The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-08
bACk IO THE MEMBERS
Head Camp of Woodmen Re-
ferS the Question
OF 1.-THE RESERVE FUND
Proposal Is to Levy Twelve
Assessments Annually,

Kansas city, Mo-, June 7.-Renewed in
terest was shown at the second days ses-
sion OF the eleventh biennial convention
of the Modern Woodmen of America
Several thousand belated members of the
order had arrived during the night and
today and questions Of Importance devel-
oped enthusiastic work and discussion
The action OF last nights session, which
took the preliminary steps toward Great
ing reserve fund, a question which has
been fought for ten years. was discussed
freely by the delegates before the gather
ing met Head Consul Northcott had been
instructed 10 appoint a committee Of five
to draft plan Off such fund and they
reported today. The report was made the
special business Of the day, and IL proved
one for fruitful debate Long before the
session was called 10 order the great con-
vention hall fairly swarmed with Wood
men, bedecked in bright badges anr ami
mated to an unusual degree by the work
before them.
Early in the session T. s. Simpson.
Peoria, Ills. offered an amendment TO the
bylaws, in an attempt to secure a re-
considerations the action OF the con-
vention yesterday in excluding distilIery
and brewery employees from the order
Several speeches were made The con-
ventiOn finally, for second time. re-
fused to alter the old Jaw, and the de-
cision was received with deafening an
plause. The convention decided to exclude
from the benefits of insurance any mem
oers who should in the future become
brakemen or conductors Of freight trains.
locomotive fremen or engineers, switch
men, yardma sters yard foremen. miners.
mine inspectors, mine track layers. pit
bosses, jockeys, employees in factories max
ing explosives, glass-blowers. oil well
shooters" aeronauts, sailors, plow-
grinders. professional base ball players.
professional firemen, submarine workers.
soldiers in time of war or workers in
smelters.
An amendment excluding steel workers
was offered by a member from PcnnsgI-
vania. After a debate Of twenty minutes
the words were changed to stesl-blasters
and the amendment was carried. Nearly
5000 members Of the order, it was assert
ed, would have been debarred had the
first amendment carried.
The following committee on reserve
fund was announced: T. Murphy, Kan
sas, John ullivan. Missouri; George Jenk-
ms, Nebraska; AIRY Franklin. Minnesota.
The head camp. by a resolution last night,
appointed W. A Northcott chairman.
The commmitttee reported at the after
noon session. The pan that It recon-
mends is that twelve regular assessments
be made each year. The assessments are
now made only as the money is needed
in paying the faces Of beneficiary certih-
Gates. The committee suggested that all
the surplus from the assessments be plac-
ed in the reserve fund The fund Is 70
be drawn upon only when more than the
twelve assessments are necessary in the
year, or in cases Of epidemics. The re-
port was taken up for debate at once.
Head Consul Northcott was the first
to speak on the report. He estimated that
the surplus from the assessments bv the
plan recommended by the committee
would make a fund OF Fl POO, 600 I'm a year
and suggested that when this sum had
been reached it be invested in govern
ment bonds.
Against the proposal to order assess
ments TOR the creation Of a reserve fund
it was argued that the camp would not
be justified in taking such radical action
without first having given the 400 90
members Of the order an opportunity to
discuss the proposition and instruct their
delegates to the head camp. A. r. Ia
bot Of Nebraska. offered as a substitute
for the committee recommendation a res0-
luton providing for the submission Of the /
question 10 the membership OF the So
ciety, with instructions to the head clerk
TO report the result Of the ballot 70 the
head camp at its mex meeting. IN 1901. The {
substitute resolution was adopted BY a /
large majority.