Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-21

Ao8s 1S0O N 00ou0AAok w. mO0oKO~
ment of the paper known
as the Fulton Journal and his
brother engaging in politics.
Bastian first began by publishing
comments on the head Off GERS, and
succeeded in stirring up some feel
ing among the Woodmen in Clinton,
Lyons and Falton. He then took C.
L. Root. . brother of j. C. Root, and
. man by the name Of Dickmsn. into
his confidence. These three men
got their heads together and began
10 agitate their scheme. They talked
q good deal and published . good
deal. and finally. when they had
succeeded in convincing Fulton peo-
pie that il they would keep the head
Offices in Fulton they must lend
their assistance and help get q new
set of officers elected, and other
wise getting the Woodmen of their
immediate vicinity sufficiently
worked up by their accusations and
publications. they called . meeting
Of 10 or ~ camps within the radius
of 80 miles Of Fulton, lin which
there are 81 camps) and en-
dorsed the resolutions they had got
ten up. These resolutions set forth
very grave charges. They originated
with three individuals. and these in
dividuals, as soon as they got them
endorsed. began to talk. Thousands
of copies where pu blished BY Bastian
and distributed over the entire juris-
diction of the Woodmen.
That the delegates at the head
camp meeting at Dubuque in June
turned these individuals down in .
proper manner is an interesting fact
that has gone into history. That
Bastian is still fighting the order with
ardor and vigor, 10 another fact, and
his long suit seems to be injunctions.
At no time is he at loss to produce
an affidavit from one of his allies in
support of this injunction. which has
been remanded back by the supreme
court to the end that law might be
and which is now ssta blished to pre-
vent litigation from such sources in
the future. While the construction of
the law has favored the Bastian
crowd, as coming from the highest
tribunal in the state. it is q self-evi-
dent fact that no law should be long
allowed to stand which 30 abridges
the rights Of the people as to enable
three or four individuals to thwart
the will of quarter Of q million peo-
pie.
Injunction No. 1.
Immediately after the vote of the
head camp at Omaha in 1892 to re-
move the head Offices from Fulton to
Rock Island Bastian and a few of his
allies went to Morrison and obtained
an injunction restraining tho head
officers from moving the head offices.
The af6davits set forth were not SUBJ
stantiated by either the circuit or
appellate courts. The decisions of
the judges of these two tribunes
were reversed and remanded back by
the supreme court purely on tech
nical grounds. and against the &C.
tions CT the Omaha and Madi-
son head camp meetings. The
supreme court held that q
corporation must hold its meeting
Of stockholders Or delegates within
the limits of the state in order to do
its business legally.
On account of fraternal insurance
orders being of such recent date in
the line Of corporations there had
been no laws passed to meet ex.-
gencies Of this kind, and conse-
quently it became necessary for the
hnaA n@nnRa - kn M4AAe.
men of America to have . law passed
that would enable them to do busi-
ness without putting its members to
50 much expense at law over techni-
calities. The state Legislature saw
the necessity of action being taken
for the prevention of further trouble
to this and other fraternal insurance
companies on account of the supreme
courts decision, and enacted Law
May ~. 1897, which made all bust
ness transacted outside of the state
at . regular meeting of the members
or delegates Of these societies legal.
Judge Carver, in expressing himself
as to the meaning of the law. plainly
told the Bastian crowd. who were on
hand with their usual affidavits for
new injunction at the time the case
was rsdocketed at Morrison, ILL.,.
that the new law plainly covered
their objections to the removal of
the head Offices, and without that
law and similar ones which have
been passed in six or seven different
states. within the past few months
and could be proven unconstitu-
tional. he could see no reason WHY
the Modern Woodmen should be
handicapped further by the actions
Of one or two people who had no
reason for their actions in this mat
ter but to satisfy their own greed.
The latest move made BY Bastian
and the Fulton people. who are now
mixed up in the affair (most Of whom
do not belong to the order). was 10
60 bsfore the Whiteside county mas
ter In chancery, A. ]. AcPherran. of
Sterling, and get another injunction.
The case was set for . hearing
before Judge Bigelow, recently
elected In this district. Judge