Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-27
AGITATION OVER
CAMPS ACTION
Charter Member of 20 Protests
Against Resolutions on the
New Rates.
SAYS THEY ARE A STAIN
Also Claimed That Lodge in CUES
ton Presents Best Argument
for the Revision,

The action of Camp 20, Modern
Woodmen of America, Tuesday night
in adopting resolutions against the
new rates, has aroused considerable
agitation in the ranks of the order.
Today the following was sent to The
Argus on the subject by II. d. Mack,
a charter member of the camp.
Rock Island, June 27.-Editor
The Argus: l regard the action of
Camp No. 20 in condemnihg a legiti-
mate Rock Island institution operat-
ing in 40 states of this union as I'M
gracious, ill-natured, stain upon
the patriotism of Rock Island and a
reproach TO the citizens responsible
for it.
| know not what personal grew
ances any members of Camp No. 20
may have, but they certainly chose a
poor occasion on which to indulge
their malice, and l believe that every
citizen of Rock Island who possesses
any sensibility, or any real interest
in our welfare as a community, will
/ deplore and reprobate their action.
.
| and intelligent citizenship should be
a vigorous and enthusiastic rally in
support of any movement that may
be undertaken to show what the real
sentiment of this community is.
We should all realize and the peo-
pie of Rock Island generally do re-
a!ize, the immense value OF the Mod
cTn Woodmen society to our city.
This value extends to all classes, the
commercial, the professional, the
wage eaTners and the property own
ers of our city. Even il there were
occasion for complaint concerning
the soCiety's decision to 20 upon a
basis OF rates that will give perma-
nency TO a Rock Island institution,
and / hear none among our profess
sional and business people, gratitude
should silence the tongue of every
citizen of Rock Island human
enough to know what that emotion
Is. Others may be hopeless, but for
the good name Of Rock Island, and
decency's sake, let US hope they are
few" II. ID. MACK.
SAYS CAMP RECORD SPEARS.
Yesterday afternoon J. f. Egan,
assistant TO Head Clerk c. W.
Hawes, sent to The Argus a state
ment in which he said he did not
construe the action taken by a few
members Of Camp %, the honest
Judgment OF the membership Of that
camp as a whole, but rather of a
faction. The history of Camp 29,'
says Mr.. Eagan, constitutes the best
. argument in the world for a change
in the rates OF the society That
camp was organized June 80, 1854
and up TO the first OF the current
year, all OF the members OF the camT
. contributed to the benefit fund of the
society-the fund out of which al
death claims are paid-a total Of
$l01,375.3O. The society has PAID
claims on the deaths of So member.
CT that camp. disbursing TO theil
beneficiaries $4,000. These de
ceased members, during their life
time. paid into the benefit fund Of
the society only SIl.46O.5O. That Il
to say. for this amount. their bene
fciaries received $4,000, and al
OF the members OF the camp con
tributed S74 .624.70 less than the so
ciety disbursed TO these benefciaries
That is all right while IL lasts, but o.
course it could not last.
Take Rock Island county as /;
whole, and up to the first Of the year
the society has disbursed to the ben
eficiaries OF SIS members dying. /;
total OF sI.226.259. These sl'
members. during their life time. paiC
into the benefit fund but s7s,754 S5
and all of the members OF the soci
ETY. in Rock Island county paid fl
only s9l4,7s4.0c. or S311.474.Ss les
than the benefciaries Of the member
dying received.
You may quote me as saying tina
not more than fifteen or tvent,
members in this city are making an
complaint on the rate question Thes
members are led BY five or six me-
who have personal grievances an
who express their personal grievance