Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31
ROYAL NEcIIBoRs OF AMERICA START OUT SECURE
NEW MEMBERS DURING THE ENSUING IL MONTHS

The Royal Neighbors of America, a !
fraternal beneficiary society. incor
porated under the laws of the state OF /
Illinois. and with the head Office To- /
Gated in this city, is the largest fra /
ternal beneficiary society managed 1
and operated by women.
The society had It's birth, December, |
1885, in Council Bluffs, Iowa The /
first organization was for the purpose +
OF assisting the Modern Woodmeu OF
America In that locality IL is an
auxiliary 70 the Modern Woodmen Of
America. and not only admits women
to membership, but members OF the
Modern Woodmen Of America in good
standing. From 1883 20 1895, frater-
nal camps were instituted throughout
the country However, in seeking a
charter TO operate "a fraternal ben
efciary society, application was made
in the state OF Illinois, and a charter
was granted
Benefit certificates we're issued tot
the FIRST 500 members on March q,
1895, and all requirements made to
effect a permanent organization under
the laws OF the state Of Illinois. The
society was admitted ira other states
! from time to time until the Royal
Neighbors is now operating In A.
states and three provinces Of Canada
having about seven thousand five hum
/ dred organizations in the various
towns and cities in said states and
+ provinces.
The society has a representative
( form of government, and triennially
supreme camp is held, the representa-
/ tive consisting Of delegates elected to
represent the members of the local
camps. March q. 1917, each state
held state convention, and each
local camp in the state was entitled
to one delegate 10 the state conven-
ton At the various state conven-
tons delegates to represent the entire
membership at the supreme CONVEX
ton were elected, the representation
being one delegate for every 1900
members or major fraction thereof
The supreme camp was held in Buff
falo, n y May u to &c, 1917 Two
hundred sixty-two delegates were
present from the states aud provinces
throughout the jurisdiction,
At this supreme convention changes
Of bylaws were enacted and matters
Of importance referred TO the supreme
camp were considered, and officers
elected TO serve the society for the
coming three years The revised by
! laws became effective July /, 1917.
One Of the important matters con-
b sidered by the supreme camp was the
2 provision Of a special patriotic war
4 fund for the purpose of paying the
death claims Of members of the So
: ciety who enter into the military, ma
% val, Red Cross or hospital service OF
. this country in the present war. The
s benefit certificate, and the bylaws OF
g this society. as revised from time 10
S time, classify military or naval ser
[ vice as a hazardous occupation, and
S render the benefit certificate invalid
% if death should result directly from
70 such occupation However, the So
4 ciety, Royal Neighbors of America. was
. particularly anxious TO make proyis-
TO ion for the payment of death claims
- that may arise as the result of having
d engaged in military or naval service
y and, therefore, a resolution was adop-
u ted at It's supreme camp, empowering
II the executive council and board Of
e supreme managers with the authority
. to create a fund for this purpose. II
accordance with this resolution, at tbs
j. September sessions Of the executive
e council and board of supreme mana
d gers. a special tax of so cents was
e levied on all beneficial members o
n this society, and social members wer'
y urged 10 contribute a like amount
e this special tax TO be paid In two pay
+ ments, % cents in the month Of No
X vember, 1917. and % cents in tn
a month of March, 1918 II is estimated
4 100000 will be collected in this man
ner, and provide a sufficient fund T.
meet all claims that may arise Ap
as proximately three hundred men VIII
ID are members Of the society are engag
"a ed in active service at the presen
in time, large per cent being physician
no connected with the hospital depart
re- ment A number Of nurses have bee
re reported as entering the Red eros
no service.
or This society has been particular