The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-01-29
woRkMEN OPEN MEETING.
Past Supreme Master Tate Addressed n
Large Audience.

Large Audience.
Saturday evening the Vugt opera
house was comfortably filled with
WorkBen, their families and those
who are interested in the matter of
fraternal insurance.
After a splendid musical program
had been rendered Master Workman
Frazer introduced Mr.. Tate as the
speaker of Athe evening, and for an
hour he held the undivided attention
plete with bursts of eloquence and
appeals to those with wives and
children depending upon them to
make preparations for their susten-
ance in time to come when the arm of
the husband and father shall no longer
be able 20 protect those depending
upon him. Space will not permit the
publication of the entire address. how
ever the following synopsis of his re-
marks is given:
"Twenty-nine years ago, in Mead
Vile, Pa, IL rechanics met and organ
ized the first lodge of the Ancient
rider of United Workmen. II some
stranl er had appeared before the hand
full of men, and suggested thatwithin n
period of 20 years, sS,000,0O0 would be
required annually to discharge the
francial obligations of this new order
tn the widows and orphans, and $780,
600 mere to provide for the sick and
the needy, they 'would have been
appalled, at their task and given up in
despair.
"Tbese men aw 80 nething ou. ht
to be done To make provision against
the time when wife and child should
be left to fight life's battles al, ne.
They knew up to that time no fraternal
organization had ever engaged in such
work. beyond this they had NO
knowledge. They rra'ize not the
dangers that thresten~c r.the hopes
beckoniug them on. They saw oal'
the need of today. but had a sim lie
and abiding faith that somehow to-
morrow would take care of itself.
1T seems almost in .redible that in
% years this little lodge has grown to
an army $4,000 strong. That from so
inauspicious beginn ming should have
grown an institution istributing TO its
beneficiaries $S0,O00,0O0 and to the
unfortunate among it's living members
$40, 600, 900 more. Think of it, $780,,
600, 900 distributed to the needy and
the widow and the orphan in the brief
period of % years. Who can compre-
hend it, aud who can tell how much of
sorrow has been assuaged, how much
of poverty prevented, and how much
of crime avoided by the expenditure of
this vast sum of money at the time
when sorrow and despair menaced the
homes and the fireside of our members.
"This has not been accomplished
without q struggle. Macy dangers
haYe been encountered, many diff
ficulties met, and many enemies faced.
But ever danger has been avoided,
every difficulty overcome. every enemy
vanquished and today the order stands
without a stain upon its escutcheon. or
blot upon its financial honor.
"In the early history of our order,
our plan was very simple one. Each
member was required to deposit 81 in
The beneficiary fund when be joined
the order, and whenever thereafter the
death rate should demand it, an assess
ment of 81 upon all members in good
standing was levied and out of the
fund SO collected death claims were
paid. 1t was believed if certain per-
centage of growth could be maintained,
this plan could be continued indefi-
nitely, but increasing age and enlarg-
ing membership gave rapid increase to
the number of assessments necessary
for the discharge of our financial
obligation. and we were forced to
learn the lesson that radical changes
were necessary. When it was realized
that the old plan would not work and
that the safety of the order depended
upon q wise change, the supreme
lodge took the matter under advise
ment and with courage born Of con.
made radical changes in our
method of doing business and gave to
ho nd n fc rho ol. oci.
fed assessment plan. This plan divides
our membership into groups, whose
ages range from IS to so years. and
provides for change from the lower
to the higher rates as members pass
from the lower to the higher ages.
These rates are changed every fve
years until the age of SO is reached,
after which no change is made. The
present plan Is the result of the CON-
bined experience of old liz 9 insurance
and fraternal organization
'or the past 200 years, and we have no
'eason to doubt its efficiency or safety.
"Persons who join our order are re-
luired to pay only the absolute cost of
he class in which there ages place
hem. This plan deals equitably with
very member Of the order, requiring
lim to bear his fLll share of the
iuancial burdens and assuring him in
eturn an equal share in the benefits Of
he institution.
"Mem mbership In this order means
more than stated financial
ayments ard the receipt OF financial
'enefits; it signifies ali that is involved
q that grand word fraternity. When
ickness overtakes member he is |
ared for and his wants supplied by |
be lodge to which he belongs and he
, not allowed to become suspended
'hile sick and unprotected.
"Three elements enter into this In /
which commend it to thought.
u men-fraternity, equality, safety.
Who at some time or other has not
ealized the need of fraternity, felt the
alue of some friend In sorrow and
istress? Who among US can hope to
o through life, without some day
eeding some gentle hand to minister.
,me kindly voice to speak words OF
omfortP There Is no place In all the
orld where this is oftner and more
obly done than in the Ancient Order
I United Workmen.
"The great question men are asking