Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-12-21

environments and with the aid of this
mysterious agency he reaches almost
at bound the utmost limit of the
habitable globe
But we stand in the presence not
of material progress alone We rec
ognize in this whirl of new facts and
forces the greater fact, that it was in
the power of man, and it became his
duty to so cooperate together that
changed and highly improved condi-
tions would be the result; that many
of the harsh and depressing expert
ences of life could be modified, the
burdens of life lifted and the rough
places made smooth.
when the Creator of the universe
was prepared u introduce man upon
the field of action He said, Let us
make man. There was cooperation
with divinity. The divine command
was not will make man, but let us
make man
In the midst of the great develop
ments of the passing century, in
shaping and utilizing the material
forces of nature combined with the
mental powers of mankind, the great
idea of the value of individual CO.
operation in matters fraternal. with a
more profound sense, seized the hearts
and brains of men. 1t dawned upon
men that there was a strength and
force in united human effort that was
able to do and accomplish much in
spheres of human action, then but
little cultivated; that it was never in
tended that man should stand alone
but by cooperation. Light was the
task when many share the toll.
Great Fraternal Order.
"And thus out of the thoughtful
consideration of this great principal
cooperation has grown the great fra
ternal order in the presence of which
l stand tonight in the persons of the
hundreds nov present, repre- sentiDg
the hundreds of thousands VINO are
absent. This great order as one of
the great agencies of the century has
come to bless mankind. and help to
protect those who need protection.
Il hail, neigh bors and friends. this
great mental product of the 18th
century! All hail to the nearly half
million Modern Woodmen, earnest
men in the earnest work of brotheTly
assistance.
Il hail the glorious fact that the
rays of sunlight of this order are now
shining into the hearts of millions
and upon the be4rthstones of many
homes, and in that dav of trial and
gloom when the pitcher of the wage
Garner shall be broken at the fountain
and the wheel at the cistern, there
will come from this order 3 friend in
need, and a message of mercy and as
sistance.
.Neighbors from abroad, you are
not here as cabinet to determine the
dread issue OF peace orwar. 1t is not
pow with you a question of empire,
race or creed. You are here to plan
and develop ways and means where
by the principles of our order of
neighborly regard, love and assist
ance, NAV be disseminated, vitaliZed
and much abound.
Your labCrs here will enrich all
fraternal organizations. | again re-
peat the welcome. May this visit be
so characterized by cordial greeting
and brotherly recognition that the oc-
casion may ever remain green spot
in your memory, and when you re-
turn home to that blessed tireside,
where the virtues of your life have
been so richly cultivated that, while
not forgetting any pleasure that you
may enjoy here, you will again take
up and sing with renewed JUNCTION the
words of that immortal song:
Home home sweet sweet hcme.
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like
home
MT. whelan's Response.
After flute and clarinet duet, with
orchestral accompaniment, Hon. G.
E. Whelan, of Madison, Wis. e Eas in
troduced, and delivered Vie response
in behalf of the Wo5dnen delegates.
He said the kind treatment the Wood
men had received at the hands OF the
people of Rock Island was even, more
courteous and kindly than they had
reason to expect, but was no more
than had been promised them by Mr..
Jackson, to whom the speaker paid a
deserved compliment for his untir-
ing energy in behalf of the order,
and his devotinn to the city1t
which should feel pride in him.
Mr.. Whelan did not forget the
days when the officials held their
meetings in the gloomy attic in
Fulton, where they were con family in
fear of the plaster tum bling down and
iniuring them. The clerks were
obliged to work with a pen In one
band and fire extinguisher in the |
other. The officers while in the |
Whiteside county town could scarcely
get enough to eat or a place to sleep. |
He rejoiced with his fellow-visitors
that the headquarters were located in |
such an up-to-date city as Rock ISL |
and. where there were men who weI e
hn m a RI
of the host
There were remarks also by Rev. |
Thomas Martin, of Baldwin. Kas;
Harry Franklin. of St. Paul; Rev. j.
!. Farley, of Panora, Iowa; r. +. |
Johnson. Of Lincoln, Neb., and L. =. |
Scsnlon, of Huntington, w Va.