Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Illinois - University Library

Tuesday, 7 GRAND LODGE OF ILLINOIS, I. O. O. F. 7S
Nov. 18. 1913. 1 : '_±.
I recommend that the amount of money expended by Lily of the
West Lodge to reimburse for court costs and expenses be repaid by
this Grand Lodge.
CORRESPONDENCE.
The correspondence of the Grand Master's office this year has
been something wonderful. There have been sent out of this office
over 6,200 letters; 2,025 of these letters were the circular letters sent
out in reference to dropping for non-payment of dues. The remainder
does not include any part of the official communications that have been
sent out from the Grand Secretary's office to the various Lodges of the
state, nor the monthly vouchers and warrants that arrive at and go
from the Grand Master's office from each"*of the Homes.
This means that the Grand Master has received over 4,200 letters,
that he has read and answered them. Of this number about 600 refer
especially to the Rebekah Branch of the Order. In addition to the con-
siderable time required in dictating answers to these 4,200 letters, there
is connected therewith the necessity of making a more or less examina
tion of the law, about which most of these letters inquire.
If the Grand Maste/ s recommendation in regard to placing some
of this burden upon the President of the Rebekah Assembly should be
carried into effect, the Grand Master will not only be relieved of
writing about 600 letters, but he will also be relieved of looking up the
law about which the good Sisters inquire. I can safely say that this
would save the Grand Master at least one-tenth of his time, which
means more than one whole month of his term of office.
It is true that the law provides that the Grand Master is not bound
to answer any communication not under seal of the Lodge or from
his District Deputy Grand Master. "While this is true, the humblest
member of the Order feels that he has a right to communicate with
the Grand Master and if the Grand Master simply replies: "My Dear
Brother: Since your letter is not under the seal of the Lodge and you
are not my Deputy, I" am not bound to answer the same."
The same two-cent postage and letter that carried this information
to the humble Brother would also carry the information the humble
Brother was asking for.
As Grand Master for the year 1913 there has been no communication
come into my office that has not been properly acknowledged.
I refer to this matter of correspondence that the Brotherhood
may know the necessity of the appropriation for stenographer and
office expenses which I deem to include postage as well as office rents.
In addition to the correspondence above referred to there is a vast
amount of long distance telephone and telegraph charges to be paid
by the Grand Master.