The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-06-20
THE A. @. 4. CONVENTION
CONTINUED from First Page

pride and satisfaction I present to you
this, my third biennial report at. this
your seventh biennial convention. The
relation with my colleagues Of the state
board for the past two years have been
Of the most friendly character. Their
labors have been performed with de-
gree of zeal and energy that has been
highly gratifying. =
The growth of the order for the past
two years has been unprecedented in any
state or territory in the country.
Considering how the territory has been
gone over by myself and predecessors in
the past, four new divisions have been
added to the order and 1,211 members
The SeoTetarys report shows that the
cash receipts of the order during the
year 1895 to be $11 ,243.60, SLIGO more
than the year 1894 and the expenses Of
the year 1895 to be- $2,28O less than 1894
Sick benefits paid in 1895, $7,278.83, 3d.
1899 more than 1894.
The loss of membe in 1895 were only
233. as compared with .544 in 1894. Dur
ing the four months ending April go, 1896
there were added 1858 new members, zoe
more than amy former period Of our his
tory, and 1211 insurance policies written
during the two years, as compared with
LODI in the two years ending June, 1894
Total members now in the order 2,736
gain for Two years SAT; 20 members have
died during the two years, to the families
of whom were paid $4,000 in insurance.
Theaverage age of the insured members
decreased in the two years; death
rate during the past two years $50 per
1000; cost OF insurance, $3.50 per 81 900.
In my last two biennial reports urged
you to assist the president throughout the
state in organizing new divisions. Splen-
did work has been done In this line by
scme Of the officers and members. Under
your present laws it IS very difficult and
expensive for the president to organize
new divisions without your cooperation.
1t regimes two medical examinations be-
fore they can be organized and initiated.
The president can get them worked up
to the Organizing point but he then has to
stop Antil their. applications are passed on
by the state medical examiner. He must
stay there or 90 back and finish the work.
In the interest of economy part of this
work can be done much more cheaply by
officers nearest to the locality.
I have heard some unjust criticisms Of
the poor showing Of new counties in the
past two years. @~s :.
Remember, counties are getting scarcer
In Milaesota, particularly counties having
proper material for organization. have
written more than one hundred letters to
on-menlbers In the counties u1l-organ.zed,
urging them to get me an audience or
hearing on the subject. Ishave at.all times
laid aside whatever business might have
and gone when and where there was a
prospect of organizing a new county or
division.
I have avoided as much as possible
spending your money on fruitless missions,
believing that you preferred good results
without the useless expenditure of your
ntoney. have at all times guarded your
finances and used them as sparingly as my
own, believing economy the surest road to
success. 49, = s....s
believe one member in the order is
worth several on the outside. Our losses
and lapses show the smallest percentage Of
any state or any organization in the colln~
. try. In support Of this statement I will
read you letter from the national secre-
tary: Fourteen new counties. ~ divisions,
3,145 members is not a bad showing for
sixss years. II you could keep them after
they are organized we would have nearly
six thousand members at present.
h In this. connection would recommend to
the committee on by-laws the creation Of
the Office Of vice-p president and his election
cit this convention. He should lie located
gepgraph ically as to economic Oh the ex-
pense Of organizing. In case Of the death
Ut the. presid dent or removal from any
cause, the vice president would succeed
him until the next regular convention, pre-