The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1918-07-25
TAIL WAGGING THE DOG
SAYS TYLER OF THE
ODD FELLOWS
(By Ralph w. Tyler. J


the Grand United Order of Odd
Fellows, by virtue Of some author
ity, constitutionally provided or
assumed called off the regular bi-
annual meeting of the order for
this year Ben. j. Davis, repre-
senting another faction, insists
that the regular bi-annual meeting
cannot be called off, and is prepar-
ing to convene his faction In reg
ular convention at New York.
This apparent breach In ranks
of an organization which at one
time was numerically and finan-
cially the most powerful fraternal
and benevolent colored order In
the country-a breach that has
grown from o tissue at Atlanta
in 1912, to deep, yawning chasm
in 1918 suggests the question is
this the beginning of the end, or
the first step towards restora-
tion?"
During this internecine strife
in this once beneficiently strong
order, the membership has dwin-
died to a shrunkened total, and its
finances to a negligible treasury,
causing the rank and file,-' the
common people without a griev-
ance-to wonder whether it is
best "to suffer the outrageous
filings or fortune, or, by opposing
to end them; whether or not the
old ship, covered with the barna-
cles of greedy and selfish manipu-
lators, should be abandoned to her
fate, or sent to the drydock scrap
ed and repaired for another fruit
full voyage.
Without entering into the
causes for the split between the
Morris and Davis factions, or
vouchsafing an opinion as to
which is wrong, there are two
facts which stand out in bold re-
lief.
First, the larger and most sus-
tanning membership in the Order
is in the South-Georgia, Missis-
sippi and Alabama alone muster
ing a division that dwarfts the
total membership in the North. 1t
is hardly to be supposed that the
dog will contentedly permit the
- tail to continue to wag him.
Second, 1t must be admitted
that Ben. j. Davis has displayed
more constructiveness than any
one single man who has rose to
prominence in the Order. The rec
ord of achievements of nervously
energetic, tireless working, far
sighted genius for organization,
and intrepid fighter is an open
book.
Go to Georgia, when Ben J. Da-
Wis was an umencompassed projec-
tor and administrator Of Odd Eel,
low affairs, and call the roll of the
nearly one thousand financial
lodges in that state alone. Go to
Georgia and behold that Odd Eel
low Temple at Atlanta-grand,
magnificent, silent, but potential
in affirming his wonderful con-
structive genius. Go to Georgia
and note the influence the heroic
ally brave utterances of The At
lanta Independent, the weekly or
gan of the Order-and the race
in Georgia, edited by Ben J. Da-
Wis. Go to Georgia and review
the successful battles he has wag-
ed for the maintenance of the Or
der. and then ask these questions
Has Ben j. Davis been sinned
against, or has he been SHINING?
Is Ben. J. Davis the arch-enemy
of constructiveness, or the victim
of the bolo welded by buccaneers
who would beach the ship for the
treasures she carries?
l have no disposition to assail
the virtues of Ben. Davis enemies,
if they have any. They are at lib
erty to write their own epitaph-
to itemize their good achieve
ments. m simply content to point
to the fact that at least Ben. j.
Davis has beneficiently achieved
Il - H.