The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-28
LEGION OF HONOR IN TROUBLE
SAVANNAH MEMBERS OF THE Or
DER THREATEN TO STOP PAYING


The Society Something over 100000
Behind in Death Claims and Don
BILE Assessments Ordered-C harge-
NIISmanaEement Of the Guarantee
Fund-About Eighty Members In
savannah.
The members Of the American Legion OF
Honor. one Of the best known Of the as
sessment insurance societies. are very
much worried over the financial condition
Of their order and IT'S future prospects
The order is now something over $4,000
behind in the payment OF its death claims
and double assessments have been or
dered for the next two months iu order TO
make up the deficit. The double assess
ments were rrst ordered for August and
september. but were later deferred 10
September and October. The first double
assessment is due sept. j. however. ana
upon the payment or n0n-Payment OF this
assessment by the membership as a whole.
depends in an probability. the future Of
the order. Ii is feared that a large per-
centare Of the membership will fail TO pay
the assessment. thus practically severing
their connection with it and at the same
time making necessary other extra
assessments which would finally result in
the dissolution Of the order.
Tattnau Council No. SSi Of Savannah, OF
the American Legion Of Honor, was or
gained in 1852 and has eighty members.
Dir. ". F. Reid is commander, Mr. j. S.
Tyson, secretary, and Mr.. r. q. Cabaniss
treasurer. Mr.. Tyson, who is also the
collector. said yesterday, when seen by
Morning News reporter. that twenty OF
the members had already paid the double
assessment for September, and he be
lieved that the majority Of the members
here would do so, although he had no
doubt that number would not. The to-
tai Of those throughout the country VINO
would do likewise he feared, he said,
would reach several thousand. The order
now has about $500 members. At one
time il had $1,000. but in the last two or
three years il has decreased instead OF In
creasing.
Like all orders Of this kind" said Mr..
Tyson. lit is necessary for new blood to
be continually added to maintain 1T sue
cessfully. 1 attribute the present state of
affairs to the panic Of 1898, and the sue
ceeding hard times. Many OF
our members were thrown out
of employment and We're unable
TO continue paying their assessments,
uecessitating an increase I'm the number
OF assessments, which had the effect Of
keeping out new members. There are
many who are inclined to criticise the
supreme officers for allowing the order
to get so far behind in its payments, but
they. / suppose. hesitated to order addi-
tional assessments, because OF the I'M
popularity Of such move and the fear
of driving out members. Matters finally
reached that pitch where heroic measures
were necessary. II all the members OF
the order were TO pay these assessments
the order would be put IN good financial
condition, but / doubt If this will be the
case
1T must be taken into consideration,
however" continued Mr.. Tyson, that the
order has a guarantee fund Of $4,000
which will be used to pay these claims, II
necessary. so that the death claims now
in force and those occurring in the next
few months are sure Of payment The
members who hold on and pay these heavy
assessments will get the benefit of this
guarantee fund, while those who drop out
will get nothing This will have the ten
dency to hold many members TO the or
der. more especially the older ones, who
have little hope Of obtaining insurance
elsewhere
There are charges, however, that this
guarantee fund has been mismanaged and
a bill for a receiver has been filed at Bos-
ton Mass and a movement for similar
action has been made by members Of the
order in Maryland. The applications have
not vet been passed upon by the courts,
however and the future of the order is
uncertain.