The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-02-23
WILL BE OPPOSED.

What Is Being Done by Some Of the
Secret Beneficial Organizations In
this City in Reference TO Mr.. Fooks
Recommendation.
The members Of the secret beneficial
and cooperative societies In this city
are closely watching to see IL a bill In
accordance with the recommendation
OF Insurance Commissioner Fooks, in
his biennial report. will be introduced
into the General Assembly. The re.
commentator has been published In
full In the REPUBLICAN, and IL a bill
should he framed In accordance with
1t a number of highly useful orders
would be so seriously affected that
they would be obliged to discontinue
business In this State. This is proba-
bly, what is aimed at by the old line
life insurance companies, as there is
no denying the fact that these new CO.
operative orders, which within q few
years have sprung up all over the
country, have made serious inroads
into their business.
This is caused by the fact that the
cooperative associations insure their
members at cost, as they hava no high
salarled officers or brown stone or
granite buildings to maintain. Con-
sequently tAe expense is much less to
each member, and he can secure as
equally safe insurance of a $1,000 In
one OF these orders for $40 a year as
he would be obliged to pay $50 per year
for in an old line company. The A. o.
u. w. cost eech member in this iuris-
diction about s1S last year for ASSESS
ments, which insured $1,000 to his
family In case of his death, whereas,
to have secured this amount In one Of
the companies would have cost him
at least six times that much. The
Iron Hall, the Order of Tonti, the
Provident Union, Shield of Honor,
Ionic Temple, the Catholic Benevolent
Legion, and other excellent orders
would be legislated out Of existence
by such law, and 1t is question IL
its provisions would not also be made
to apply to to all the beneficial or
ganization5.
None of these orders have ever de-
faultel in the payment of death
claim, and In every case where there
was any doubt the beneficiaries have
been given the benefit ahd the full
amount paid. In this way a vast deal
OF good has been and Is still being ac-
complished, as there are scores OF
families who, had II not been that the
husband and father belonged to one
or more of these orders, would have
been left In destitute circumstances.
Nearly all these orders are strong in
this city and State, and II bill such
as Is recommended should be framed
and presented it will be fought vigor-
ously by the thousands Interested. It
will, however, be we'll for the members
to keep close eye on the General AS
sembly, and If such measure should
he undertaken, to send a delegation to
Dover to protest against it by all the
means at their command. ...
THE SHIELD OF HONOR.
Wenoah Lodge, Shield of Honor,
have already taken action in this mat
ter, and discussed the reeoinmenda-
tion oil Mr.. Fooks at the meeting held
last Saturday night, The Grand Lodge
will hold an adjourned meeting this
evening, when it Is probable a COM
mittee will be appointed, whose duty
shall be to confer with the members
OF the Legislature from this hundred
upon tho matter and urge them to dis
courage any attempt to cripple the
several secret beneficial organizations
here that do a perfectly bona iide char
liable work, Notwithstanding the fact
that they pay large benefits at the
death nj Il member on comparatively
small assessments.
THE UNITED woRKMEN.
There can be no doubt whatever that
such a bill will be vigorously fought
by A. o. u. W, as It's passage would be
the means of breaking up the order in
this state. 1t is not to be expected
that the members will sit calmly by
and see what for years they have
looked upon as a sheet anchor for
their families, in the event of their
death, swept away to satisfy the greed
OF few corporations.
THE IRON HALL.
The Order of the Iron Hall is a pow
erful organization, that will not suffer
such bill to be passed without a Wig
orous protest. During the ten years
of its existence IL has paid every claim
brought against it, successfully main
tanned two expensive law suits that
were brought by the old-line compa-
MICS with view Of breaking it up, aud
yet, Notwithstanding ali these draw
backs, IL now has reserve fund of
nearly half million dollars. IL is not
yet known what action this order will
take, but as branch No. 4OT meets on
Friday evening there Is no doubt but
definite will be done.
OTHER ORDERS.
Decided action will also be taken by
all the other orders interested, and il
is probable joint fund will be raised
to employ eminent counsel to assist
delegations in fighting any such legis.
lation, Every beneficial society should
take a hand in this matter, as IL Is
something in which all are deeply in
tereSted.
Tho following letter in reference to
the matter has been received from l.,
I, James:
OFFICE OF
DISTRICT DEPUTY, DIsrRIcr No. 20,
IMPROVED ORpER OF HRPrAsopns
WILNISGToS, Del, Feb. 81, 1880.
To the brethren composing the legiti-
mate assessment, fraternal, benefit
eial organizations OF the State Of
Delaware,
BRErHREN: A movement which hns
for It's object the destruction of every
society i'll our commonwealth, which
Is engaged in the laudable work of
providing fund for the benefit OF It's
members In case oil DEATH, has been
inaugurated by Insurance Commits
sioner Fooks In certain recommendu.
tions which he has made in his report,
presented to the Legislature this
week.
The motive power behind this re-
commendation is, OF course, well
known to us. II is as unscrupulous
as 1t is powerful and wealthy. But
nothing is to be feared from il, IL the
character, purposes and practices of
our organizations are intelligently