Amador ledger., 1900-12-21
CHOSEN FRIENDS.
California Members Propose to Continue In
dependent of National Order.

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days Chronicle telling that the fra
ternal insurance Order of Chosen
Friends had been declared insolvent
and that the appointment Of receiver
had been demanded, has brought con-
sternation to this State, the strong
hold of the order. Out of a total mem
bership of between 81, 900 and $4,000 in
the entire United States. California
lays claim to 5131 mem bers. There are
sixteen councils in San Francisco and
lie in the State at large, including men
and women of excellent standing.
Telepraphic advices attribute the fl
nancial EN- barrassment to heavy death
claims resulting from the Galveston
food, aggregating some $50, 900,
coupled with loss of $4,000 incurred
through defaulting supreme treas
urer.
Cyros NJ Arnold, financial agent of
the order in California for several
years past, last night made the follow
ing statement:
The announcement of the insolvency
of the Order of Chosen Friends has
come upon us here in California like a
thunder-bolt out of clear sky. Up to
the time of reading the ''Chronicle's"
dispatch we had received no intimation
whatever that the financial condition
of the order was not perfectly sound.
None of US is yet in receipt of any per-
sonal dispatches, and it is of course not
yet time for a letter to arrive. We
can only wait until we have full infor-
nation, and meantime suspend the COL
lection of dues. Nothing more clearly
demonstrates our complete ignorance
of this impending calamity than the
fact that our grand recorder, S. G.
Wallis, is at this moment on his way to
Portland, Or, where he was to organize
a council, intending to continue his
journey on to Washington, where there
were several councils ready for organi-
cation. He will at once return to San
Francisco.
Our order has undoubtedly under
taken too much, for, unlike any other
fraternal organization of its sort, it has
not only paid death insurance amount
ing to over SIS, 900, 600 since its organi-
cation some twenty years ago, but it
has also paid out over 81, 900, 900 in the
way of old age and disability benefits.
We believed the principle upon which
it was conducted to be sound financially,
based on careful study of the mortali-
ty tables of the insurance companies,
and calculated to extend the utmost
possible protection to mem bers, while
squarely and honestly administered.
II the figures quoted in the paper are
correct do not think they justify the
Insolvency of the order. 1t would be
an easy matter to levy a special assess
ment to cover deficit of $50, goo, for
that would mean special tax, which
would be cheerfully met.
What will We do here in California if
this insolvency case is urged? can as
sure you that we shall act with energy
and decision. The executive committee
of our Grand Council will hold meet
ing, probably next Monday, and we
shall do all we can to stop this action
and to insist upon meeting the deficit,
if deficit there be. Failing to effect
this, if the worst comes to worst and
the order disbands, we shall see that
the interests of California members are
fully protected. Our funds are usually
forwarded East, as matter of form,
although we always draw upon local
banks when payments are to be made.
AS we have no sinking fund, the
amount of money on hand to the credit
of the national organization is never
very large. rarely exceeding S15, 900 or
Whereabouts. There is no reason in the
world why, if the Eastern councils pre-
fer to disband, we should not continue
our existence as an independent Or
ganization. Many of our members are
too. old to enter any other fraternal
body. It is to our interest to hold to-
gether, and we propose to do so.
There will be no widows or orphans en-
titled to benefits in California, whose
claims will not be promptly met and
paid in full, and 1 can see no reason
why we should not continue our ex-
istence as local body, and enjoy the
same benefits and advantages we have
Il, Il