Rock Island Argus., 1900-12-12
DEPUTIES DEBATING
Annual Convention of State
Woodmen Workers Opens
Today.
CRITICISM FROM MR.. NoRTHCoTT
Says Lack of Energy is Cause of
Falling Under Record
of 1899.

The annual meeting of state depu-
ties of the Modern Woodmen con-
vened at NJ. w. A. hall in the Carse
| block at 10 o'clock this morning.
! About so state and district deputie )
attended the opening session, repre- :
senting nearly all parts of the United
States from Portland, Marie, and
Portland, Oregon. The board of di-
rectors of the Woodmen and the board
of supreme managers of the Royal
Neighbors were in attendance.
Head Consul w. A. Northcott pre-
sided and made the opening address
His remarks were chiefly devoted to
in new camps and adoptions for the
year 1900 as compared with 1899,
and severe criticism of the stale
deputies therefor.
An Appeal to Deputies
For ten years he said he had been
appealing to the jurisdiction in be-
half of the state deputies, but now he
proposed to reverse the order aud APP
peal to the deputies in behalf
of the Jurisdiction. Mr. Northcott
then read statistics from the
several states comparing the gains for
the present year with those of last
year. In the older states they showed
material falling off, while in some
of he new ones tney barely held their
own. Colorado, Oklahoma and Cali
fornia made the best showing, in fact
their records, the speaker said, had
never been equalled by any fraternal
insurance order in any state.
The fault for the poor showing the
head consul attributed to lack of pro-
per energy on the part of the state
deputies. They had failed to secure
the best possible work from their
district deputies. He included him
self in the criticism, admitting that
he had possibly devoted too much
time to other matters.
Mai. Halves on supplies
Head Clerk G. W. Halves read pa
per on "Our Supply Department.
The laws governing this very import
ant department, he said, had been of
gradual development. The system of
free supplies to deputies adopted in
1898 had wrought much good and re-
suited in an immediate increase in
the growth of the order. After read
ing figures showing the cost OF the
free supplies, the major intimated
that the deputies were very well
treated. He protested against dePu
lies working in the interests of out
side firms in view of the fact that the
order furnished everything needful to
mem bers a: 10 per cent above cost
The balance of the paper was devoted
to affairs. connected with the head
olli' 'e, closing with flsttering eulogy
of Head Consul Northcott.
On suggestion of different parties
the honors of the order were paid
in turn to the head consul, the head
clerk, the board of directors of fhe
Woodmen, and the board of supreme
managers of the Royal Neigh bors.
The morning session closed with an
address by State Deputy G. j. Byrns,
of Michigan, on How to Secure Good
Deputies and Organize a District
PROPERLY" with discussion by +. M.
Tousley and j. 5. Shearer.
Afternoon Meeting.
At this afternoons meeting the
main addresses were made by d. l.
Thornton, S. G.. Sparks and George b.
Albert. The evening session will be
held in the certificate room at the head
oflice, and in addition to the regular
program. Abb Landis, editor of the
FraIernal Monitor, of Rochester, n.