The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-07-27
GRAND CHANCELLOR CRAW.
F0RD,S ANNUAL ADDRESS TO
CONTINUED from page ~


10 II the best young men of the race.
AT the session held here in Nash.
vile last year you levied a tax upon
each member of the Order for the
benefit of the Uniform Rank. This
tax has been paid by quite a number
OF the members and has been of much
Deneht to the rank in helping it carry
on successfully its affairs. 1t Is
hoped that for the first time in the
history of the Grand Lodge of Tennes-
see that we will be well represented
at the Supreme Lodge Encampment
by the Uniform Rank. This Encamp.
ment will be held in st. Louis, Mo.
next month. If you have not already
organized Uniform Rank in your
lodge, let me urge upon you to return
home and proceed at once to organize
company, and | am sure that by so
doing you will infuse new life into
your lodge, and attract young men
who are now outside of the Order.
On account of the high cost of liv-
ing and because of the change in the
meeting place Of the Grand Lodge,
at so late date, it was deemed wise
not to hold an encampment at this
session; and, too, as it was intended
to have as great a number of the
rank attend the great Encampment at
st. Louis as possible, many not being
able to get leave of absence from
their places of employment more than
once during the summer
Law Department.
I am pleased to be able to report
to you that the law department has
guarded carefully all the legal inter
ests of the Order that have arisen
from time to time. Our Grand At
torney, Sir ]. c. Napier, has at all
times displayed tact and skill in
handling all matters coming to him,
and has safely steered us over many
entanglements that were calculated to
involve us in litigation had they not
been carefully and judiciously han
died.
We have several cases pending now
against the board, but they are cases
that we feel We have no just right to
pay and hence the suits.
We have been extremely fortunate
in handling the many cases that came
up for adjustment, in not having
more lawsuits than we have, but wher-
ever claim has the least semblance
of being a just one we make haste
to pay it, believing that it is better to
err on the side of mercy than to in
volve the Order in long strung-out
lawsuit upon a mere technicality.
Burial Bureau.
This department of the Order Is
new. 1t went into operation October
/, 1916. A full report of it's opera
ton will be made to you at this SEES
sion by those whose business it is to
handle the affairs of the Burial
Bureau. 1t was quite while before
we could convince the rank and file
of the Order that 1t was wise piece
of legislation to operate the burial
department in conjunction with the
Order; but | feel safe in saying that
all of you will agree with me that
the Order took an advance step when
1t 5uecided to add this feature.
If I mistake not, the secretary of
this department has informed me that
every single claim has been paid.
Think what a source of pleasure 1t
ought to be to all of us to know that
the obligation to bury our brethren
has been carried out absolutely and
there are no undertakers and others
complaining because of the failure of
our lodges to promptly pay them for
their services in burying our dead.
Such promptness in all affairs that
come to us financially will give the
Order that prestige that will cause
those on the outside to flock to its
standard and crowd its doors for EN-
trance.
Bear in mind, too, that all this has
been accomplished without adding a
single penny to the taxes or dues of
the member.
Official Acts.
Immediately after the adjournment
of the Grand Lodge Session in July,
. 1917, proclamation was issued de-
failing an account of the important
legislation that was enacted at the
session of the Grand Lodge. This
proclamation was sent to all of the
lodges for their guidance and consid-
Grafton.
Another proclamation followed
shortly after the first calling attention
to the Uniform Rank Tax and the
Establishing of the Burial Bureau"
The following was the proclamation:
Proclamation No. 2, Series B.
To the Chancellor Commander, Of
ficers and Members of the Subordi'
nate Lodges of the Above Jurisdic-
ton, Greetings:
Be it known that the following
Legislation was enacted by the Grand
Lodge of the above named Jurisdiction
at its last session held in Nashville,
Tenn, July II to IA, inclusive,
Uniform Rank Tax.
A tax of two cents per member
each month was levied upon each
member of the Order for the support
and maintenance of the Uniform
Rank.
This tax is to remain in force for
two (2) years, until the uniform rank
is built up to that point where it will
be self-supporting.
Increase of Endowment Premiums.
Owing to the great increase in the
death rate of our members, and be-
cause of the fact that our obligations
to our widows and orphans in the way
of death benefits for deceased mem
bers have reached the point where
they are larger than the premiums
paid in each quarter, it became abso
lutely necessary for the Grand Lodge
to increase the quarterly premiums
for Endowment from one ($1.OO) dol
lar per quarter to one and twenty-hun
dreds or $120 per quarter, beginning
October list, 1916.
Burial Department.
A Burial Department was estab
lished whereby each member OF the
Or or. would receive fifty ($5O) dol
lar burial This department will go
into effect October |, 1916. Every
lodge in the entire juris fiction must
become a member of this department
The secretary of the Endowment
Board will handle this department
The Grand Master of Exchequer will
be- the treasurer. You will be fur