The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-04-01

"
slothful lodges had gotten the proxy
habit by this time and were using it
under a misguided idea of economy.
In many lodges there was a standing
objection to appropriating money for
sending the master to the Grand
Lodge, it being argued that his attend.
ance was a mere luxury and not at
all necessary, as the Grand Master
or Grand Secretary could represent the
lodge just as well. Sometimes grand
officers covertly encouraged this no
ton in order that they might secure
the voting strength of the lodge so as
to be the more powerful in the cleo.
ton of officers. No proxy holder was
ever known to come forward and pay
thus honored him. The habit of farm
ing out proxies gradually grew to be
a mild scandal in the Grand Lodge so
that at this session Brother NJ. o..
Ricketts, led a sortie against it and
a resolution was adopted tending to
Dlcdh up lhS pldCllNC ny lCQuI ll6
that no member should represent more
than one lodge in addition to his own,
and that proxies should be made out
direct to the holder under the seal
of the lodge. In this contention he
a backed up by Brothers Joe E.
Hereford and R. T. Coles, both of
whom had been opposed to the system
for several years.
The proxy vote saved the Grand
Master from defeat at the election OF
grand officers. Brother William H.
Jones was a candidate for the place
and had the strong support of many
of the brethren, perhaps a majority
of those present. But Grand Secretary
Chinn, though himself a candidate for
the honor at several previous meet
ings, stood by Brother Pelham at this
time, and he won by 70 majority. Pei.
ham, Chinn and their friends held
over 100 proxy votes.
When the vote had been announced
the Grand Master appeared undecided
as to whether or not he should accept
the election. and announced that he
would take the matter under advise
ment. Friends evidently prevailed on
him and before the time for installa,
ton he ceased altogether to push the
kingly crown away and announced that
he would give up the office at the
close of the ensuing year. When the
next year came he did not break his
promise and he did not forget the pre-
sumption of Jones nor the kindness of
Chinn.
In the annual address an eloquent
tribute was paid to the memory of
Brother A. B. Moore, whose death had
occurred during the year, and the en-.
tire body Joined with the Grand Mas.
ter in lamenting the loss of that bril-
liant, honest, loyal, faithful patron OF
Freemasonry who had done so much
over a long and tedious period toward
working. out the details of practical
service while never asking for great
err reward than the love and approval
of the brethren.
About this time the Grand Lodge of
the state of Washington (white) had
made a declaration upholding the le-
gitimacy of Masonry among our peo-
pie and while the same was pleasing
and encouraging to such of our mem.
bers as desired it, the act brought
about a storm of protest from other
white bodies from New York to Tex
as, some even withdrawing relations
with the Washington body and other
wise making them very uncomfortable
just as white men always do to mem,
bers of their race who express any
regard for the rights of colored men.
Brother Harry Robinson, a highly
enthusiastic and capable member of
Wilkerson lodge, had prepared a brief
though interesting history of the Mis-.
souri, Grand Lodge and the brethren
at this meeting received it with great
favor, promising to circulate it freely
among the subordinate lodges. The
Enterprise, published at Omaha by
Brother T. p. Mahammitt, at that time
treasurer of Excelsior lodge No. 10,
and afterwards one of the most active
and useful members of the Grand
Lodge, was Endorsed as the official or.
gan of the fraternity with Brother NJ,
o. Ricketts, as Masonic editor.
Another chapter had been added to
the Omaha tangle, caused by the or
ganizatioh of Acacia lodge and its
shifting back and forth between the
city of Omaha and South Omaha.
Acacia had returned its warrant to
Missouri and had been taken under the
wing of the Iowa jurisdiction, and this
only added insult to injury. Missouri
was indignant, to express it mildly,
and took q fall-out with the little sis
ter up north by declaring all friendly