The Grange advance., 1874-03-11
rived at the conclusion that = motion to al

rived at the conclusion that motion to ad-
journ in a Grange meeting Is never IN order.
The manual Of the Patrons of Husbandry
has no provision for adjournment, but pre-
scribes . form for closing. The Patrons
Monitor, little work prepared by A. B.
Smedley, Master Of the State Grange Of
Iowa, and approved by D. W. Adams, Mas
ter of the National Grange, on page q,
under duties of officers, has the following
provision In the Subordinate Grange
motion to adjourn is not in order, but the
Master should close as soon as the time has
arrived or the business finished.
JF. P1NGREY.
The following communication was writ
ten and received by US before the late re-
port of the executive committee on the
Farmers Insurance Association, but was
crowded over by press Of matter. 1t is but
fair to state that the writer of this COM
munication is himself an insurance agent.
and while on the one hand this position
may have given him better opportunities
for becoming acquainted with the insurance
business, yet on the other, we know that
the stock companies and their agents have
always been bitterly opposed, and to some
extent prejudiced against the cooperative
plan upon which the Farmers Association
has been doing business. In estimating
| the cost Of insurance they seem to over
look the fact to some extent, that farm
buildings can be insured at much lower
rate than city property.
MANKATo, Mimi, Feb'y %, 1874
Editor Grange 4dvance:
In your issue Of Feb'y 18th, 1874, I no.
tice a rather ancient communication from J.
Q. Farmer, President Minnesota Farmers
Mutual Association Of this State, and as it
is calculated to mislead farmers, cannot
but ask that be allowed to give them
slight benefit Of twenty-five years expe-
rience with mutual and stock companies,
and correct some of the misstatements Of
President Farmer.
He says the bylaws "guard against
possible mismanagement. Now that is
cool in the extreme. The Secretary is the
only officer who has any power
in the matter and all the funds are payable
to him, (see by-laws,) and his compensation
is there fixed as follows: The Secretary
receives all membership fees interest on
all obligations to the company; five cents
on each 500 insured yearly, and $1.25 for
each endorsement, and is the only receiving
and disbursing officer, and pays himself.
''Lucky Secretary
He also says this company is on the
mutual plan, but differs from those old de-
funct companies which had their salaried
officers and premium notes (Which cost
more to collect than they were worth. -
Now at the annual meeting at Minneap-
oils, Mr.. President Farmer was voted $500
for his services last year, and the Worthy
Secretary acknowledges the receipt of over
$4,000 for his distinguished services, and
ance Commissioner Office, we find the sum Of
promissory notes for deposit ($74, 1923. "A, }
seventy-four thousand, three hundred and
twenty-three dollars and forty -four cents,
which the President says are not soorM co.,
lection. The President says each member
is only required to pay his share of loss.
Who pays the expenses?
We find that in the year 1873, the CON-
pany paid as follows:
IL
Claims unpaid ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 5793 AZ
,339 80
Or a cost of over So cents on each 800
insured for one year. When they deceive
the farmer into believing that it will cost him