The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-06-16
PUSHING THE INSURANCE WORK

Brother Alonzo Wardall, of Huron,
S. Oak, has been in Washington the
past week in attendance upon the
semi-annual meeting of the National
Alliance Executive Board, of which he
is an active member. He goes from
here this week to meet the State Com
mittee of Indiana and Illinois, to
arrange for the location of the place
for holding the next annual session of
the Supreme Council, the selection of
the place having been left to the Execu-
tive Board by the last council, with
the condition that it be located either
in Indiana or Illinois. From there he
goes with President Polk and Hon.
Jerry Simpson to LaCross, Wis. to at
tend the annual meeting of the open
Alliance of that State by invitation,
and from there to Portland, Ore. where
he is to assist in organizing the State
Alliance on July 8th. He will while
on the coast visit the Alliance in Cali
fornia, and if Washington is ready,
organize the State Alliance there.
Brother WardalI, as most Of our read
ers know, has charge of the life insur-
surance feature of the Alliance work,
and is seeking to introduce it in all the
States as rapidly as possible. His plan
is to have it adopted as an official fea-
ture by each State, by means Of a co
operative degree, to be known as the
State Branch Of the National Alliance
Aid Association, to be conducted by
manager selected by the president and
executive of the State Alliance, and
approved by the management Of the
National Aid Association, who shall In
turn be under the control and super
vision of the National Alliance officers.
The plan is almost identical with the
ancient order of united workmen, eX-
cept that it is optional instead of being
compulsory, and no one will lbeaccepted
unless able to pass a careful medical
examination. By this means our mem
bers can carry their own insurance (and
none need it worse than the farmer) at
simple cost of actual death losses, and
a minimum expense ac count for clerl-
cal labor performed, keeping the money
all at home, in their own State under
their own control and management,
and greatly build up and strengthen
the Order 1t is proposed to issue
ST, 900 and $4,000 policies at present,
assessing for one death loss in advance,
so that the money will always be on
hand to pay aIoss when it occurs. Long
years of experience with society com
panies show that the average annual
cost per 81, 900 of insurance carried is
from SO to $12, while in old line COM
panies it is from $50 to $50. The plan
has been in operation two years in
some of the Northwestern States, and
they have a membership large enough
to pay policy in full, and it is grow
ing rapidly. Several States have
already approved of it, and it will be
presented during the summer to the
rest of them for examination. Itmeets
with the hearty approval of the officers
of the National Alliance, most Of whom
carry policies in it; and the plan Is
recommended to the thoughtful con-
sideration of the Order. Arrange to
hear Bro. Wardal on the subject; he
has it all at his tongues end. The
executive committee are also zealously
engaged on plan for national mutual
farm fire insurance company, as
directed by the last council, and hope
to have it in shape for the annual ses-
sion. There is no one reform In our
entire system of doing business Of more
financial Importance than in insurance.
We waste annually hundreds of mil
lions on a system that brings almost az
much disappointment as relief, and we
pay three dollars where the actual loss
is only one, and worse, if possible, we
send nearly all the insurance money,
three or four hundred millions of dol
lars annually, to New York, London
and other great money centers, where
it accumuIates and is sent back to us
on mortgage loans, thus becoming a
great instrument of oppression One
of the objects of the Order is to remedy
these things, and Bro. Wardall should
be encouraged in the good work.
BROTHER A. O. GREEN is the author
lied agent to receive subscriptions for
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER for Wake
county, and any business in this line
entrusted to him will receive prompt
oA4ov,4;o,,