The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1917-05-25
About Three Hundred Delegates
Were i'm Affendance-Infer-
esfing and Enthusiastic Meet
ings HeId-Roufine Business
Transacted.

Pythias was held here Tuesday, begin
ming at 10 o'clock a. m. and closing
about 1880 p. m. The day was crowd
ed with stirring addresses and bus
mess was transacted quickly for the
convention time had been cut half in
two. Usually the organization con-
venes for two days, but this year the
time was reduced to one day.
At 10:15 a. m. Grand Chancellor
Alva M. Lumpkin called the body to
order. Prayer was offered by Rev.
L. w. Blackwelder. The address of
welcome was delivered by Hon. L. u.
Wagnon. Response to the address of
welcome was made by o. ]. Bond of
Charleston.
The feature of the morning session
was the action of the grand lodge in
authorizing the treasurer to purchase
$4,000 Liberty Bonds. The grand
lodge has funds bearing per cent in
terest and it sacrifices the loss of III
per cent interest in order to give pub
lie expression of it's loyalty and devo-
tion to the American cause in their
contention for democracy and uni
versal peace.
The annual report of the Grand
Chancellor Alva M. Lumpkin was
thoughtful and thoroughly practical
and enthused the grand lodge. 1t was
on his recommendation that the grand
lodge authorized the treasurer to pur-
chase the Liberty Bonds. He recon-
mended the operation of home lodge.
The grand lodge officials to be the
officers. This lodge would enroll mem
bers of defunct lodges and keep them
in good standing until they could To-
cate permanently. He estimated the
saving in suspensions to be about 1000
members each year under the plan.
The grand lodge adopted the home
lodge unanimously. He urged the
grand lodge to increase per capita tax
from 90c to $1.00 claiming South
Carolina had lowest tax in the su-
preme domain. This was referred to
ways and means committee. The
grand chancellor recommended bien-
NAL sessions of the grand lodge, and
advocated the organization Of lodges
of Pythian sisters.
He heartily commended the Endow-
ment rank. South Carolina has 2,4OO
members carrying over three million
insurance. He congratulated the board
of managers Of the South Carolina
Pythian the official organ for the ex-
cellence of the paper and it's great
worth to the order during the past
year; the grand chancellor thought of
the many young Pythians who would
be called to service and he recon-
mended legislation remitting dues on
all who went to the front. This was
referred to proper committee. His
closing words were forceful and full
of meaning. He applauded President
Wilson and declared Americans would
dedicate their lives for right and
righteousness. Volumes of applause
shook the building as he took his seat.
AS business proposition the ways
and means committee recommended
that the next session of the grand
lodge be held at Columbia and their
recommendation was unanimously
adopted.
At the afternoon session the follow
ing telegram was adopted and for
warded to Washington:
president Woodrow Wilson,
washington, ID. T..
"Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias of
South Carolina today unanimously
adopted the following resolution:
"Whereas our beloved country is at
war and whereas in this time of trou-
BILE a man must be American or anti
American.
"Be 1t Resolved, That the members
of this body proudly proclaim their
Americanism and pledges for them
selves and for the ten thousand loyal
Knights of this State they represent
unfailing loyalty to the president and
this country until America shall have
won this war.
"A. M. Lumpkin,
I'D. C. Hayward,
"H. G. Tillman,
Committee"
Much disappointment was caused
hU fha non affonIanoo ToIx r