The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-06

business has convinced the members of
the directory that it can be made an
institution of great value to the peo-
pie. And that its dissolution and death
ought to be considered in the nature of
a public calamity. The directors have
devoted themselves to the question of
how to awaken public interest in it, and
how to make that interest permanent.
| Their attention has been directed to the
plan of the chamber of commerce of
the city of Indianapolis, which was
organized in 1882; which has an income
Of nearly 100000 per year, and which
has been one of the strongest factors in
securing the supremacy of indianapolis
over all competing cities. Membership
in that institution, is highly priced, and
100 men are carried upon the preferred
list waiting for vacancies.
The indianapolis plan in brief is
this:
A membership of 500 and no more.
Annual membership fee $15 and no
more.
Upon the death of a member, an as
sessment of 81 is made on each sur
viVing member to pay $1,000 to the per-
son designated by the deceased member
in his membership application.
forfeiture of membership follows de-
fault for thirty days in payment of
membership fee or assessments.
Membership fees to support and sus-
tain the chamber in its work Assess
ments being made for the payment of
mortuary benefits only.
The plan works in Indianapolis where
the death rate is IS per thousand; per-
haps 1t will work here where the death
rate is less than per thousand.
The mortality among children, which
enters into the general rate, would not
be factor in the chamber Care can
be taken to exclude men known
to be permanently impaired in
health. The estimated probable ex-
pense would, therefore, not exceed
S23 estimating membership at S15. and
! fifteen assessments at So. Member
ships would necessarily be Individual.
! and individual benefits would be two
fold; living, the member would share
his proportion of the good results
achieved by the chamber; dead he
would leave $1,000, both benefits being
guaranteed by the good faith and
known solYency of his associate mem
'bers.
The time has come for the stockhold-
ers of this institution to seriously con-
slider its future Membership and in
come are both necessary to it's main
tenance. With these essentials it can
carry out the purpose of its organiza-
ton and be an instrument of great good.
Without them, it might as we'll cease
the struggle, surrender it's charter and
go out of business. A few men ought
not to be expected to quicken it's pulse
and keep life in it when hundreds. as
( much benefited by it's work as they
are, are Indifferent to its maintenance.
| The present situation is as follows
The nominal membership is 235; 1874
paid the dues for the first quarter of
1895; 1873 paid tae dues for the second
quarter of 1895; 14S paid the dues for
the third quarter of 1895; 1872 paid the
dues for the fourth quarter of 1895, and
so far 81 have paid the dues for the
! first quarter of 1895. Among those who
have Withdrawn from the chamber
during the past year are men of large
property interests and strong business
standing; and the wonder is that they
could summon the courage to confess
that they were not interested. to the
exten of 81 a month. in any institution,
no matter how poor having for it's
object the welfare of the community.