The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-01-01


during his annual address upon the
first day, that Grand Treasurer Bruce
had become financially involved and
that there was a shortage in the funds
of nearly fifteen hundred dollars-a
considerable sum for the Grand Lodge
to lose at that time. So there was
naturally much concern over the con-
dition. Bonds made in those days
were usually signed by private friends
of officers and though they looked like
the Rock of Gibraltar upon paper,
were usually about as sacred as a
treaty of peace between two Mexican
states. If the integrity of grand Of
ficer were ever questioned or if any
objections were made to his methods
of accounting, his friends always
came forward and made such a dem
onstration that the, objectors were
soon cowed down and discredited. Ac-
tual fre speech had never been an as
set of member of the Grand Lodge,
especially if he hoped to ever receive
any favorable consideration from
those in authority. To have much to
say about thing was the surest and
easiest way to kill ones self so far as
concerned the politics of the Grand
Lodge. True, there were always those
who had well grounded reasons for OBJ
jecting to certain prevailing condi-
tions and customs, but these were us
ually discussed "in low breath" and
with the utmost discretion. Young
masters coming up with a desire to
know things were quickly advised by
the older members to go slow and take
things as they were. Everything was
all right. The young members just
did not understand, That was all.
Notwithstanding the distress which
the shortage of the Grand Treasurer
entailed no one thought of suggesting
that the secretaryship of the Relief
Department should be safeguarded in
time or that the Grand Lodge ought to
have any closer check upon that De-
partment Everything was all right
except with Bruce.
In his annual address, the Grand
Master, who ought to have known the
real state of affairs, merely limited at
matters and suggested new lock for
the door. He probably desired to keep
down excitement as much as possible.
1t was all quite vague to the brethren
One of the felicities of this meeting
was the announcement that the Iowa
Trouble" had been settled. The rival
grand lodges had met in convention,
dissolved themselves, and formed an
entirely new body, thus ending long
period of unnecessary and unfraternal
strife.
Grand Master Pelham discussed the
question of recognition from white
grand lodges with something of dis
couragement. He properly concluded
that the whole thing hinged upon the
point of race prejudice and very i'm
properly advised that the agitation be
kept up until the desired end was ac-
complished. The committee on Grand
Masters address reporting under the
leadership of the brilliant DIR. M. o.
Ricketts,, ordered the Grand Master to
sound the alarm upon the door of
every grand lodge in the world. The
Grand Master was not ordered to
stand by the door until it were opened.
From this viewpoint it appears that
the Grand Lodge of Missouri should
have devoted more of its energy to a
businesslike control of its own affairs
and less to that of begging recogni-
tion from biased white men who were
so steeped in the dye of caste that
they would not see the truth of the
situation. To properly bond its finan'
ciaI officers and secure the funds con
tributed by the hardworlxing crafts
men was of Ear more Importance than
the shallow smiles of white grand
lodges and all that the smiles carried
with them.
Al this meeting 1t was definitely de
cided to permanently locate the grand
body at Jefferson City. Very little
t...I