The day book. [volume], June 21, 1915, LAST EDITION, Image 11

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
publican form of government in the
order was strangled. From thence
forth direct voice of each court in
the high court ceased. State jurisdic
tion was established, whicn created
an "inner circle" and built up a ma
chine which has overturned the fun
damental principles of the order and
created a Cannon aristocracy to per
petuate him in the office of high chief
ranger for life, in violation of the
most sacred traditions of the order.
Under the Cannon oligarchy the
growth of the order has been very
slow, the "fathers of the order" have
grown disgusted with the reconstruc
tion regime, which renders it impos
sible through state conventions to
elect any man a delegate to the inter
national convention who is opposed
to life tenure for Cannon. Mrs. Eliza
beth Rogers, as high chief ranger of
the women's order, attempted to per
petuate herself in office for a lifetime,
but the delegates revolted and she
was .deposed from power.
This was because each court in th
order has a direct voice, through its
delegate and the republican form of
government, strangled with the
election of Cannon, exists in the
women's branch of the order.
Had the old principal, "two terms
and no more for each high chief
ranger," been sacredly preserved, a
greater interest would have been
aroused in the membership; while the
apathy displayed for the past ten
years, which has retarded the growth
of the order, would not now be the
painful regret of those who stood at
the cradle of the order's existence.
Inasmuch as no method can be
suggested to the "rank and file"
whereby the demand to break up the
machine that is impairing the use
fulness of a good society and re
tarding its growth can be given sub
stantial root, I ask through your val
uable paper, which is a vehicle for
good, that the Illinois delegates to
the convention soon to be held, many
of whom will read this communica
tion, teke the initiative in this import
ant matter, begin concerted action to
smash up this machine by electing a
new set of officers, emulate the ex
ample of the women's order, when
they smashed the Rogers machine
and gave a new impetus to their or
ganization, and hereafter see that the
fundamental principles of the order
are sacredly guarded. Then the or
der will flourish and there will be no
further cause for complaint P. H. S.
THAT SETTLEMENT. Would
the street car strike have come to an
end so suddenly if it had not been
for Aid. Kennedy and Rodriquez res
olution barring strikebreakers? Cer
tainly not.
The mayor was forced to act only
when the means to break it were
broken. He has received his just
amount of praise, but nothing was
said of the councilmen herein men
tioned. Had the council at the time of the
newspaper strike a member such as
Kennedy the same thing would have
happened.
This is the first time in the history
of Chicago such a resolution was
passed. The first time in the middle
west under Mayor Siedel of Milwau
kee a few years ago.
Perhaps the people of Chicago
have realized now that a few Social
ists can accomplish something worth
while.
Here's to Kennedy! No civil war
in Chicago while he is on the job.
Why not a few more like him? A. H.
CORRECTION I wish to write a
few lines for you to publish. I read
your paper every day and appreciate
it very much in general, but I have
noticed that you made a misstate
ment This is the one that I wish
corrected. You stated: "With all of
their men (painters) working, the
painters don't seem to. care whether
the stuborn contractors ever sign."
Now I wish to inform you and the
public that all of the painters are not
working and I dare say that maybQ
aft
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