The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-14

Fraternal Insurance Societies are Making
it Hot for Him.

Topeka, Kan, Sept. 13.-The fight on
Superintendent of Insurance George 7.
Anthony by the fraternal insurance So
cieties continues. Captain l.. NJ. Pen
well of Topeka, one of the most widely
known grip and sign" men in the
state, said today that Were Anthony a
candidate for an elective office the
lodge people would vote against him al
most 10 a man.
Anthony will find that this outrage
Gus work will not receive the approval
of the public" declared Captain Pen
well. I'm going out Of his way to at
tack benevolent institutions in his late
report, Mr. Anthony has in spirit vio-
lated the law himself. Our fraternities
have always had to fight old line COM
panies. but never before have we found
state officer, whose business it is
simply to protect the state against
frauds, arraying himself on the side of
great corporations and denouncing the
fraternities which protect the poor
mans home.
Il notice that Mr.. Anthony has just
returned from the east. where he prob
ably has been in conference with the
old line insurance companies. He has
placed himself in the position of one
who desires to benefit the business of
the great corporations by inturing some
great fraternities. AS a matter of fact
there is special exemption law in ia
vor of fraternal societies. and the in
surance superintendent has no jurfs-
diction over them. That's what hurts
Mr.. Anthony.
The people believe in fraternal in
surance- The man who attempts to in
ture this protection will not only fail
or his purpose but be crushed himself"
In his report Superintendent An
thony did not mention any particular
societies, but members of the Ancient
Order of United Workr1en. Modern
Woodmen. Knights of Pythias and that
class of fraternities take it upon them
selves to make answer. Here are the
sections of the report to which excep-
tions are taken:
Under the attractive and deceptive
title or benevolent Insurance is found
disguised the most heartless and WORTH
less or all pretenSeS to insure against
accident and death. Through an I'M
fortunate omission, not an enactment
or law, these associations find legal
shield and gather a certain official re-
Spectability, which makes them a real
peril. an unjust and unjustifiable inn
position upon an over-confiding people.
This exemption has been taking adj
vantage of by men who were born
weary and reared in purpose to Meth
er toll nor spin for living. As states
men out of job suddenly become ora
cleS, these men of the meat blossom
suddenly into lords of benevolent in
Surance as as supreme connmander-in-
chief, grand master mogul of the Hoo
Hoo. or Great Black Calf"
ASKED Tor an explanation Of his ~e-
port today Mr.. Anthony simply said:
mere can be no question as to what
meant. The language is unrnistatla-
Ole IL L understand the English lang
uaSe, and L think I do. I meant what
SAID ana said what l menat. Any in
dividual who puts any other construc-
llon on IL or is doubtful about what
construction to put on that language
IS either densely ignorant or intensely
dishonest. and I am inclined to think
largely the latter. 1 am now receiving
scores OF letters OF congratulation from
men within these orders who are thank
ing me Tor the information I have given
,nem concerning this class of frauds
Men nave come into this Office and
thanked me personally and have said
that 1t cost them $50 and $40 TO learn
what L said in my report The records
snow that hundreds and hundreds of
Just this class Of societies have gone To
the wall. They cannot live"
There has been good deal of tar,-
ABOUT convention of fraternal socia-
ues 10 take formal action in regard n
Superintedent Anthony's attack, bu; no
call has Yet been issued.