Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-16
Nebraska
TALBOT PUTS DOWN REBELLTO
Head Consul Of Modern Woodmen
Delivers Fiery Speech.
SEWARD CAMP IS CENsURED
Declaration Made Rates Of Order
Must BE Raised IL II IL to Flourish
sunbeam Scored by Head
of Fraternity.
CFrom a Staff Correspondent

(From a Staff Correspondent
LINCOLN, Neb., Dec n15.-(Special)-
While Head Consul A. r. Talbot was
peacefully engaged yesterday at a meet
Ing Of the directors OF the Modern Wood
men OF America at Rock Island, Ill,
message reached him that band of in
surgents was gathered in Lincoln for the
purpose of defeating the proposed plan to
raise insurance rates in the order.
Lincoln is 800 miles from Rock Island.
Within twelve hours after he had received
the word the head consul was here. Blood
was in his eye.
Late last night 100 woodmen had gath
cred at the Lindell hotel Talbot was
there. The first thing he did was to de-
nounce John Sandean, formerly of Wahoo,
as a traitor to the organization. The
latter was later a district deputy with
headquarters at Minneapolis, but was re-
lieved from office.
In his fiery speech Mr.. Talbot attributed
statements recently sent to the camps of
the state by the camp at Seward to Mr..
Sunbeam
A VAIN and long session followed the
scathing delivered by the head consel.
1t was finally voted to pass the resolution
asked by Talbot. IT was as follows:
BE It Resolved, That we delegates TO
this convention, deplore the action Of the
Seward camp, rejecting upon the officers
of this society and charging wrong doing
/ in any way. This convention does not
! approve of the preamble to the call sent
| out by Seward.
Rates Must Go Higher.
IF the order Of the Modern Woodmen
of America is to live the insurance rates
must be boosted" declared Talbot in his
argument. I'VE have 81, $50, 100000 now out
in policies and at the present rate of as
sessment it will be $50 years before we
can meet it. / do not want to say what
you shall do I'm the matter of raising
rates. l know that the sentiment is all
against It, but look the facts coldly in
the face and tell your delegates to the
! national legislative body what you think
on the matter. The officers of the society
cannot raise the rates without a refer
endum.
1.-THE present rates may continue to
carry us until the youngest man now
in the order is dead, but there must
be a readjustment sometime and in my
opinion It had better come now than
later / will recommend to the board
of directors that the money in reserve
I be put in farm mortgages paying four
per cent rather than the present way of
banking the reserve money at two. In
fact year ago 1 said that this should
be done, but my proposal was rejected"
Meeting in Chicago.
The question Of raising the rates will
come before a meeting to be held in Chi
cago. 1t will be held some time in Jan
uary, next. Delegates will be sent from
districts in each state.
Discussing the necessity of increasing
the rates, Lincoln official OF. the or
der, who refused to permit the use of
his name. today said:
"The insurance rates of the Modern
Woodmen of America must be raised
in order to perpetuate the society. 1t
is not a question of choice, but simply
must be done. The opposition to raise
has originated from a misunderstanding
of conditions. After the matter was fully
explained at last nights meeting, l be-
leve that a majority Of the delegates
felt different about the matter. The Sew
ard camp, from which the resolution was
sent out calling the meeting will meet
tonight, and will no doubt retract the
resolution, 1t has been asked to do so.
''The talk about the raise in rates be-
ing the work of the officials alone Is UNI
true. This matter was taken up at the
meeting Of the head camp in Buffalo last
June, and was thoroughly discussed. At
that time it was thought best to defer
action on the rate question until the
matter had been given the fullest posi-
BILE investigation. The special meeting
OF the head camp was set for January.
IT will meet st Chicago at that time, and
the rates will undoubtedly be raised.
THE opposition is not widespread. The
Seward camp has but $50 members. The
resolution originated there. There are
about 6O,OCO Woodmen in Nebraska, and
when the reason for the raise in rates is
fully understood the opposition will be
very small"