The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1918-08-15
rs GRAND MASTER MORRIS
AN AUTOCRAT?
Ben Davis and His Followers
The Greatest Organizer in
the Orders
by Ralph W. Tyler

by Ralph w. Tyler
The announced intention Of the
No-called Ben J. Davis faction in
! the Grand United Oorder of odd
/ Fellows, to assemble in a b. NJ. c.
meeting at New York in Septem-
her, in defiance to the calling off
Of a b. NJ. c. meeting by Grand
Master Morris, has aroused great
er interest among colored Odd
Fellows than has been known for
wears.
That this myielding spirit,
dominant among the So-called Da-
Wis faction will lead to litigation
IN the court few doubt, but if that
litigation removes the reputed
cloud on the title of one, and es-
tabhshes the legality of the other,
it may result in conserving the in
terestS of the common people"
the sustaining members Of the
Order who have no quarrel, and
whose interests can not be safe
guarded by a prolonged unadiust-
ed lnternecine strife.
The action of Grand Exalted
Ruler of the Colored ElkS, Ar
mond ". Scott, in refusing to call
off the annual meeting Of his Or
der, although the majority Of the
lodges had voted to call off this
year S annual meeting. for fear it
might cast cloud upon another
term for him, to which he would
not have been duly elected, is "A
striking contrast to the action of
Grand Master Morris, of the Odd
Fellows, who would, by the calling
off of his order S biennial meet
ing, give to himself another term.
Mr. Morris has been signally
honored by his order He has held
office of some description in the
national body for twenty-eight
Years He has held the office of
Grand Master for four consecu-
tive terms, and previous to that,
for two consecutive terms Should
he, by virtue Of holding over for
another term, because he had
called off this year biennial
meeting, continue for two years
longer, it would give him five con
secutivc terms. which added to his
previous consecutive terms. would
total seven terms-fourtccn years
as Grand Master. Such prolonga-
tion Of official life for one man in
any order becomes nothing less
or more than a means Of Stagnant
enthusiasm, ambition and aspira-
ton among the rank and file-the
common sustaining people without
whose cooperation no order can
exist.
Even Grand Master Morris, and
his loyal henchmcn, must admit
that under his past ) consecutive
administrations the order has
aIarmingly deteriorated both in
membership and finances. The
Order today is but a skeleton Of
its once proud, useful and benefi
cient state. When an order, or
any institution, continues TO de-
cline under the administration Of
amy man, or set Of mep the sur
eical knife Of drastic action should
be called into use and the rctard
ing element removed The inter
ests Of the many is Of more vital
concern than the interests Of a
few. The Grand United Order Of
odd Fellows should not be per-
mittcd to decline-to become an
Intellectual medium for the great
est good to the greatest number
simply to appcasc the inordinate
selfish ambition Of any one man,
or set Of men. The thousands Of
financial Colored odd Fellows
who have been for years pouring
their money into the order TO pro
vide for them. or their dependents
with sick and death benefits the
order guarantees and for which
it was established, owe il to them
selves to choose between decline
and revivication. "Thc man in
the street" the common people
the sustaining members who
toll and support, but who do not
quarrel and squander the ORDERS
treasury, ought to rise up and Ell
ther cease pouring their hard
earned money into a rat hole, or
stop up the bung through which
it is flowing, without good to them.
Seven terms as Grand Master
means that Mr.. Morris has drawn
out Of the Orders treasury as sal
ary alone $4,000. Expenses for
European trips, for constitutions
ally authorized attendance at the