The Provinces And Voting Organisation.

THE PROVINCES AND VOTING ORGANISATION .

AN item of great importance to toe brethren of the Province of Essex , and of some general interest to the Craft throughout the kingdom , will be brousrht

forward at the next meeting of the Grand Lodge of that district , which is to he held early next month at Southendon-Sea . For some time past several of the brethren of this Province have been actively engaged in the work of

establishing a system for organising the voting power possessed by its members at the several elections for the Masonic Institutions , and now we learn that practical suggestions will be made on the subject at the approaching annnal

gathering . Indeed , proposed Bye-laws Lave been drafted on the Agenda paper for the day ' s meeting , and we may fairly imagine that before being adopted , they will be discussed pro and con , although , doubtless , some

consideration has already been given to them . The first question which naturally suggests itself is , as to the necessity and desirability of these Provincial combinations . As regards the latter part of this question , we think the fact that

they really exist in connection with at least one-half of the English Provincial Grand Lodges a sufficient answer in itself , while , as regards the former , it must be admitted

that where they are well managed they fully compensate for any amount of trouble that may be entailed . We think it can also be shown that by means of combining its voting power a Province is able to make the best use of its

resources , and further , that in those districts which are the best managed in this respect , and where the greatest amount of organisation exists , the brethren get more for their money in comparison with those in which it is carried

out half-heartedl y , or is altogether neglected . We do not by this wish to imply that mercenary motives should alone actuate the brethren of any particular quarter . It is , and we think ever will be , a source of gratification to

them to be able to carry one or two of their candidates more expeditiously than would be possible without organisation , while on the old principle that help given promptly is

twice given , any arrangement which tends to lessen the trouble and delay imposed on applicants for the advantages of our Masonic Institutions can but be hailed with gratification . We must therefore admit the

advisabilit y of regularly-formed combinations , and such being the case , it is requisite to decide which form is the more desirable . It is but reasonable to suppose that every man w " ° spends his money in the purchase of votes should

aesire some voice in the question of their disposal ; but on the other hand , there are few but will bow to the opinion ° f the majority when they are put to the test , and for this reason we are of opinion that the more stringent the rules

» e made in a Province , the greater the chance of the desired object being attained . With such a commodity as yotes , it is next to impossible to demand that any man ' s interest shall be contributed by htm to a general Via

DDGre are occasions—perhaps rare , bnt none the less ertam—when he may desire it for his personal uso , and nerefore it is unadvisable to make any fixed rule . Bnt on , otner hand , these cases are so rare , and the

advan-^ r > es accruing to a district from unanimous combination so tjmerous , that few individuals would object , to bind them-^ Ives one with another to contribute their quota , while en to the man who desires to serve his own ends , if there a ° . svi < : among us , we think combination is advantageous , u - oy it ho is more likely to be ablo to attain the desires

The Provinces And Voting Organisation.

which single-handed he would find impossible . The Province of Essex , in its " Proposed Bye-laws , " suggests that " whenever the Committee shall have resolved that any case is worthy of the support of the Province , they shall

forthwith communicate with the several Lodges in the Province , and take such other steps as may appear advisable to make known the merits and claims of the candidate , and to secure the support and co-operation of the Lodges , and the assistance of the Subscribers to the various

Charitable Institutions , in order that their efforts may be united and attended with success . " Now , as will be seen from this paragraph , taken in connection with the one which precedes it , which provides that " All votes belonging to the Provincial Grand Lodge , or its Officers

as such , shall be forwarded to the Provincial Grand Secretary , and be dealt with according to decision of the Provincial Grand Lodge Charity Committee , " it is not proposed to make combination compulsory , not even so far as Lodge votes are concerned , and this we think is a great mistake . In organising such an association as that

under notice , it should be presumed that the interest of each individual Lodge is to help its neighbour , in order that should a time of need arise it may havo others from whom to seek assistance , and for this reason we think that pledges of support should be exchanged . As proposed , it

will be at the option of any one of the Essex Lodges to support a " Provincial case " or not , as it may seem fit ; but what if one of the Lodges which used its votes for its own benefit one year has a candidate itself the nextwould it put the matter before the Charity Committee , or

rely on its own efforts ? If the former , it would be acting unfairly , and would deserve to be rebuked ; if the latter , it would , under ordinary circumstances , stand but a poor chance of securing success , and thereby might inflict irreparable injury on the candidate brought forward . The

Committee of the Province would be justified in declining to listen to its application if it had another case before it , were it not that by so doing a worthy candidate might be ignored by reason of the selfishness of the Lodge with which the case was most intimately associated . We would

even go further ; we think that a rule should be tried , providing that every member of the Province be called upon to forward his votes to the Committee , unless he pre * ferred , by giving a formal notice , to act in all cases independently . By this means the Committee of a

Province in the position of Essex would become possessors of such a number of votes each year as would enable them to make sure of certain cases , while every brother who contributed to the General Fund would have the opportunity of securing for his own case the support of the majority of the

voters . But , as we have said , the brethren of Essex propose that all support shall be voluntary , except so far as the Provincial Grand Lodge votes are concerned . Why should

Provincial Grand Lodge give its all , without each private Lodge being compelled to do something ? and what will become of the Grand Lodge votes if none of its subordinates endorse the action of the Committee ? We are

afraid that a too delicate feeling has actuated the brethren to whom has been entrusted the preparation of the proposed Code ; they have been afraid to appear harsh , and have , therefore , put forward a scheme which will not

ensure the success of their object , although it may perhaps somewhat contribute to it , It is not yet too late , we imagine , for an alteration to be effected , and we would therefore propose that it be made conditional for every Lodge to contribute , at least , the votes belonging to it or its Officers if they desire to take any part in the action of