Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-09
National T. P. A. News.

The time for the payment of January dues expired February 1 and member who has failed to pay up and whose | membership has lapsed cannot now come in except as a new member and upon a new application and by payment of $2 membership fee.
 The loss of membership by lapsing will
 not exceed per cent, which, in consider
 ation of the fact that over 5000 renewals were due on January l, 1896, is quite satisfactory showing.
 Three hundred and fifty new applica- tions were received and accepted during Nle month of January, 1896. It is antic- ipated that the months of February, MArch and April will show heavy nuiAber of applications and that the membership at the next national con
 vention at Terre Haute will number at least 12,000.
 The finances of the national association
 are in excellent condition. The state
 ment for February 1, 1896, will show $4O,-
 900 in bank and no allowed claim unpaid.
 This is s15,000 more than was in the treas
 ury on February 1, 1895.
 So far during the fiscal year payments
 for indemnities for disability have aver aged about $3750 per month and two death losses of $5000 each have been paid. Allowing for another death loss before
 the end of the fiscal year and the same average of disability payments per
 
 well within the limit of collections. It Is quite likely that the indemnity fund will be reinforced by a transfer of funds from the expense fund, in which
 there has accumulated quite surplus.
 So far the expenses of conducting the as
 sociation have been less than the year
 1S94-95, though on account of an increased
 membership collections for that fund
 have been greater. The accumulated
 surplus from the expense fund can at
 any time, by act of the national direct
 ors, be properly used to increase the in-
 demnity fund, though the indemnity fund
 cannot be touched for expenses. Close economy has been adhered to by
 the national board of directors in the
 matter of expenses, and the organizing
 work has been largely left to the divis-
 ions and posts The result has been a
 much smaller number of applications
 than for the same period of last year,
 but the lapses of membership have been approximately less. The increase of
 membership always takes place, how ever, after January 1. This has been the case since the association has been orr ganized.
 It is thought by many that payment of all dues and a remittance of all re- newals direct to the national secretary at national headquarters would greatly simplify and expedite the business of the association. The national secretary cOulu then remit ulTeCl to tHe QlVlSlOHS, and the divisions to the posts, their part
 of the collections. Much complaint is constantly occasoned by the delay in l making payments through the state secretaries, and the. delay in returning receipt cards through that source is an- | moving to many members. All other inn portant organizations of commercial travellers make all collections of dues through their national secretary and treasurer. An amendment providing for | such a change will be offered at the na- l tional convention next June at Terre Haute, and those interested should be prepared to discuss the subject Post secretaries will please note that | rule 3, page g. of the national constitu- l tion, requires that all posts shall elect a post physician and that all claims for indemnity must be accompanied by the certificate of the post physician as well as the attending physician. Blank forms for the report of post physicians can be obtained from the national secretary and all posts must at once elect a physician, if that requirement. of the constitution has not already been compiled with.