The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-08-28
ODD FELLOWS SUPREME
COURT.
By B. J. Davis, Chief Justice.

There is we'll organized effort on
throughout the several jurisdictions to
discredit the Supreme Court of the
Grand United Order of Odd Fellows,
and l feel that I owe it not only to
myself as an individual, but to the
court as its chief officer to answer
some of the many charges made
against the institutions usefulness. L
can make the defense or explanation
without fear or favor, for the reason
I am not candidate to succeed my
SELF Whether the court is preserved
or destroyed, I am not even eligible
for membership on it's bench, there,
fore, I am in position to discuss the
matter without bias and impartiality
The general TRADE against the court
is organized and prosecuted by the
politicians in the order, by those who
want place and plunder. If the gov
ernment of our order in this country
has any genius at all, that genius is
representative. Our government is
largely republican in form and is fash
ioned after the government of the
United States. 1t is divided into
three branches, executive, Legislative
and judicial; and each of these branch
es are just as essential in the economy
of our fraternal scheme of govern
ment as said branches are essential
in the government of our country
The officers of our order, like the Of
ficers of Our government, are controll-
ed by the consent of the governed
The people themselves are the crea-
tors, and the officeholders, sub COM
mittee, court and all are the creatures,
and there is no just power except that
which derives from the consent of the
people.
1t is the duty of the S. C. NJ, which
is the executive branch, to enforce the
laws when is knows them. 1t is the
duty of the B. M. c., the legislative
branch, to make the laws, and the du-
ty of the Supreme Court, the judi
cial branch, to interpret the law. 1t
is generally understood in this coun-
try that the Grand Master is at the
head of the opposition to the court
The court is creature of the Grand
Masters brain. He conceived, drew
and introduced the scheme that gave
to us the court. If it was a good
thing when he drew the plan and had
it passed, it is a good thing now. 1t
came from his lodge, Hutchinson
Lodge, 1862. The Grand Master Gre
ated this branch of the order that he
might have an easy way to pass the
balance of his days on the pay roll
He did not hesitate to tell us at Bal
timore that in the event he was not
elected he only wanted to be chief
justice; and if he was elected, he only
wanted to serve two years and then
be retired to the bench to serve the
balance of his days. He fixed the
salaries; if they are extravagant, he
fixed them, and the act was practical
ly adopted by the 18th B. M. c., as
Grand Master Morris wrote it. Why
he has turned on his child and seeks
to kill it we will undertake to show
further on in this article.
1. The general charge against the
court is that it is useless and without
place in the economy of Our gov
ernment. This is not true, and shows
ignorance on the part of many, and
meanness on the part of others. Ev-
cry republican form of government
has three branches, executive, legis-
Cont. to page 4, col. 2.