not be able to adjourn this
evening or afternoon, but if the session
is held over today it will cost the or
der $4,000 extra and there will be no
change in the result. But some of the
members have a speech in their sys-
tenn and they will be allowed to get it
out. In speaking of this matter today
Grand Master Workman Graybill said:
Every member who has anything to
say on this subject will be given an OPP
portunity to say it and there will be
no gag rule. There will be a free and
it is decided I want every member to
get to work for the good of the order
and it's upbuilding in the state, no mat
ter how it goes. I realize that its de-
feat will put the A. O. L. w. at a dis
advantage with other orders that do
admit women, but we will do the best
we cam and if the women are admitted
you will see the greatest growth in the
A. 0. U. w. of Kansas the order has
ever seen in the state within the next
eighteen months"
Last night and this morning the
Throop hotel was thronged with officers,
delegates and members of the third
house, of the A. o. u. w. grand lodge,
which is now in special session in rep
resentative hall to attempt legislatio
for the admission of women into the
order. This special session lacks the
grand lodge politics that usually sur
rounds the regular session of the grand
lodge because there are no officers to
elect at this session and the only thing
that will be considered is the amend
ment for the admission of women. But
there are some notable politicians in
attendance at this session, men who
have been familiar figures in many po-
litical conventions, both Republican
and Democrat. There is Hugh P. Far
reilly, the we'll known Democrat poll
tician of Chanute, and who rumor has
it will be the Democratic candidate for
congress in the Third district next year
and contest with Phil Campbell for
election. Another well known Third
district politician here is t. A. Cor
dry, editor of the Kansas Workman,
who will probably be a candidate for
representative from Labette county
next year. Then there is w. H. Nell
son, editor of the Smith Center Pho
neer. who has been a familiar figure
in Sixth district and state politics for
VII Of onr1tI nd no
county surveyor of Smith county for
thirty years. Taylor Riddle of Marion
will be one of the floor leaders when
the question of the admission of women
comes up in the grand lodge this aft
ernoon or tomorrow.
First Session in Topeka 1879.
1t was in 1879 that the first session of
the grand lodge of the A. Q. U. W. was
held in Topeka, and this was the first
session of the grand lodge in the state.
At that time there were only eleven
lodges in the state, with a ship
of 865. Today there are over 400 lodges
and the representatives at this special
session represent a membership of over
So 900 representing over $60,000,0 900 of
beneficiary insurance. Since the first
grand lodge of the A. o. u. w. was
held in Topeka the order has paid out
over $4,000, 900 to it's beneflciaries. Up
to a few years ago the grand lodge met
every year and then it was changed to
every two years. 1t was in 1898 that
the grand lodge at its session in Wich-
tia changed the rates, going from the
level assessment of one dollar each to
the classified plan. Another important
session of the grand lodge. was that
held in Salina in 1908 when the Kansas
grand lodge seeded from the supreme
lodge, and at that session a reserve
fund was established that now
amounts to nearly a million dollars and
is constantly growing.
When asked today what in his esti-
nation would be the result of the ad-
mission of women, T. A. Cordry of
Parsons, editor of the Kansas Work
man, said:
Cordry on Admitting Women.
ct consider it the most important
piece of grand lodge legislation that
Zation- 1t is in keeping with the spirit
of progress that is characterizing
Kansas, and will place the A. O. U. w.
on a competing basis with other orders
only two fraternal beneficiary orders
in the state that took in more mem
bers last years than the A. o. L. W.,
and each of these admitted women,
states, while the A. o. L. W. only en-
braced the state of Kansas"
What will be the effect of the adj
mission of women into the A. O. u w
was asked.
ct hope that it will have no other
effect than to increase the member
ship in that order. I would be sorry
to see that or any other such organiza-
ton suffer the loss of membership
want them all to succeed, and don't
believe that it will in any material way
affect the Degree of Honor. We
asked them to join with us, and they |
and yet during the year 1912 |
there were only about 500 new mem |
bers added to the Degree of Honor, |
while over 1000 were added to the
A. Q. U. w" |
To Keep Up With the Times.