Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-07-25
HEWING THE LINE.
WOOdmen Making Chips Fly, Fall
Where They Will.
Pointed, Yet Conservative ResOiu-
tiOns Adopted by Yesterdays Con.
vention. Editor Bastian Submitted
TO n Tough Ordeal.


half of the afternoon session. F. w.
Bastian, publisher of the Echo. the off,
cial organ of the order. was present and
asked permission to reply to DR.. McKin-
ME, and the convention giving unanimous
consent. he mounted the stage and ridi,
culed the accusations both as TO fraud in
the order and the future plans of the
head consul and head officers to break the
order or rope it into the Sovereign camp.
At the conclusion of Neighbor Bastian's
remarks, he was submitted to a lively
cross firing. during which he confessed
that the present meeting was an impor-
tant one of representative Woodmen and
any action that might be taken was enti-
head camp and to publication iu the Echo
as such. He was also pied with search
ing questions as to failure on his part to
publish from time TO time unbiased
and uDprejudiced reports of all mat
tiers pertaining to the affairs of the
order. the use of matter such as
only favored Roots side, and the ex-
clusion of things that were of the
most vital interest to Woodmen, as for
instance the letters of the state officers of
Illinois, bearing on the recent discover.
les of fraud IN the head camp. In word
Mr.. Bastian got into hot water before he
was aware of where he was treading and
the multitude of scorcbing questions
from men of determination and standing
in the order drove him completely into
corner where he could simply grin and
bear it and this he did quite gracefully.
He finally got so muddled that he actually
confessed that had honest men had influ-
der and with its official organ
the reports OF the state officers of Illinois
would have been published and even the
declaration on his part that he was beng
subjected to ID good cross exami-
nation such SIS would drive most mems
thoughts and recollections out of their
heads" did not excuse him in the eyes of
the convention, and at least twenty-five
Woodmen got whacks at him. He was
accused by a. many rs fifty OF failing to
send out the number of eopes of the
Echo subscribed for. and when one camp
would report that its members had not
been receiving its dues, there too. would
be the simultaneous response in a dozen
Bsstian became beW ildered aud abrupt
ly left the stage with the excuse that he
didn't care 10 take any more of the con-
vention's time"
The committee on
RESOLUTIONS
having appeared and the con veniion be-
ing anxious to hesr its report, the Fulton
neighbor was excused from further humil.
iation. Chairman J L. Haas. of the COM
mittee, read the report as follows:
I'VE, the representatives of about 200
camps of the Modern Wood,nen of Amer
ica, comprising delegations from the
states of Illinois, Iowa. Michigan, Wis
consin and Nebraska, having only an sd,
visory power, resolve as follows:
Il. We renew our confidence in the
association of the Modern Woodmen of
America, which now comprises about
l. 400 camps with membership of about
Az, 900, and be ieve that it offers to the pub
lie the best aud cheapest plan of mutual
insurance yet devised and it is our sole
purpose to do all in our power to preserve
il from the evils that now threaten it. and
we believe that 10y wise counsel and
prompt action the order will be soon
started upon L new era Of prosperity and
growth.
-. That whereas there are now pend
ing in the circuit court of the county of
Whiteside in the state of Illinois against
some of the head officers of our order.
grave charger of fraud and improper
management, and that owing 20 delay or
technical Instructions on the part of these
officers in answering said charges, the
welfare of the order is imperilled.i it is our
wish that said charges be vigorously
pushed to as early termination as posi-
BILE.
30. That while we withhold any for
NAL expression of opinion as To the guilt
or innocence Of these parties until the
proper tribunal has passed upon the mat
ter we hereby commend Attorney General
Hunt and Auditor Pavey for the fidelity
they have shown in giving the matter II
full and fair il yestigation, and all Others
for their efforts to preserve the good name
of our order.
~ That we advise all the camps to
send represcn tatives to the head camp
called to meet at Des Moines. Iowa, on
the 18th day of August, 1890, and we
believe that by full attendance such
action will be secured as shall place our
order on a sound footing and relieve US
| from the troubles that now embarrass us
50 That we favor such Legislation al
will establish state jurisdiction. go that 8
state camp in each state shall have loca
control of its own affairs, such as audit
ing death claims, deciding the manner OF
selecting its delegates to a head camp OF
all the states, which head camp shall
have general supervision over the state
camps. We 10 not, however, favor any
release of our present charter or any
change in the present manner of making
assessments so that the states with small
membership shall have no undue burden
to bear each state to have a separate
Jurisdiction as above provided Whenever
1t becomes strong enough to justify 1t.
IS. That we favor the payment by thu
different camps of the double assess
ments known as Nos. 8 and 8. we no
only believe that this double assess
ment is necessary, but we are fearful tina
other double assessments will becom'
necessary.
~. 1t is our belief that there is to'
much power vested In the head consu
and the executive council by the laws o
our order and we favor such changes Ii