Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-30

CONTINUED from Page One.)
Those organizers got 1888 new mem
bers. But during the year 1869 mem
bers lapsed, so that the order had only
319 more members at the end of the
year than at the beginning.
Reduce Expenses, Fail to Grow.
''In 1907 an effort was made to econ.
omize on the field force, with the re-
suit that the expenditures for that
item were reduced to S2S,3S9, but the
net gain of membership was only 134,
or an expense of $211.80 for every
member gained. Mr.. Whitman, who
was in charge of the field work, in
formed Rexdale and myself of the fact
that as things were going for 1908, of
which 10 months had then elapsed, the
order would show a net loss of mem
| bership at the end of the year, notwith-
standing a probable expenditure or ap-
proximately $4,000 in the field.
When, therefore, the proposition
was made that $500 new and perma-
nent members could be got for the
penditure of dollar from the treasury
II certainly looked pretty good.
"The negotiations with the Home
Circle people had been made before
Mr.. Rexdale and got to Chicago. The
proposition, as it was explained there
by Mr.. Whitman and DR.. Craig, was
that the two rders were to be united
under the name of the Fraternal Trib-
uneS if the condition of the Home Cir
Gle was represented, and that order
was to preserve its identity. But since
the large accession of membership was
to be brought by the officers of the
Home Circle, and as those officers
were ambitious to head a large order
and remain in fraternal work, they de-
sired to fill the offices of the combin-
ed concern, but were willing to pay
bonus of $4,000 to the retiring officers
of the Tribunes. 1 asked Mr.. Whit
ham at that time where they expected
to get the money, and he assured me
that he had taken that matter up with
them and they had told him that they
were paying it from their own per-
sonal funds. I had no negotiations
with the Home Circle people as to the
payment of any money, but mentioned
and Mr.. Craig, and was as often assur-
ed that the distinct understanding
with them that none of the money
should come either then or thereafter
from the treasury of either society.
Raised the OFFER.
"Mr Whitman further informed me
that their first proposition to him and
DR.. Craig had been to pay $4,000. but
that they had raised it to $4,000 be-
fore l came. When, that day in Chi
cago, we went to Wilson's room, Will
son and Whitman called my attention
| to a memorandum written with a pen
on a sheet of hotel paper, which l do
not remember distinctly, but remem-
Der that it was signed by Wilson and
either or both Whitman and Craig, re-
citing that a consideration of $4,000
was to be paid on the merger of the
societies, or words to that effect. l
said that l understood that their
agreement now was $4,000, which
they said was correct. and 1 advised
them to destroy that memorandum,
which l think was done.
Before the contract was entered
tribunal, with the exception of two,
who were not accessible, were inform
ed of the proposed action. and signed
a paper requesting that it be taken.
This paper was circulated by Mr..
Whitman and DR.. Craig l assume they
were not informed of the $4,000 part
of the proposition. The contract was
entered into between the societies on
Nov. 10. 1908; the Tribunes' officers
rtsigned and were elected to nominal
positions in the supreme tribunal ex-
cept Mr.. Rexdale, who was elected
vice supreme tribune and his salary
as such fixed at $4,000 per year. That
Office previously had paid no salary,
but there was expected to be work
enough to require another man of Mr.
Rexdale's calibre. He was to edit the
official paper and actively assist in
the field work and management of the
deputies. and he actively devoted him
self to those duties thereafter, during
Meet with New Board.
the period the societies were together
1.-THE new board of regents request
ed that the members of the old board
meet with them once month for the
sake of advice and conference, and
that arrangement was carried out
Each month Mr.. Galloway and 1 went
over the bills submitted for payment.
DR.. Craig and Mr.. Whitman attended
the board meetings also, and every
thing appeared to be going smoothly
The first intimation that l had of
trouble was the suit brought at Peoria
on June 10, 1909, at the time of the
grand tribunal meeting to annul the
contract between the societies, but
did. not regard that sariously until ON