Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-06-07
OF WOODMEN
Immense Gathering of Orders
Representatives at Kan
sas City.
VARIOUS QUESTIONS TO COME UP.

Chicago Knocking for Readmission to the
Observation-Disclosures TO Change Law so
as to Permit Saloonkeepers and Bar
tenders to Join the Society-As to APP
preparation to Complete Headquarters.
Kansas CITY. Mo-, June with a
military band playing patriotic airs,
the 1lth head camp OF the Modern
Woodmen OF America opened its con-
vention this morning. While the
delegates were seeking the desks in
the arena floor to which they had
been assigned and the spectators were
gathering in the balconies. a quartet
of male voices, part of the illinois
delegation, sang songs on Woodmen
themes. Never before in the history
of the order have the Woodmen met
in a place so conveniently arranged
When the state delegations entered
the hall they were surprised and de-
lighted with the preparations made
| by the Kansas City committees.
There was desk for each of the dele
gates. On each desk was writing
paper, pencils, pen, ink, the reports
OF the various officers and copies of
the daily papers. The state delega-
tions were divided by wide aisles, and
i marked by guidons.
AT 10 O'Clock the head consul, Lieut..
Gov. William A. Northcott, of Illinois.
announced the formal opening, and
the chaplain, Rev. w. II. Troy, of
Platteville, Wis, pronounced the in
vocation. The roll was called by
states by Maj. G. w. Halves, the head
| clerk.
Gov. w. Stanley, of Kansas, well
coined the delegates and visitors to
Kansas City on behalf of the state OF
Kansas. His speech was brief.
James X. Reed, prosecuting attor-
new, welcomed the delegates to Kan
sas City. Mayor Jones sent letter
rcgretting that his absence from the
city would prevent him from -welcom-
| ing the Woodmen in person. John
Sullivan made an address of welcome
| in behalf of the entertainment COM
mittee.
William a. Northcott, the head con-
sui, responded to the speeches of well
come.
Number OF Visitors.
IL is estimated that ut least 10000
visitors are here with the Woodmen.
Yesterday the state caucuses had acted
practically as a unit and it is believed
that all the principal officers will he
reelected. Probably the only excep-
ton is the office of head banker, for
which Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin
are contcnding. and the selection of a
convention city, fought for by st.
Paul and Grand Rapids. These mat
tiers will be closed later in the week.
Eight important questions will
come up for discussion before this
convention. George NJ. Boyd, state
Representative of Illinois, is here urging
that persons living in Chicago be per-
mitted to Join the order. Cook coun-
| ty was excluded IN 1886. and has
asked for readmission at nearly every
convention since. The most of the
delegates, it is asserted, are against
permitting Chicago to come in, be-
cause of the high death rate in that
city. Milwaukee was excluded at the
| same time rs Chicago, but is not an
applicant for admission. There Will
be long discussion over the suicide
question. There are several dele
gates who are in favor of the pay
ment of the faces of benefit certificates
of those who commit suicide, but the
greater number are said to oppose it.
The law relating to the memberships
of soldiers in time of war will proba-
blv be amended. The present rule
excludes regular army soldiers in
time of war from the benefits. There
are several death claims of this kind
now before the national officers. Sa-
loon-keepers and bartenders are ex-
cIuded from membership. An effort
| is to be made to change this law so as
to permit them to join the order.
There will be opposition to an addi-
tional appropriation to complete the
building of the head offices in Rock
Island, III. The payment of those
who secure additional members will
be discussed, and the law on the sub
iect will probably be amended. A
standard emblem is to he adopted by
the convention before it closes.
Reserve Fund.
The Missouri delegation in the
caucus last night declared for an
amendment of the bylaws of the or
der establishing reserve fund. 1t
was the first gun of the convention,
and created so much discussion today
that il was decided to abandon the
speechmaking and settled down to
business. The reserve fund was
suggested 10 yesrs ago. The present
national officers are advocates of it.
and have been recommending it at
every convention. The opposition of
the majority of the delegates has dis
couraged them, and for the first time
there appears no recommendations
in this direction in the annual re-
ports.
c. W. Halves. in his report, esti-
mates that the work of deputies Will