Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1916-03-21
THE IMPROVED ORDER
OF RED MEN.
WHAT 1T is AND WHAT 1T STANDS
FOR.
(Contrihuted.)
lBv a Member of the Order !

/. The Improved Order of Red Men
is patriotic, fraternal and benevolent
association, secret in the sense that the
privacy of home circle is the proper
" OF its own members, 10 be held sa-
cred and inviolate.
. It's primary objects are TO pro-
mote among men the exercise and
practice of the true principles of be-
nevolence and charity. the care and
protection of willows and orphans and
the cultivation of friendly relations ne
tween its members. Its origin is, as
the name indicates. purely American.
its history dating back to the carry
hours Of the Revolution, it originating
from the party of men who composed
the famous Boston Tea Party. of April
l773 when its watchWoTd was Free
dom. The fraternal feature was added
after the war of 1912, when the mem
bers had, after a second time. return
ed 10 the vocations of peace after their
patriotic struggle against Great Brit
ain. when the motto became Freedom
and Friendship. In 1884. the present
organization, the Improved Order Of
Red Men. was formed in Maryland ana
added the benevolent feature, adop3 ng
the present motto Freedom, Friend
ship and Charity. Its mission of fra
ternity, love ana beneyolnece was com
menced in the forest life, among the
Aboneines. 1t is the oldest patriotic
and benevolent SOCIETY OF American
birth and growth.
3. The Order existing in the early
days of the Republic nade aos of jhc
Indian dress and ceremonies, symbols
and nomenclature in order TO hide
their identity from the uninitiated.aul
most OF these characteristics have
been retained by tue present ol.ganiza-
tion in commemoration of the patriotic
impulses which save the order birth.
q As our glorious country is cos
m0politan, so is our order We re-
fuse no man on account Of his birth
place AS a man enters the wigwam,
so he departs "a free man The cues
tions of politics and religion are not
allowol to weigh as qualifications for
membership, 1t being necessary only
that the candidate shall be a citizen
white rs to so years OF age, of good
moral character, Of sound bodily
health and with a belief in the exist
ence of a Great Spirit Persons so
years of age or over can become
members of The order uraer the nom
beneficial clause.
D. The fees fer adoption vary i'm the
Tribes, IS being the minimum The
dues arc regulated by the Tribes and
are usually 81 q quarter, and the
benefits vary lronS2 to$4 a week,with
funeral benefit OF $50 and up. lChes-
apeake Tribe No 80 H. o. Il M.. An
napols. Nd pays $1O0l, which is paid
for the purpose OF defraving the fu-
neral expenses. If the wife dies FIRST,
certain sum is given 10 help dcfray
funeral expenses. in case children are
left orphans, it devolyes upon The
Tribe TO see that they are properly
cared for. so with the widow.
6. The improved Order OF Red Men
have system Of caring for the or
phans of deceased members winch is
unrivaled. II consists of an orphans
beard which controls a fund to pre-
vent orphans OF deceased members
from being placed in Orphan Asylums
or like institutions and, instead, to
have the orphan reared among Christ
ian home influences.