The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-13
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Muiunl Aid Societies.

laws Of the Peoples Mutual Aid Asso
citation of Wheeling. The Association 1
virtually q Life insurance society, al.
though It does not call itself by tha
name. It's object Is to alleviate a. far a
possible the hardships that are liable Il
beIall the lamily Of the working maj
who dies before he has been able to pro
vide anything ahead oI his current neces
Sities. King SOLOMON said long ago ths
the destruction Of the poor was their pov
erty. This wise observation Is specially
applicable 10 the case Of the poor who
are suddenly deprived of the strong arm
that in health insures them a sup
port. When that arm Is stricken
down then indeed arc the poor de-
stroyed by their poverty. No event in
our every day life Is more pltiable than
the death OF that member Of the family
upon whom helpless ones depend for
bread. No event Is a sadder portent Of
III not only to the afflicted family but also
to society itself. Poverty Is not only the
destruction of the poor ss regards the ne.
cessities oftheir physical lie, but likewise
as regards the necessities OF their moral
and religious lie. ItiSa rare circumstance
that extreme poverty and virtue 90 hand.
finland. Hence the memorable prayer
oil AauR the son Of JAKEH, "givC me
neither poverty nor riches; feed me with
food convenient for me; lest be poor and
steal, &o," And hence the great concern
Inaniiestedby the philanthrOpists and po
lttical economists Of modern times In Ie-
gard TO the best methods OF protecting so.
ciety against the curse Of poverty. Power.
ty is the gteat tempter that drags down in.
nocence to the mlre OF crime. A few
days ago our dispatches told US that Wall
street, New York, was being specially
patrolled at this time TO protect the banks
IN that vicinity against the sudden at
temps Of desperate men to get the means
OF subsistence. The reason given was
that large bodies OF men are now out oil
work, and consequently out Of the means
OF supporting their families. The cry OF
all animal nature for food, whether
among brutes or human beings, Is the
most formidable Of cries. 1t Is the cry
that the lion hunter breads to hear In the
forests Of Asia and Africa. 1t is the cry
that governments most dread among their
subjects. In some cities, like Paris, It
means revolution. Hence the great con-
cern OF rulers and the wealthy classes is TO
provide work for the laboriug masses
They know the intimate connection that
exists between want and crime. And
even In this country, where the means of
escaping want are greater than in any
other part OF the world, oil intelligent
people realize how desirable 1t Is to the
we'll being Of society that there should be
the least possible amount Of dependence
on charity for the means Of support. The
man or woman, or the children, who are
necessltated to accept charity arc half de.
moTalized already, and in too many cases
become accessible to the designs Of the
evil minded. Hence the desirabillty of
some available means of rescuiug the
families OF worklngmen. suddenly left de
pendent, from the misfortune Of want The
majority OF laboring people, including
very many mechanics, have little or
nothing ahead in the world. They
spend all they earn and, worse still, fre-
quently go reckleSsly in debt Often
times during strikes, or other stoppSges
from work, they arc obliged togo in debt,
having nothing saved out oil former
earnings wherewith TO support them.
selves. This will always be the case
with thousands who depend on their
daily wages. The great problem there
fore is as TO the best method OF inducing
lAborers to invest few dollars from time
to time, with view Of. thereby insur.
ing their families against sudden want.
Mutual aid associations and life insurance
companies are among the most available
methods thus far devised for the protec-
tion oi families lett dependent. The plan
OF these Administrations is very simple
and should be very efI1cacious. The asso.
citation consists Of one, two or three, or more,
hundred members. Applicants for mem.
bership are rated according 20 age and
bodily condition. The association 10
which we have referred in the outset ol
this article requires that all applicants
shall be between 81 and 80 years oil age.
The charges for admission are as follows
Persons q and less than Sb years Of age. a..
Pertons IS and less than 10 years or age, As.
Persons 10 and less than IS years OF age "a
Persons IS and lass than so years OF age, $6..
The requisite qualification for member
ship is that the applicant be a resident o.
the United States, Of good moral charac-
Ter, and in possession OF some reputable
mode Of livelihood. Upon the death Of
any member Of the association 1t is made
the duty Of the Secretary and President
to notify all the members Of the fact
aud thereupon each surviving member
Is required within thirty days alter re,
ceiving said notice to pay the assocl-
alton the sum of four dollars and Ten
cents. -Four dollars Of this assessmen,
goes TO tho family Of the deceased
and il there are one hundred member
the sum amounts Of course to four hun.
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