The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-08-21
A FRATERNAL TRAVESTY.
G. u. o. of O. F. Treasury Depleted

we are dppdhtu DIT the StdtcilcHt
of facts covering the present condi-
ton of the Grand United Order OF
Odd Fellows contained in the editor
ial in last weeks Atlanta Independent
under the caption THE TRUTH IS
THE LIGHT" Can it be possible
that the greatest fraternal organiza-
ton among our people in the world
must be sacrificed to satisfy the lust
for power and office by one individ-
ual, Edward H. Morris, of Chicago
the present Grand Master; a man
who has. had his nose in the trough
of the organization for more than a
quarter of a century; who has had all
the honors and their accompanying
emolutions that it was possible to get
by means that were fair and some
that were foul, and who now appears
to be determined to hold his present
office for life, or ruin the greatest
opportunity that the Negro has fol
good in organized effort.
We are surprised to learn the condi-
ton to which Morris has reduced the
Odd Fellows during his past four
years administration as shown by the
following paragraph from the Atlanta
Independents editorial:
"Our information is that the Treas.
ury of the Sub Committee is prac-
tically depleted. The administration
is not able to meet the legitimate ex-
penses OF. the order. 1t has not only
wiped out the 100000 surplus re.
ceived from the Houston administra-
ton, but it has spent the entire re-
ceipts for the four years, and is not
able now to meet it's obligations. Now
this is the truth. We know about the
annual receipts of the order, and
either Morris people have collected
this money and spent it, or it is owed
by the subordinate branches. 1t is
up to the administration to show who
is indebted by itemized statement to
the order for legal obligations. But
the public cannot expect an admins
tration that holds its life by force to
economically or wisely spend their
money, so it is evident, and obviously
so, that it is not the cost of the SUI
preme Court that wiped out the Hous-
ton surplus and depleted the treas
ury"
We read from subsequent paragraph
in the Independent that the Supreme
Court has been a rather small item
considering its worth, as compared
with the expenditure of over $15o 900
to run the Odd Fellows Journal to
secure delegates to the B. M. c., at
Boston. We met the Supreme Court
when in St. Paul to codify its laws.
The principle of government of the
Odd Fellows is the same as that of
our National Government. Those who
are affected by decisions from all STU
preme bodies are always for their
overthrowal. Hence the Court should
have many enemies We have heard
Hon. w. R. Morris, and Hon. w. T.
Francis of our city praise the SUI
preme Court, and tell of its accomp-
lishments, and to our recollection the
Court was instituted by Grand Mas
ter Morris, with Ben. J. Davis of At
lanta as Chief Justice, it was believed
that Davis and Morris would ex-
change positions at the last B. M. c.,
at Georgia, but the slate was broken.
Morris refused to step out and he adj
ljourned the convention without an
election, holding his position by pow
ers invested. His brother did not ap-
prove his action. The affair was a
disgrace to the order and the white
| newspapers gave it wide publicity.
But whether the Court is necessary or
not, where is that money!. If Boss
Ed. could go to Georgia and hold his
own, we fear he can go to Boston
and re-elect himself even if by con-
fusion, and. abolish the Supreme
Court. Edward Morris is King of the
G. U. o. of o. F." and the King can
do no wrong; but the divine right OF
kings has caused some trouble in
Europe recently as we'll as in olden
days. We hope not to have razors
drawn at this B. M. c., if so in
stead of G. U. o. for Grand United
Order, we suggest D. D. D. for Damn
Divided Disturbance, if these tactics
prevail in the future Let the prin-
lciples remain Grand; it's members
United, and the Order of Odd Eel.
lows the most constructive organiza-
ton of Negroes in the world. Editors
Ben Davis can do effective work with
those X-ray editorials, and his good
old Georgia" delegation will keep the
Atlanta Independent as their official
organ ..'