San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-19
san Francisco Chronicle,


San Francisco Chronicle,
Under the English law the officers
of friendly and beneficial societies
are required to file with the Regis
trar OF Friendly Societies annual re.
ports of the condition of the organic
ations with which they are connected
A large number of these reports have
been received, and the facts which
they disclose are not without interest.
The membership of these societies
is composed exclusively of wage
| earn artisans and the
| like-and the figures show that the
condition of the British workingman
Is, as Gladstone said in his tariff de-
bate with Blaine, very much superior
to what it was twenty or thirty years
ago.
The report of the Manchester Unity
of Odd fellows, for example, shows a
membership of $4,000, and an in
crease of receipts over expenditures
for the year of 81. 247 ,275. The sur
plus fund of this organization reaches
the enormous figure of $37 800, 900 and
it has lent $500, 900 to its members at
interest to enable them to 60 into
business for themselves on a small
scale.
Another order, the Ancient Order
Of Shepherds, paid out last year for
sick benefits $4,000. for funerals
500, 900, for medical aid $45, 900, for the
relief of distress $4,000, carried over a
balance of $4,000, and has a total re-
serve fund of 81 100000.
To summarize the matter, the re-
turns already in show that SIX of the
friendly societies, and not coun ting
those with which the miners, agri-
cultural laborers and other large de-
partments of labor are connected,
carry an actual cash balance above
all liabilities of nearly S55, 100000.
These are very large sums of money,
and they speak well for the English
societies; but We feel very sure that if
the statistics of the American friend
ly and beneficial societies could be
collected, they would make an equal
ly good showing. In this country
there is a disposition on the part of
the fraternal orders to buy land and
build permaneLt homes for them
selves, which does not exist in Eng
land, at least not to the same extent.
All such property must, of course, be
counted among the assets of the So
cleties, and would 90 far toward
reaching the figures of capital of the
English societies.
Our fraternal societies are not con-
cerned with class distinctions as the
English societies are. The Ancient |
order of United Workmen, for in
stance, does not limit its mem bership |
to those who earn their living by |
labor, and the Masonic order |
embraces very many who would |
make very poor job with bricks and |
mortar and trowel.
The fundamen tai idea of all these |
societies is the same, that is, mutual |
ben eft and assistance in the case of |
necessity and the cultivation of
friendly and fraternal feeling among |
the members. Most of the orders and |
societies cling to the old fashion of |
secrecy, more from tradition than |
else. In the days of the |
creation of the workmen's guilds and |
leagues secrecy was necessary to \
keep out traitors and to engender a |
feeling of safety and security. Now
that has passed awaythe maintenance |
of grips and passwords and myster-
ious ceremonies and rituals is only a |
fad, for there is nothing in the ritual
or ceremonial of any of the important |
fraternal orders which might not be
proclaimed upon the housetops or |
printed and scattered broadcast.