Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-13
WOODMEN
CONVENE
Twelfth Biennial Camp Called
to Order at st. Paul
Tuesday.
GREAT CROWDS THERE

- : - t,k
GREAT CROWDS THERE
Head Consul Northcott Says the Order
Has Had an Enormous Growth
Carries over a4,Billion Dollars in
Risks-Hawes' Report. =.
st. Paul, Mimi, June 1.-THE
twelfth biennial camp of Modern
Woodmen of America was called to Or
der this morning in the Auditorium
with an immense audience crowding
the great convention hall. Welcomes
and responses and preliminary routine
in the appointment of committees fill
ed the morning session.
Northcott's Address.
In his opening address Head Consul
Northcott said: THE rapid growth
of the order in the past two years, as
shown by the reports Of head officers,
was never equalled by any fraternal
society or life insurance company in
the worlds history. We now have
100000 members and 900 local lodges
We are maintaining insurance on the
lives OF members today in an aggre-
gate sum of $1.025,000,000, and have
more policy holders than the largest
regular life insurance company in the
United States"
Clerk Halves Report.
The report of the Head Clerk Charles w
Halves. Tor the biennial term, Jan. /, 1899,
to Dec. 81, 1900 contained the following:
The total number Of benefit certificates
issued was 800, 1876, representing 27S50S
certificates to new members and 30,627 on
account OF changes
There were 5,94s camps in good standing
term, s,ae2; surrendered, $50; leaving
i5oa net gain s Of sos2 CAMPS ef The states
having over 100 are: Illinois, 1,470; Iowa,
1908; Missouri, DOG; Kansas, s14; Wiscon-
Michigan, 49s; Ohio, 26i; South Dakota,
$50; Pennsylvania, 191; North Dakota, 1856;
Oklahoma, rs; Washington, 1873:
81, 57o,o ana the disbursements s., $50
914, the balance being S345, 1913.
The receipts OF the general fund We're
604, the balance being $303,315
The expensss, Of do5 5nanagemsnt for the two
years Were sTa1 4s2oper ca pita a., for 1899. n
in per capita expense was due to the ad-
dition Of fourteen states to the societys
Jurisdiction, Last term the head office was
! handling the business in only nineteen
states; now IT is handling the business In
thirty-one states
Out of the society's tqtal membership of
,5S7 S5s, thete we're but z9l explosions.
4 - g.
BOO The a claims reported in 1889 1900 iG as
ssss1fs = ap Se th sms 1ad ant
ing the period s footed up 81 Si4 eompro
mise, $37 ,050; discontinued, S57, 900.
Within five years there has been a fall,
ing off In contributions to the benefit fund
the fact that the liabilities have enormous
ty increased by the gains in membership
bsa sss yssafs om agSee Gf asstf to ea
in 1900.
Important Questions to Settle.
1.-THE most important question which
the Modern Woodmen have to consid-
er for the further improvement of
their order is a readjustment of their
rates Of insurance" said Head Consul
William A. Northcott in an interview
yesterday.
"Our rates are confessedly too low.
The fact is one of comment on the
part of all who have made insurance
a study. Action will therefore be Of
vital Importance in the progress of the
fraternal benefit system.
tThe readjustment will probably
come before the general convention in
the form of resolution authorizing
the executive council to suggest some
plan Of raising the rates. This plan
would then be published in the official
paper and submitted to the members
through q referendum mail vote. The
question is altogether too complicated
to be discussed on the convention
floor, but no change will be made with
out the voted consent of the members
of the order.
In general, favor a plan which
will require each member of the order
to pay what his insurance costs the
order"
The Weeks Program.
The program for the week follows:
Tuesday.
Morning-9.3 o'clock-First meet.
ing of the head camp at auditorium
welcome from the state and city.
Evening-Historical drills of all ma.
tons by Company c, Third regiment
of Duluth, at auditorium.
Wednesday.
Neutrality-suspicious. competitive drill
of Forester teams at Lexington park
Afternoon--1nspection of teams, al
Lexington park.
Night-Exemplifica of secret
work at auditorium.
Thursday.
Morning-Big Woodman parade,
o'clock.
Afternoon-Compe drill Of 10
cal teams at state fair grounds, with
log rolling and athletic events Bal
loon ascension, mule race. motorcycle
and automobile races.
Evening Minstrel and vaudeville
show at auditorium.
Friday.
Morning National competitive drill
continued at Lexington park; excur
sion to Lake Minnetonka.
Evening Official ball, Masonic TEN
pie, Minneapolis; street parade of For