Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-02-02

has attained such magnitude with Us
that il has an important influence on
the physical and moral well-being of
the whole people, and may properly be.
come federal function. We must
care for the helpless anyhow, and il
were the part of wisdom to do SO in a
way that will promote thrift and indie
pendence, rather than encourage want
and beggary.
Policies issued by the government or
fraternities might at least take the
shape of ten year annuities, thereby
decreasing the cost and providing
against that waste which is SO often
mother of want. A $4,000 policy, pay
able In ten annual installments, could
be safely issued by government, and
by fraternal beneficiary societies, too,
TO the average man preparing to found
family, at a cost not exceeding five
cents day, and would, in most cases,
keep widows Of the county and enable
orphaned children to become self-sup-
porting. The annuity would be small,
but tens of thousands of men are sup
porting respectable families on like
amount, The man lcho cannot Sdre fire
cents a day should not be permitted to ren-
ture upon marriage.
Fraternal beneficial societies are the
outgrowth of this cooperative spirit,
and are, therefore, popular with the
common people, and have come ostay,
assisting, wherever known, in promot-
ing peace and prosperity. The man or
woman who is member of one of them
is one who is at peace with himself or
herself, and with the world. You will
| find in them those who meet their obi
cations, those who are unselfishly de-
voted TO their families, kind to their
neighbors, good citizens in every sense
of the word, and leaders in their COM
munity, therein again proving the title
to this paper that through the influence
of such as these Fraternity is the
Basis OF Good Government.
We have in our charge sacred
trust, and should perform the duties
that have been assigned TO us along
fraternal lines carefully and with the
strictest sense of integrity, discretion
and prudence. We are paving the way
for millions yet to come, and must
courageously stand by our principles,
purposes and pledges in building the
fraternBl structure well, and upon a
foundation that shall be as enduring as
time itself. No better agency TO this
Fraternal Press, which can spread
abroad throughout the length and
breadth of civilization the information
and knowledge that is needed by the
people. l urge you to keep constantly
before your members the great benefits
to be derived through their fidelity to
our organizations, continually calling
attention to the duty which they owe to
themselves, to their neighbors, and
those dependent upon them.
We are gathered in the Monumental
representing the great fraternal bene-
fetal societies of North America with a
membership of three million souls. In
a way you are message-bearers to them
and to the public, not advocating cold,
costly, corporate insurance, but con-
stantly instilling into the minds of your
readers the fraternalism of this age,
and the advantage Of that protection
supplied by fraternal beneficial socie-
2 ties, which returns 10 their member
ship in results, practically, every dol
lar that is paid in, or accommodating
) only what is necessary to care for that
old age which is the lot of all, and even
: that small accumulation, instead of be-
ing the property Of a soulless corpora
ton or even of the officers of the orders
is an emergency fund, and belongs pre-
J rata TO the entire membership. Fra
ternity is not always born, but can be
2 usually instilled into mankind, and il
= is your duty, men and women of the
! Fraternal Press, to perform this task
1t was spirit of fraternity for the
weak and oppressed which caused the
United States to declare good govern
/ ment for Cuba. 1t is that same spri,
which is assisting our peace commits
, sioners today to provide protection for
the Fillipinos of the China Sea. 1t will
, cause those poor, untutored men and
j women to feel that there is civiliza
/ ton of which they have been deprived
but may yet have the benefit. 1t is the
spirit of fraternity which animates the
Anglo-Saxon race wherever found
whether in frozen Alaska, or in the hot
jungles of Africa, whether under the
Dominion OF The British Empire, or our
own great republic, and our hearts
throb with pride as we realize that the
flags of these two greatest of civilized
nations are grandly floating side by
side in the sunlight of two hemi-
spheres.
Only yesterday an eloquent English