A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time. Various

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A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time - Various

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ten years, sir;” the response was: “Oh, that will do; for whom do you vote?” “for Mr. James Durand, sir,” said Mr. Klotz and left the polling place. Mr. Durand was afterwards declared elected. After responsible government had been granted to the people of Canada, and the political party which adopted the name “Conservatives” had been formed, Mr. Klotz joined that party, and he has ever since supported it with all his energy. He held for a number of years the office of secretary of that party in his electoral division, and in later years that of president of the same. For the celebration of the Peace Jubilee, held at the county town, Berlin, shortly after the Franco-German war, he was elected president of the German societies, and as such he delivered on May 2nd, 1871, in front of the Court House, to an audience of several thousands, the Peace Jubilee address; and subsequently at the town of Waterloo, on the occasion of the first “German Saenger Fest” in Ontario, being held there, he delivered to an overcrowded house at the Agricultural Hall, the address in German and also in English. The old Alien Act requiring a residence of seven years before a foreigner could become a naturalized subject, was felt by many Germans to be too long a period of probation, especially since it only required five years’ residence in the United States to become a citizen there. Accordingly Mr. Klotz agitated the matter through the medium of the public press, and by letters to members of Parliament and to the government. In this he was ably assisted by other Germans, and their united efforts were crowned with success, the seven years being first reduced to five, and later to three years’ residence. An attempt was made by him to induce the British government to extend the privileges of a person naturalized in Canada, over the whole British empire; but in this attempt he failed, although his arguments upon that subject had been kindly forwarded to the British government, by His Excellency the Governor-General. It appeared that the reasons for refusal were not on account of Canada, but of such of the numerous British possessions which still number among its inhabitants a large body of semi-civilized peoples, through whom serious difficulties might arise, if such colonies were also to apply and obtain the like privileges which were asked for Canada. Among the Masonic fraternity, the name of Otto Klotz has become a household word. He became a member of the same in 1846, and has ever since been an active and energetic worker of the Mystic tie. He is an old member of the Grand Lodge and served without interruption as a member of the Board of General Purposes since 1864. He made the subject of Benevolence his special study, and the present system of distributing aid, and of regulating grants is his work; in acknowledgment of which, the Grand Lodge presented him in 1873 with a handsome testimonial. He continued his noble work with unabated energy, adding from time to time improvements suggested by experience, and in 1885, after twenty-one consecutive years as chairman of the Committee on Benevolence, the Grand Lodge conferred upon him the highest honour, by unanimously electing him a Past Grand Master, and voting for the purchase of a handsome and costly Grand Master’s regalia, which, with an elaborate address beautifully engraved, were presented to him at a later day at his mother lodge, the old Barton, No. 6, in the city of Hamilton, in presence of one of the largest gatherings of the fraternity ever assembled there. Besides this great honour conferred upon him, and the many fraternal greetings and tributes paid him on that occasion by the brethren assembled, he had the additional pleasure of the presence of three of his sons, two of whom as Past Masters of Preston lodge, and the youngest as Master of the Lodge of Strict Observance, in Hamilton; and the gratification of a most cordial and fraternal reception of them by the brethren assembled, as worthy sons of a worthy father. The family of Mr. Klotz and his good wife consists of four sons and two daughters, of whom three sons and one daughter are married and have families, while the eldest son and youngest daughter have remained single. They are all living in comfortable circumstances, highly respected by all who know them, and the just pride of their aged parents. A family gathering which occurs once a year is always accompanied by those genuine pleasures which are in store for a happy family in which strife and bickerings are unknown quantities. At one of these gatherings the unanimous wish of Mr. Klotz’s children was expressed that he should retire from business, and spend with his good wife the remaining years of his life in rest and comfort. Arrangements were made accordingly, and in 1881, he retired from business, since which time he has been living on his income, with his wife and unmarried daughter in a commodious dwelling, enjoying that repose and comfort which is the just reward of honest industry.

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