The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-12-26
K, OF (. WILL FIGHT.
THE MEMBERS IN THIS STATE
 AROUSED TO ACTION,
Against the New Insurance Rates AdOpted-Maintain It is m Attem pt of the Western Organizations to Freeze Them Out,

the Western Organizations to Freeze Them Out.
 | The announcement that Connecticut i members of the Knights of Columbus believed that their wealthier brothers
 in other states were trying to freeze them out of the order, attracted a great amount of attention and discussion The means being used to accomplish thls result is the increase of insurance assessments for members over sixty years of age to $4.67 a month. As prac- tically all of the members over this age reside in Connecticut, this prohibtive assessment operates upon this state alone.
 A bit of history concerning this or der also helps to throw light on the subject. The order was, formed between fifteen and twenty years ago by the Rev. Father McGivney of New Haven who wanted to band the young men of his parish together and do away with the idea of railing off a stove or something of that sort when member of his church died, as a means of rais- ing money for his family. With this end is view he instituted insurance of $l 900 for each member
 After the social features of the or ganization developed, the Catholics out side of Connecticut saw in it an organ ization for which they had been long looking, To accommodate these asso- clate members without insurance were admitted to the number of 60000 at the present day. Most of these associate members are outside of Connecticut and they have developed the social side of the organization rather than the insur- ance.
 They are of the wealthier class of Catholics and throughout the west es- pecially, where the order is very strong, the councils are exceedingly well to do. Swell club houses have been built, and the membership represents the best classes of Catholic society," These, Connecticut members have come to be- lieve, look upon their poorer brethren in this state with disfavor. considering them as an undesirable attachment to the order
 Although these associate members are not allowed to vote upon matters of insurance each council is obliged to car ry a certain proportion of members who are in the insurance feature. These are selected as delegates to the national convention and do have the power to vote on questions of insurance. The in- huence over these delegates held by the wealthy associate members is such that they are thus enabled to wield a great influence over the insurance though they are not directly interested in 1t.
 Under these circumstances the scheme of freezing out the Connecticut element by pushing up the insurance, which in no way affects themselves, forms an ideal one for their purpose At least that is the way the Connecticut members have got it figured out.
 As it is the men over sixty who form ed the order in the first place and who bore it's burdens through the trouble some times of it's infancy, the idea of freezing them out now is particularly unjust. In view of this the Connecti- cut members. regardless of age, propose to take up the matter for the protection of those affected.
 The four Hartford councils appointed a committee consisting of one from
  up to present the situation to the in- surance commissioner This committee is formed of c. H. Smith of Green Cross council T. P. M Preston of Char ter Oak council Philip J. Dooley of Jewell council and H. H. O'Neill of Hartford council.
 This committee drew up a petition to the insurance commissioner presenting the protest on the following grounds:
 That the national convention had no right to leave the state according to the charter of the order.
 2-That the action of the convention is practically discrimination which Is against Connecticut law.
 3-That no assessment could be made unless the constitution and bylaws covering the assessment was in the hands of the members within sixty days after it's adoption and up to the time these have not been in their hands.
 4-That by the laws and rules of the order the supreme knight is compelled to promulgate laws within sixty days after their adoption and that this he nas not done. That failure to do so constitute waiver of action on those | avs.
 5-That no subordinate council has received official notification of the new | 'ates.
 To this Insurance Commissioner Sco- | field replied under date of December 19 | hat he felt that the national conven- | ion had compiled with the law which | eft him powerless to interfere.
 The report was made to Charter Oak council Sunday afternoon at special | meeting and it was voted as the sense If the meeting that the committee | mould be continued and instructed to ,lace an amendment before each state nullifying the increased as- essment in question. It is the idea to get as many states as possible to in truct their delegates to favor the mendment and then to force it through 1 he national convention which will be leld in New Haven in March. Mean while the members affected will hvae to ,ay the increased assessment or forfeit Hartford Post.