Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-14
COUNCIL BLUFFS FIR RATERNITIEs

Much has been said, pro and con, on the
A. O. U. w. trouble In Iowa. 1t is question
BILE whether any good can come from win
moving the chaff of six years. litigation by
discussing the source of the difficulty. AS
to the merits of the litigation, the state or
ganzaton has acted entirely on the defen-
sive, and has been successful in their sew
eral hearings before tho Iowa supreme court,
which body was unanimous in rendering
each opinion. AS to the law and evidence
in the case, there is no question but that 1t is
with the Iowa grand lodge. Supremers in
this and other states may boast that our
grand lodge and it's udherents are not recog-
nized by the A. o. U. w, outside of Iowa.
but that does not alter the fact in the opin-
ion of the peaceable and law abiding citizens
of Iowa that our grand lodge IS the only A.
o. U. w. organization III Iowa; nor does it
alter the further fact that our organization
is furnishing to its members 81 ZOO life in
surance at as low an average rate as any re-
sponsible organization can
A few facts as to what our order has done
in Iowa may not be out of place. In the
thirteen years that the Iowa Grand Lodge
has been organized it has paid 81, 1882, 900 in
death losses. In the same length of time the
actual cost OF conducting the business of the
order has been less than 500, 900 or about s
per cent OF the amount paid for death losses.
This is ii record that few can equal and none
can excel. In Iowa there are 200 lodges az
gregating in all over 1000 members and rep
resenting an insurance to the amount of
SlS00O,0 900, AT the last session of Grand
Lodge in May 1885, the actual membership
reported to that body by the grand recorder
was S,033. Since that time the membership
has increased fully 1000 at the average rate
of 100 per month. OF these new
members fully One-half have Joined
since December, SS, at which time the last
decision of the supreme court was rendered.
Thus far in 1889 we have had but a single as
sessment for deaths each month which fact
is record breaker in Two particulars |. At
no time in ten years have we had single as
sessments for the first four months Of the
year. 2. For the present year there are but
three A. o. q. w. jurisditions in the United
States that show n less number of assess
ments, viz: Nebraska, Kansas and Massa-
chusetts. There are three others that tie
with Iowa and the balance show up from five
to eight assessments for the same days. Our
death losses are paid up to date and are al
ways paid within thirty days after proofs Of
death have been filed with the proper officer.
The order never was in q more healthy and
prosperous condition. If its present growth
continues our membership will easily in
crease to 1000 by the next grand lodge ses-
ton in 1890. AS to the litigation, il is ended
and is favorable to the Iowa grand lodge
On our part 1t will probably never be re-
newed although we may be forced again TO
defend our rights, privileges and franchises,
which we will do, having 'millions for de-
Tense" AS a prominent member of the
Minnesota jurisdiction wrote for publication
some weeks ago "the Iowa trouble is an
antiquated chestnut that ought to have been
burned or buried years ago; iawing on the
courts will never help matters.
Iowa WORKMAN