Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-09-04
TWO VITAL QUESTIONS.
National Organ of A. o. u. w. Discusses
Editorial in the Delaware Workman.

r
The Delaware Workman in its Augusta
issue prints double column center
page editorial with stars on either side
to attract attention headed 1.-Two Vital
Matters for Delaware's Membership to
Discuss As the Workman does not
give any information to enable the
membership to discuss these vital
questions" intelligently we are moved
to offer some information to the mem
bership in that jurisdiction. We must
differ with our esteemed contemporary
in its statement that there are two
new issues brought out by the recent
session of the Supreme Lodge" to wit;i
Reserves for Grand Lodges" and
s'more classes
The matter of reserves for Grand
Lodges is almost as old question as I
the order itself, and during the last
five years it has been legislated upon !
at nearly every session. This right has
been denied Grand Lodges for the
reason that the aim of the A. o. u. w.
has been to furnish current cost pro-
| lection instead of charging the average
annual cost from date of entry and
| thereby create reserve. If each MEM
Der of every Grand Lodge only under
stood how much would need to be |
added to the present cost to furnish an |
adequate reserve for that particular
| jurisdiction no one would favor such a 4
change. |
We find the inspiration for the edi-
torial in the following In speaking of
the jurisdiction of Delaware the Work
man says: "Her financial con aition
gets better instead of worse and a little
extra effort upon the part of every
Workman would make the A. o. u. w.
of Delaware the most successful frater-
nal insurance society in the world ~
1t would seem from the above para
graph that there is in contemplation .
separate insurance society to be conf
posed of Delaware alone. This surely
makes the question vital one to the
membership in Delaware. The atten-
ton of the members ia called to the
statement that 'tHer financial condi-
ton gets better instead of worse.
This Jurisdictions total net gain in
five years has been 773; net gain under
A, 148; net gain over age "A, 575. IT.
has increase almost four members in
ages above "A to every one below age
Al. January LIST, 1897, it had only l,052.
members over A. These have increased
TO l, 627 January LIST, 1902. If all over
"A carry $1,000 certificates, as most of
them do, there has been added 81, $50, COO
!, in liabilities to the group in which the
most of it is certain to mature in the
next 20 years an all of it during the
next 30 to 80 years. 1t would look to
an impartial observer that in juris-
, diction that has been adding four mem
beers to its highest age group to one in.
the lower aged groups, that it is not
, growing better very fast. If it had
, been adding four in the lower aged
, groups to every gain of one in the
| highest aged groups, it might be said
, to be doing successful business
J The Workman, in order to make out
a strong case in its own favor says,
J "but other jurisdictions of the big
/ order are not self-supporting because
) interest and work therein has Jagged
( until some of them have jurisdictions
: of old men. Thus their liabilities are
increasing cost to the order, &c. " Be-
Q fore receiving the Delaware Work
/ man, we had made an examination of
the progress during the last five years
of II jurisdictions of the class referred
to above. 1t was found that these -
jurisdictions had 2,972 less members
q over age A January LIST, 1902, than
January LIST, 1897, and 31,0 more
!. members under "A January 1st, 1902,
q than January LIST, 1897. So the group
a of jurisdictions that were in the worst
condition five years ago have done far
. better than Delaware, The Bulletin
!. is certainly pleased that these juris-
n dictions have made such gratifying
10 progress and that we trust that large
g majority of our readers in Delaware
L will feel equally pleased. 1t is prob.
:; ably true that these jurisdictions will
= need portion of the guaranty fund foi
l. some years to come. If they do the
members in such jurisdiction will pay
c. II classified assessments towards their
g, own losses and IL guaranty fund assess
n ments, while Delaware only paid sever
y guaranty rund assessments last veal
N and will probably pay less than u fol
q, a number of years to come. 1t is trut
al that Indiana and Kentucky both re
ceived relief in 1902 for deaths in 1901
to but both paid more into the guarant,
n. fund than they drew out.
~ ~ If Delaware should desire to organic
~ its members into separate insuranc,
ur company as did majority of low;
nd members a few years ago, and as dir
is all the members in Ontario six year
les ago, it would collect u classified as
ch sessments and IL guaranty fund assess
or ments, in place of seven under tn
he present system of separate jurisdictions
en- and national relief law as it did i
ID. 1901. But we do not believe the intelli
m gent membership in Delaware will SER
ously consider the proposition of ser
lld aration.
~ ~ The question of an increase of classt
hv is certainly new one. The commit
ali tee on statistics is engaged in gatherin
nj the necessary data in order to determir
ort whether the income as at present wi
ems be sufficient to meet future liabilities
ion These facts when gathered will all /
ors laid before the special beneficial con
rs. mission, just how any one can INTEL
less gently discuss the proposition in IL
f absence of the facts is beyond our kel
for -------
Death of Ada Gray.