Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-21
WOE OF 'WOODMEN,
Launching Of Head Offices at
Fulton.
ORIGIN OF THE GREAT ORDER

ORIGIN OF THE GREAT ORDER.
How J. Q. Rest aaa ais OoaIsseuss Wsrs
0ssssa and oapplaassa By the Present
Emsssns Ceeps-Highsisg Five Years "a
Como 70 Rock Islaad.
Fulton. July 20.-Many people
throughout the jurisdiction OF
the Modern Woodmen Of Amer
lea are watching with . great
deal OF interest the outcome
Of the injunction suit brought by q
few business men of this town OF
Fulton. in the name of Bsstian ct
al. W. the Modern Woodmen Of
America.
In connection with the latest de-
velopments in the controversy be-
tween the three or four individuals
Of Fulton who are at present thwart-
ing the will Of about 100000 Wood
men, representing in the aggregate
nearly million nd . half Of PEG pile,
it is the endeavor of this article to
give q brief summary of the situa.
tion from the time Of the beginning
Of the order to date, leaving the
reader to draw his own conclusions
as 10 the merits OF the case 1T pres
ent involved in law. About fourteen
years ago j. c. Root, a resident of
the town Of Lyons, Iowa, conceived
the idea of organizing fraternal ben
ofciarv inauronno ordor Who<h nv
the idea was original with Mr.. Root
or not the writer is unable to say,
but it is believed not entirely. MI.
Root began operations by first solicit
ing members for the order in the
three closely connected towns Of
Clinton and Lyons, Iowa, and Fulton,
ILL.,. As the scheme progressed it
became necessary to incorporate and
operate under the statutory laws of
some state, and as the laws of the
state Of Illinois we're more liberal in
in their construction for the benef fit
Of his order, Mr.. Root crossed the
river from Lyons to Fulton, and
proceeded to incorporate under the
laws Of this state and to establish
his principal business Office in Full
ton, although he never became o
resident of this town. On the con.
trary he continued to reside with his
family at Lyons. where the first
lodge or camp was organized, known
as Pioneer camp No. 1. But as the
principal business Office was in Full
ton. 1t became necessary for Mr..
Root to ingratiate himself into the
good graces Of the Fulton people a.
much as possible. This he succeeded
IN doing. and organized Forest camp
No. 2. the second camp in the order,
at Fulton. It is said, and Mr.. Roots
history since will bear out the fact,
that he is man who usually keeps
his business to himself, having no
confidents. and had it not been for
certain circumstances, he might still
be at the head of the Modern Wood
men, which has grown from 0 hand
full Of members until it now numb
nearly q quarter of . million able
bodied. respected citizens in ~ diff
ferent states. Root and his con-
federates became unpopular and
proceedings ut law we're begun
against him and one or two
others. but owing to the infiu-
ence brought to bear on the com.
planning members nothing ever came
out Of the proceedings, although
Root was decapitated, and it has
long been the opinion, and is TO-
day, Of the honest members who
knew his associates and their
acts, that all Woodmen would be
better of il his friends had suffered
the same fate for misconduct as did
Root.
Suffice it to say that they did not.
and are at present ss actively en-
gagged in trying to get another foot
hold in the Modern Woodmsn as be-
fore. and they have no scruples in
their efforts against the present off,
GERS or anyone who opposes their
methods which have been shown to
be unfair and in some ins tances false.
Old Omcers Oustsd.
The Springfield head camp in 1890
settled the fate of all Fulton men,
bers who had been holding office or
in any way doing business with or
for the order. The present head
officers with three exceptions were
elected. The printing was taken out
of the hands Of the Bastians. At the
Omaha head camp meeting in 1892
the officers elected at Springfield
were almost unanimuosly reelected,
and o move was then made to ix q
permanent location for the principal
business Office at Rock leland. This
movement has been rigidly opposed
in one way or another by the Bias.
tians and other Faltonites who were
friendly with Root ever since. J.
c. Root established . new order
known as the Woodmen of the World
with headquarters at Omaha. and il
Is claimed that he has . cinch on the
order 40 the head of It. Others who
were knocked out at the Springfield
meeting have either gone into other