Rock Island Argus., 1902-04-26
Society That is Iden-

day-not exceeded in membership by
any society on the western hemfs-
phere, and by but one or two in the
whole world. Head Consul Northcott's
possession of marvellous executive
powers. and the ability to inaugurate
large plans and to perfect them down
to the minitest detail has been the
great secret Of Mr.. Northcott's sue
cess as head consul. The great
! Woodmen field working system is cX-
clusively Mr.. Northcott's creation.
At present there are over 600 field
workers, soliciting agents. at work
securing members. Another aid of
! incalculable value i'm the Wuodmcn
lsocicty's growth. due to Mr.. North
cott. is the establishment of Wood
men picnic assuC---- onS, which hold
annual meetings in all sections of
the country. There are now over
500 of these picnic associations
which hold monster meetings every
summer.
But while Mr.. Northcott has been
winning laurclS in the large field of
publicity. Head Clerk Hawcs has
been caring for the socicty's. vast
and increasing administrative bust
ness. Little by -,ic, keeping pace
with the gain IN membership. has
been evolved by Head Clerk Hawcs
the system of accounting that now
serves as a model for all other fra
itcrnitics. When Head Clerk Hawcs
was elected in 1890 he found his of
+ flee without system and without
proper hooks of record in the ac-
counts OF the individual I3cmbcrs.
/ Assisted by eight or ten clerks. he
: devoted all his time 10 the task of
bringing order out of chaos. deter
mined that i'm the future the head
clerks Office should render prompt
and accurate service. At the pres
ent time there are 80 clerks work
/ ing i'm all departments of the head
clerks office. each department hay-
/ ing assigned To it the performance
/ of certain duties. The record of the
teXpansion of this branch of the so
cicty may be summarized as follows;
/ fetal head office force. 1s9O-Hcad
/ Clerk & w. IIawcs ana eight clerks.
/ Total head office force. July. 1901
Head Clerk = W. Hawcs and 100
clerks. working in the following head
office departments:
Mail opening department, mailing
list department.. printing depart
mcnt. supply department, cOrrcspons
Ideafce department, certificate departA
mcnt. mortuary department, statisti-
cal department. actuarial depart
ment, auditing department, book
keeping department, record depart
mcnt.
This illustrates quite as clearly as
would several columns of detail eX-
PLANTATION the responsibilities Major
Hawes has borne as head clerk.
That his work has been and is now
appreciated by the society need not
here he said. His continuous reelec-
ton without opposition is sufficient
proof of this.
Supporting the two chiefs, North
colt and Hawes. has been a loyal and
able directorate, at present com
posed of f. Z. Murphy, chairman,
Leavenworth Kan; A. II. Talbot,
Lincoln, Neb.; Benjamin ID. Smith,
Mankato. Mimi; c. G. Saunders,
Council Bluffs. Iowa; George w. Reil-
~. Danville. III. Only one director.
Hon y Il. Talbot, of the board elect
ed at Springfield, H.. in 1890, official
lv survives. but all the members of
the board of today, or as they have
come and gone, without exception.
have been able men. The board as
at present constituted, measures in
ability fully up to the standard of
the 1890 board.
The legal interests of this society
are carefully conserved by two gen
eral attorneys, Hon. j. w. White, of
Rock Falls. ILL.,. and Hon. j. G. John
son. of Peabody. Kan. Both are ex-
members of the board of directors,
having been first elected directors at
the Springfield head camp in 1890,
and both rank very high in their pro-
fession.
The socicty's treasure box Is still
secure, and is in the keeping of Head
Banker -R. Il. Smith, of Brookiield,
Mo.
The Official Paper.
The society has am official paper.