The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1900-11-06
THOMPSON THE TAILOR.
Postolllce building.
CLERKS INSURANCE.
al Aid Association In Govern
ment Omces.

"a few years ago. said the secretary
of a departmental aid association, re-
ports the Washington Star, ''one Of the
abuses OF departmental life was the al
most constant passing around Of the
hat for collections to aid the widow and
family Of a clerk who had died in sery-
ice.
Every often the deceased had been
for many years in the service Of the
government and at his death it would
be found that he left scarcely enough
to bury him. and sometimes not that.
And this would be true Of clerks in the
higher grades. II made a clerk appear
mean to refuse to contribute with the
others. though he may have had but
speaking acquaintance with the de-
ceased. To those on the outside 1t
would not seem that these contribu-
tions would be made sufficiently often
to amount to a drain, but they were,
and have known Of three clerks dying
within a month in one large division.
recall the chief clerk of a bureau dying
suddenly, and his widow did not have
enough money to pay for his slaying
out. The word was passed arSaRd in
the bureau that the chief expedted the
clerks TO contribute Literally. and most
OF them handed in from So to IS, but
there was a strong undercurrent Of
kicking.
'ln all Of the departments he solicit
ing Of money for any purpose IS strict
ly forbidden now All have their own
benevolent associations, which are en-
couraged by the chiefs. These asso-
Citations have by-laws, constitutions
and officers. Their object is TO furnish
10 the clerks who are members an in
surance which will be Immediately
available on death. In fact. the money
is turned over TO the heirs on the same
day that the association is notified Of
the death of the member, and this
ready money is often all that the
widow or the heirs have in the world.
"The Pension Bureau association
publishes a complete pamphlet report
annually; others render o report to the
board of directors only. The annual
receipts from the assessments Of the
Pension Bureau association are about
$4,000, and $3.50 is paid on death to the
beneficiary. Last year IL lost about
25 members, and $4,000 has been dis
bursed since its formation in 1891. The
assessment is 2j cents, and the mem-
bership is ,O60. Clerks do not lose their
membership in these associations If
they retire from their respective de-
partments, voluntarily or involuntar-
lily, as long as they pay their assess
ments. The assessments range from
25 cents to 81.
'In the post Office department the as
sessment is so cents. and the amount
paid varies from $500 to s275. according
to the number OF members.
'The treasury department has two
aid associations, one of which pays
$3.50 on the death Of a member and the
assessment is 81.
''The interior departments associa-
tion numbers about 900, and II was or
ganized in 1895. About 100 members
have since died, each receiving at death
5000, while over $4,000 has been dis
bursed.
''rhe beneficial ASSOCIATION OF the
war department has recently been re
organized, having been IN existence IA
years. il nas a membership of 430, the
assessment rs 81, the amount paid at
death $3.50. and about IS, GOO has already
been disrursed."