Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-10-29
PAVEY'S POSITION.
The State Auditor on Fraternal
Insurance.
THE MODERN wooDMEN CASE.


THE MODERN WOODMEN CASE.
State OmciaI's Antagonistic Attitude
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the Case
Stated by q Correspondent
ELGIN. Oct. 26-The Dial tomorrow
will contain the following:
The state campaign presents the spec
tacle of q man Who was enabled by his
prominence in a state ring to force his re-
nomination upon his party regardless of
four years of arrogant incumbency, dur
ing which his official acts have been the
object of the gravest criticism and con.
demnation. II was the knowledge Of
this that prompted the Chicago Tribune
to fight the denomination and endorse
ment of State Auditor PaveY by his
party. The Tribune acquiesced only af-
ter 1t saw that his nomination was inev-
table. which was brought about by
threats and bull-dozing on the psrt OF
Pavey and his ring. This Flaw defying,
constituticn-ignoring salary grsbber." is
now before the people for reelection
and an endorsement Of his mercensry
obu uRtutOIioI CbIccE. buCCcsS NJ
the polls depends solely upon those
whom he grievously wronged in his in
herent antipathy and hatred Of everything
pertaining to beneficiary life insurance
cooperation. In all transactions be-
tween officials of such orders and the
state auditor he seldom concealed this
feeling.
Hardly had Psvey been indicted into
the Office OF auditor of public accounts
before he began an onslaught upon bene.
fciary life insurance societies. The first
to receive his vindictiveness was the
Modern Woodmen of America, which
under Pavey's predecessor had grown In
SIX years from q handful of men to a
membership of over so 900 of which 23.>
900 resided in the state of Illinois. In
June. 1889. the head consul's Office was
removed to Elgin. and immedi ately the
conspiracy that hid been planned In the
offices of the Springfield ring began
working. The mslcontent and wrecker
whom Pavey and the ring backed and
encouraged, was at that time a trusted
member of the Woodmen council re-
ceiving more salary than a majority OF
the other members combined. This
mercenary and vengeful spirit was
the direct medium through which the
Springfield ring worked in its
designs upOon the order. This bench
man of Psvey's boosted of his "influen
at Springfield" and ability to wreck the
order. The attempt to secure new
charter failed because there WAS no Just
cause. The Springfield ring allowed this
tool of theirs to hsrssss and emb arr4ss
the order until he YVES beaten at every
point in council and at law, and they
themselves were defeated in court in
their attempt to have a receiver appointed
to wreck and rob the order Then they
trumped up the noted state suit against
the order. The trial was continued a
year and half after the defendants were
out of Office but Was forced to trial last
spring and esulted technical finding
for the plaintiff and virtually victory
for the defendant, Pavey was seemingly
anxious to have the trial ended before
the campaign opened, as it might prove a
factor in mis- CANVASS. His action is gone
but not forgotten by the loyal Woodmen
of the state.
No order was ever beset by such base
and malignant set of prosecutors as were
the members of the Springfield ring to
ward the Modern Woodmen of America
The whole trouble may be traced TO an |
inception in Pavey's mind, prompted By
his enmity toward such orders. It hiss
oOSh oshCd III IcRdTu w hSty hUl buls |
particular henchmsn. which was the tool |
of the otherf 1t may he truthfuily said |
that both were equal conspirators, agree
ing in everything. differing in nothing |
Nothing was stopped short of in their |
Efforts to disrupt the order ana bring the |
loyal supporters into disrepute. The Ell |
gin attorney OF the order, when running |
on q republican ticket two years ago was |
villiied. slandered and attacked by the |
Springfield rig. and ignominious,y |
defeated. A special edition of sour
rillous sheet was circul tied among the |
Woodmen in Kane county. In the light |
Of past events it does not seem possible |
that any man holding a policy in fra
ternal life insurance society can consist
inglY and conscientious vote for the |
arrogant enemy of cooperative insur-
ance. G. W. Psvey. Every Modarp |
Woodman who realizes the great injury |
and expense to his order caused by the |
malignity and vindictiveness of the state |
auditor should assert his manhood and |
and retire Pavey to private |
life. where he can no longer prostitute q |
public office for private gain and In the |
interest of his own selfshness and that Of !
a ring of henchmen
Elk -MODE"N WooDMAN.