Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-06-02

in every gathering Of Woodmen. Hez
fight on the head officers has been ..
much of dismal failure. however,
as will be her continued contest for
the head Offices. The attack ON the
head officers has proven an assault
on the order, as disreputable a. it il
vindictive, and it will be buried a.
deep as will eventually the men
who are responsible for it.
Among those who are here doing
good work in opposition to the Full
ton-Clinton movement is 8. Robb.
brother of 81. H. Robb. of Rock ISL
and, and formerly of that city him.
self. He now resides at Clinton.
He was on the original Clinton
investigating committee. He went
into the task earnestly. for he had
been led to believe there was some
ground for the attacks on the man
agement. When the investigation
was finished he was convinced that
there was no foundation whatever
for it, and he pronounces the report
from which he and three others Of
the committee dissented and to which
they refused to sign their names q
lie throughout and he says he is
willing to entrust his insurance to
the Woodmen with the present head
officers continued in office. The
convention today took the same view
that Mr.. Robb does.
Norfh~ote = Moasl om.>,
Too much has not been said in ad +.
miration of w. A. Northcott, the
head consul CT the order, and lieu
tenant governor of Illinois, As q pre-
siding officer. He is . genius in ex-
ecutive as well as administrative
capacity. He is prince of parlia-
mentarians, and he dispatches busi-
ness with q swiftness and ability that
at once awaken admiration. His
eyes are everywhere at once, he is
quick to grasp the full meaning of
everything that comes up and the del
egate on the floor who succeeds in
confusing him has not yet been
heard of, although the presiding
officer did make the single but quito
natural slip this morning of calling
. delegate, "senator" instead Of
"neighbor."
Fifst Victory for Rock Island.
What may be termed the first VIC
tory for Rock Island occurred this
afternoon, when the convention by q
practically unanimous vote, not only
turned down the disgruntled commit
tee from Fulton and Clinton with its
elaborate but groundless report of
charges against the head officers, but
declared emphatically for the reelec-
tion of Head Consul Northcott and
Head Clerk Hawes, the two main Of
ficers of the order, and both Rock
Islands staunchest friends. Thev
are, by the way, the heroes of the
convention. too. 1t was the hope of
the Fultonites that by retiring one or
both Of these officers they could
make such inroads into the feelings
of the delegates as to throw Rock Isl
and down. The news of the head
camps action this afternoon was
therefore received at Rock Island
headquarters with great rejoicing,
not only in spirit Of loyalty, but
because it was accepted as signal
triumph over the only element in
the order that is hostile to Rock ISL
and.
Dubuque's court house wherein
the sessions of the head camp were
originally located, is an imposing
structure in exterior appearance, but
does not compare with Rock Islands
inside. The finish is neither as elab-
crate nor as artistic. It is a plain
building, commodious, but without
establishment. The opening ses-
zion of the convention was held at
the Grand opera house, owing to the
immense crowd in attendance, and
this afternoon the court room was
used, but the accommodations there
are insufficient, and the head camp
may be compelled to go back to the
opera house. As Head Consul
Northcott expressed it in adjourning
this morning, "We will try both
places and then decide what you are
for"