Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-07
WAR ON MUSHROOMS.
The Fraternal Congress to Form an
Information Bureau to
CROWD OUT FRAUDULENT ORDERS.
Secret Society Organs Refused Newspaper
Postage Rates.
APPEAL TO THE POSTMASTER GENERAL

The strongest enemy of the mushroom
insurance society, the National Fraternal
Congress, composed of representatives from
over 30 secret beneficial orders, will meet at
Washington on November 10, IL and II.
S. A. Will, of Pittsburg, will represent the
Heptasophs. In speaking of the coming
meeting yesterday he stated that the busi-
ness would be of Importance not only to the
orders themselves, but to the public inter-.
ested in the prevention of fraud. The num-
Der of ''dollar for a cent" schemes that rise
and fall in the course of year has become
alarming, but all efforts to freeze them out
by legislation have been a failure. While
the laws of one State may be stringent
enough to prevent their organization, some
place can always be found where
a charter can be secured, and branch
agencies are then started all over the
country. The effect is injurious to legiti-
mate societies, and for that reason the
Fraternal Congress will take steps to keep
the people informed whenever fraudulent
society is organized.
The plan proposed is to have a bureau of
information established that will notify
representatives. in every State whenever a
society that has the appearance of fraud is
established. All the diff ,rent orders in the
Fraternal Congress will then be notified and
general warning given.
Only Legitimate Orders Can Join.
Mr.. Will has been member Of the Legis-
lative Committee of the Fraternal Congress,
and in explaining its work he said that only
secret organizations that pay sick and death
benefits are admitted. Insurance societies
that promise certain amount in q few
years are debarred, but nevertheless an at
tempt is made by many almost every year
to get in.
Another matter that will come up at
Washington will be an attack on the Post
office Department for refusing to allow GER
tain secret society papers to pass through
the mail as second-class matter. The ground
has recently been taken by the Department
that papers which. print official orders and
are paid for not by subscription, but by as
sessment, are circulars and should be sent
through the mails as third-class matter.
The majority of secret society papers are of
this nature and will therefore have to be
put in single wrappers, on which the pub
fishers will have to pay cent postage each.
Demand q Change in Postal Rules.
n. s. Bynton, Supreme Record Keeper of
the X. o. F. NJ, in calling on the Fraternal
Congress to appeal to Postmaster General
for relief from what he terms
says political papers can be
sent out by the thousands, particularly dur
ing a campaign, to persons who do not sub |
scribe for them and that no objection is |
made. ALI such papers, he says, contain |
legal notices that in every way are as purely |
circular matter as appear in secret society |
journals. He charges that the new de- |
cision of the Postoffice Department was |
made through an effort of the |
old-line life insurance companies |
to cripple fraternities, and calls upon every
secret society in the country to lose no
time in sending its protest to the Post
master General.
One of the most important papers to be |
presented to the congress will be by S. A. |
Will, on the subject: SIS it advisable to
abolish the per capita tax and levy all
money for the general fund upon the same
basis as assessments are levied to pay death
benefits ?" Mr.. Will will take an affirma-
i've position on the ground that persons
who carry ST, 900 policy should pay five
lines as much of the running expenses of
society as the man who only carries o 81 200
policy.