Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-07
A PRETTY M ESS.
The McKinnie Injunction on the
WOOdmen.
something of the Two sides TO the
Long Existing COntrove rsy-An I'm
fortunate state or Affairs.

As the ARGUS stated ut the time of pub
LEGATION of the McKinnie Injunction on the
meeting of the head camp Of the Modern
Woodmen called at Des Moines Aug. 12.
it has created great deal of disturbance
and misunderstanding in the order, COM
ing as it does on the heels oil, the conven-
ton in this city. Had Mex innie secured
those papers before that convention they
would not have been so bad. but his
stand now looks like an effort to take
things in his own hand ano run them ir-
where. The local committee in charge
of the arrangements for the recent
convention have been besieged with
letters of inquiry from camps every
where. asking whether to carry out the
sense of the convention and send dele
gates, or to follow McKinn MES idea and
stay away from the convention. To all
such inquiries circular has been adj
dressed setting forth that if the McKin.
VIC inJuhttiou 10 tSSSi ant sutcesstui III
restraining the head camp from holding
its special session not to send delegates,
but otherwise to send delegates. Thus
the result is that McKinuie has put his
foot into il. and the head camp meeting
will. in consequence of his action no
doubt, be attended mostly by Root repre-
sentatives. and run in the interests of the
present head camp wholly
The Muscatine Nelcs- Tribune COM
menting on the situation says:
No little commotion has arisen among
| the Modern Woodmen by reason OF DR.
P Leon McKinnie's injunction. The
situation is not without its serio- humor-
Gus features. Head Consul Root calls a
national meeting of the order at Des
| Nloines to have free, open and general
discussion of all matters affecting its well
being. Such a meeting has been gener-
ally desired as we understand because
of the snarl in which the order has be-
come involved IN Illinois by reason of the
charges and counter charges between
DR.. Mckenzie and the board of direc-
tors. But now that the n Getting has been
called the doctor goes before a Chicago
court and gets temporary injunction
issued against such meeting being held
The court was compelled to issue an In
junction of course. Anybody can get II
temporary injun ction against anything
if he makes his charges strong
enough and swears that he has
no other remedy; but the ques
nj
ton amount to anythingf 1t really looks
to an outsider that An in JUNCTION In this
instance is like pope's bull against II
comet. How can Chicago court pre-
vent a meeting of the Dationsl Woodmeu,
or of anybody else. in Iowa2 An iniunc>
ton, if proper service were had, might
prevent certain official action being taken
at such meeting, hut it could not forbid
an assembly of Woodmen, nor could II
prevent the widest and fullest discussion
of the affairs OF the order; and in the
case in hand we understand that no ser.
vice of the injunction has been made, SO
that there is nothing to hinder the Wood
men meeting at Des Moines and doing
what they please.
We have not the slightest acquaintance
with the merits of the controversy be-
tween MCKinnie and Root ar the board
but II strikes one so strange that Me-
kinnie should try 10 prevent thi,
meeting. He may nave the right
on his side, but if SO, why Should
he not desire a hearing before national
convention of the ordeTr Root and his
colleagues court such a hearing and have
called the meeting; why should McKin-
ME say, mo. there shall be no hearing.
and | will enjoin your meeting" II
seems to disinterested spectator tina,
what is most and vitality needed by the
order is to take its prese mt acknowledgements
out of the murky atmosphere of Illinois
and give them free ventilation in Iowa
or somewhere before a ational assembly.
The troubles have been laundering and
gathering lightning long enough in II,-
uois; 1t is time the atmosphere was
cleared.
The Des Moines Register says that
great preparations are being made for the
national assembly and it will undoubted
ly be the most important meeting held by
the order. Kansas has alone engaged
rooms for $50 delegates. and she is only
one of the ten states 10 be represented.
The Muscstine editor makes several
mistakes in his observations though most
of his assertions as to the wisdom. OF
rather lack of wisdom, in McKinnie's
course are we'll put. But the order is or
gsnized under the laws of Illinois; the
society looks to Illinois therefore for pro,
lection and if any laws have been violated
they are the laws of Illinois. The state
of Illinois protects all Ruch organizations
incorporated under the provisions of its
laws and il any offense has beer
committed il Is against the peace
and dignity of the state of H.
linois, which therefor has right
to interfere. The only question that car
arise as to the force and effect of the in
junction is on the point of service. Il
Root aud his associates have beer
reached by the officers having the papers
they cannot hold their meeting without
showing contempt of court. If sefvic,
has not been had upon them or the prop
erly legaiized number of them, they cal
90 ahead and have their meeting and dc
as they please-s question will after
ward arise upon the legality of those
proceedings.
| I00 Iadisa Waued