GROWTH OF SECRET SOCIETIES. 



BY WILLIAH WALLACE PHELPS. 



[William Wallace Phelps, attornoy; born Red Wing, Minn., 1869; educated at the 

 University of Michigan and Yale university, graduating from the law department of 

 Yale in 1894, since which time he has been engaged in the practice of law; has made 

 a thorough study of secret societies, their history, methods and influence upon Amer- 

 ican life. Author of many articles, especially on legal topics.] 



Every fifth man with whom you shake hands in the United 

 States is a member of a secret organization, counting out his 

 possible college fraternity. 



Ten years ago a liberal estimate was one man to every 

 eight in secret orders. 



At the present rate of growth in the United States the 

 present ratio of one to five may be three to five in 1914. For 

 in the United States, where the population increases one tenth 

 in a decade, the figures of the secret societies in ten years have 

 been almost doubled. 



In the year of 1904 the figures of the secret orders, re- 

 ported by the central organizations, show a membership of 

 7,414,173. 



In 1894 these figures, reported in the same manner, 

 showed a membership of only 4,126,375. 



Thus while the population of the United States was in- 

 creasing a possible 20,000,000, the memberships in the secret 

 societies were increasing nearly 3,300,000 — a virtual doubling 

 of these memberships. 



Considering these figures for ten years in their application 

 to the whole country, there is a striking comparison in the 

 statement that in the last year in Illinois the increase in the 

 memberships of masonic lodges is greater than ever before in 

 the history of the state. 



A tabulated statement of the memberships in secret so- 

 cieties for 1894 and for 1904 shows in detail where these gains 

 have come in for the secret orders. The table is not complete 

 as to all organizations in detail, but the sums in total are as 

 nearly correct as may be possible : 



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