Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-11
The Grand Court
Of Maine, Foresters
Holds Convention
Officers Elected for Ensuing Year and Installed
at 22nd Annual Session Held Wednesday in
Augusta Eight Courts R pr esented by Is
Delegates

consequently the lives OF all with whom
we come in contact.
I'm a few courts, the attendance was
also few, and here, ] wish to extend my
sincerest thanks and appreciation to
those brothers, who meeting after meet
ing, hold their fidelity and courage 1t is
indeed almost discouraging to the off,
GERS to reach the lodge rooms meeting
night, to find but few Comparatively the
same few to conduct business.
why such a lack of interest should
exist, / am at a loss to account for I
trust that in none of our inner circles are
harbored factions or discord, because, my
dear Brothers, there are no diseases that
more rapidly eat into the vitals of fra
ternalism and cause certain death to our
subordinate bodies than these two most
arch enemies Of concord Chat fourth
great principle of the Forestic circle,
For the year just passed we are to be
most thankful. The conditions across the
seas should indeed incite every right
thinking Forester to work still harder in
making our order all that it proclaims
The Brotherhood of Man
Now is our opportunity, and we should
grasp 1t hard and hold with firm grip.
Many of our young men of today seem to
be interested only in the present, ana
grasp at those things which have only
the social tendencies. This forestic cir
Gle OF ours is great school, and in it we
must educate orr members so thoroughly
IN It's principles that they may be able
10 convince their acquaintance that it Is
to their advantage especially to join with
US.
Il am a firm believer and advocate in
publicity and have endeavored to instill
into the courts the value of constantly
keeping the work Of the order before the
general public
your Grand Court officers have been
continually using every available means
10 increase our membership, but no mat
ter what may be said to the contrary. we
are all OF us aware of the present condt-
tlon or an almost stagnation in the indus
trial life of this nation. However. res,
assured, my Brothers, that the Foresters
OF America in the course of a few wears
will meet with new wave of prosner;tv
which will place her at the ton of al, IKE
in these United States
Ihere mas been constant decline in
tnls great fraternity since the reign Of
supreme Chief Ranger Rogan, in 1907;
when we had attained our highest mark
OF z4so47 until in August, 1915, when under
supreme Chief Ranger OBren, we num-
pered N5, 765. In other words. we are
now where we were in 1901. under Su
preme Chief Ranger Ford. From 1901 to
lso| we have increased So, AL and from 1907
10 1915 we decreased 42sS2 Why it should
De thus l will not attempt to give answer
Out with the renewed vigor being injected
nto the order at the present time. our on
ward march and rise in numbers will be
rapid and I trust lasting.
we are today being tried harder than
1t any period in our fraternal career. hut
we Will not be found wanting and the
'terling worth of the Foresters OF
america Will surely be recognized
L am deeply grieved to announce that
mere is wanting in our gathering this
morning one whom we will greatly miss
n our deliberations here today: one
whose kindly greetings and able counsel
won for him the admiration of his fell
owmen. He was the organizer of this
'rahd Court, its first grand chief ranger
md one whose valuable work among us.I
" III SNci NC SIleriSIeQ, IN our fOreStiC |
'ircle Past Grand Chief Ranger George
.. McMunn of Court Henry Grattan of
Bangor whom we all loved, passed away |
liter short illness at his home in Ban |
'or, Tuesday, March 7th last. Nav the |
work. he so grandly built and conscien- |
lously upheld, forever be monument |
o his memory"
Grand Secretarv's Ran.r+
The report af Alexander G. Wilson of |
"estbrook, the grand secretary. is in |
'art as follows:
notwithstanding the fact that the mi !
iation fee was reduced in the past wear. |
is with regret that an increase in the |
membership cannot be shown in the re-
'ort submitted for your consideration. In
ne year 1915 the number admitted to the
'rder was 1872, loss $50, making a net
oss OF 4s. 1t also shows a general de-
,rease In the financial condition of the
several courts. L is strange that a court |
n the smallest city, regarding population.
shows the greatest gain. Court No. 6 of |