Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-11-18

san Francisco boasts OF $4,000 pop
Eulation. Taking into consideration the
admirable location and the ability OF
her people to handle big propositions,
if ia little wonder that the United
States Congress decided upon
that metropolitan city as R most suit
able spot upon which the completion
of the Panama Canal might be cele
brated in q striking and memorable
fashion. Here it is that the nations
of the world have brought for exhibit
ton the best of their products and all
who have beheld the wonders there
displayed agree that the Panama-Pacl-
fc Exposition Is arehitecturally and ar
tist1caliy, the most beautiful they have
ever seen before.
1T was in this enchanted land that
the Sovereign Grand Lodge Indepen-
! dent Order of Odd Fellows met in it's
ninety-frst annual communication
September 20 of this good year. The
! usual divine services preceding the
sessions were conducted on Sunday
morning, September 18th at Cavalry,
Presbyterian Church by the pastor,
DIR. Josiah Sibley, who delivered an
impressive discourse based upon the
I~covenant between Jonathan and David
Many officers and representatives of
the Grand Lodge were in attendance.
On the following morning the first sesr
sion of the ~goyernoring body of the
greatest fraternity the world has ever
known was formally opened in the
Scottish Rite Temple. There were
welcoming addresses galore and a
large ~concourse of people applauded
them vociferously. Acting Grand Sire
Judge J.. B. A. Robertson, of Oklaho-
ma, fttingly responded on behalf o.
] the Sovereign Grand Lodge.
The first business transacted was
\ the election of a successor to the Ia
mented Grand Sire, Judge Robert T.
Daniel of Griffith, Georgia, this dis.
tinguished honor going to Judge Rob-
ertson by a unanimous vote. To fill
the vacant chair of Deputy Grand Sire
required only one ballot which result
ed in the election of Judge Frank q.
Cloudy, of Denver, Colorado. In the
selection of standing committees, the
representatives from North Carolina
drew important assignments, n
Craftsmanship going to your humble
servant.
Much of the routine / am not priv
ileged to disclose. Perhaps the most
important action taken was the adop-
ton of an entirely new revised Code
of Laws prepared by a committee COM
posed of Representatives Rhinehardt,
of Florida, EastiR of Mississippi, and
Troutman, OF New York. 1t is said To
be one of the most complete codifica-
tins of the laws of the Order ever pub
IiShed. The lo gislation of almost o
century was Gigested with extreme
care and ali existing statutory provi-
SONS placed in a form that will easily
be possible to all. This new code
becomes effective on January 1, 1916
a. which time copies are expected to
be available. Few, If any, changes Ill
the present laws were enacted. The
proposed amendme nt relatives to age
was not passed upon, being ruled out
on a point of order. The proposition
relative to qualifications of represent.
atives Of the Sovereign Grand Lodge
met a similar fate. Both of these sug-
gestions will be considered at the an
nual c~onclaYe, which is to be held in
| Chattanooga, Tennessee next year.
BY far the most interesting event
of the session was the annual parade
on Wednesday, when the 6ve-milel long
pageant moved through the city pro
per to the exposition grounds. Aeon
Sentative estimate placed the number
of participants at 10000 and many of
the local people who witnessed the
parade pronounced it the largest and
most creditable exhibition of like
character that San Francisco had ex-
! peFienced since the exposition began.
Numbers of beautiful floats entered by
local organizations were in evidence.
There were tally-hos bands, drum
corps patriarchs militant in full dress
uniform and other attractions too
numerous to mention. One float that
attracted the interested observer was
a miniature representation of the Cal
ifornia Odd Fellows Home; another
the insignia of the Order in the shape
i of three flower links with a little girl
in the center of each link. A car was
provided for each state delegation and
these moved forward in alphabetical
order. 1t was IN inspiring scene, n
worth going hundreds of miles to wit
ness.
But my story is already too long
and I must stop right here. While the
trip was highly interesting and enjoy
/ able / am delighted to be back in the
Old North State again which, after, all
is in a class to itself and hard to beat.
Fraternally,
M. L. SHIPMAN.
Raleigh, N. c., Nov. 1915.
CITY STATEMENT.