Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1898-02-19
Ilfa Ilsi1 kfSa ~ 81 30 4H4
HOME INSTITUTION.
A strong Feature Of the A. d. u. w.
Beneficiary system.


There is one feature of the A. O.
U. w. as a ftaternal and beneficiary
Order which perhaps does not re-
ccive the recognition it deserves at
the hands of the members, viz: that
it is purely hc.ae institution. Aside
from the insignificant sum paid for
carrying on the Grand Lodge, the
contributions Of the members are
all paid to their own neighbors and
friends. The business of the Order
is committed to men with whom we
are familiar, or soon may be; men
who have our confidence for their in
tegrity and whose competency is
open to investigation every day in
the week to thousands of members
of the Order. 1t is a common saying
that our sympathies are more arous-
ed by one case of misery and suffer
ing at our door than by calamity
that overwhelmes thousands at the
antipodes. This principle has full
sweep with us. Kvery assessment
levied is t. meet a death loss occa-
stoned by the death of some neigh
Dor or friend, known personally i'll
all probability, to hundreds of the
members. Under such circumstan-
ces the effort necessary to raise the
money to pay assessments loses its
irksomeness and a willing heart
makes an open hand. The payment
loses its sordid quality of neces-
sary payment for personal protect
ion, and has added to it the cheerful
gift rendered with fraternal atfec-
ton to the wife and children of de-
ceased Brother.
Besides the idea of fraternity ad-
vanced above, there is an enduring
business principle involved which
can not be emphasized too much.
We have often heard of the quick
dollar-the dollar of the poor man
that is going from hand to hand all
day long. The \. 0, U. w, together
with all fraternai societies, uses
these quick dollars. No sooner out
of my hand than in the hand of some
one else who also passes it along its
working way. Every dollar col
lected by us soon finds its way into,
or rather never is withdrawn from,
productive channels. We are not
obliged to send every dollar collect
ed out of the State, direct impov-
erishment and burden on the trade
of the State, but every dollar collect
ed here is distributed right in our
midst, and while it benefits those to
whom it goes, it hurts not who pay
tai of the State. This fault we ap-
ply not only to old line insurance
companies, but to all those fraternal
Orders whose widely extended Ju-
risdietions are a constant drain on
the productive capital of distant
community. There is also strong
tendency to extravaganza where
people at great distances from their
constituency are entrusted with
large sums of money.
The executive officers in Colorado,
Michigan. Illinois, or any other far
away State, with widely separa-
ted constituency, are under far less
restraint from the public opinion of
the Orders they represent, and can
play off local pride'or jealousy of
one kind or another against a too
close scrutiny of their acts, or if for
any reason there is dissatisfaction
with their administration.
All these elements of waste, loss
and extravagance, of suspicion and
disaffection, are eliminated from our
Order. One part of the Jurisdiction
can not be prohted at the expense OF
another. The compactness of the
Jurisdiction and the equalityof con
ditions, both as to health and wealth,
give unity'to the ADMINISTRATION, to-
gether with the MINIMUM of cost
the fraternal bond is much closer,
and all things .conspirel to advance
the Order rather than to cause divis.