Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-13

and the necessity for some sort of re-
vision is fully concurred in, but the
report states that the general plan
offered is not.
Three propositions are laid down as
being applicable to all fraternal in
surance societies: First, the purpose
of fraternal beneficiary insurance
should be to furnish life protection
and not speculation on investment in
surance. Second, life protection has
an actual cost determined by the age
of the member. Third, each member
should be required to pay the actual
cost of his insurance.
The table provides for the collec-
ton of II payments year. beginning
with so cents an assessment for mem
bers between the ages of IS and 25.
and increasing at the end of each five
years as the member grows older up
to As. There the assessment is $1.40.
From that time on the increase is
made annually, ending with $3.50 at
co years, after which there is no in
crease. Assessments are to be made
at this rate till the fund collected
shall equal the contract liability of
the order, when the assessments shall
be made only often enough to keep
the fund up to that state. 1t is also
proposed to scale down the face of
the certificates of members diving
within three years.
Feature of Plan
Perhaps the most important feature
of the plan is a method of transition
from the old TO the new rates that is
proposed. In recognition of the fact
that many of the members prefer the
present plan of rates it is provided
that the society be divided into two
classes, one composed of those who
wish to pay the new rates and the
other who wish to continue to pay as
many assessments as are necessary
under the plan now in force At an,
time up to the year 1910 a member
wishing to- change from one class to
the other may do so provided he has
paid up all dues in the class he pro-
poses leaving. The funds and ac-
counts of the two classes are to be
kept entirely separate. After 1910
there is to be no transfer, the COM
mittee evidently assuming that the
assessments under the present plan
will by that time have risen TO point
where the new plan will be the cheap
err of the two and the members Will
all accordingly be willing to pay the
new rates.
Membership Statement.
The membership statement for the
Modern Woodmen for the months of
September and October have been is
sued. 1t has been awaited with par
ticular interest in view of the fact
that two months have elapsed since
the last one was issued, owing to the
skipping of an assessment and on ac-
count of the falling off in the number
of new members and an increase ir
the number of lapsations expected by
some to result from the efforts that
are now being made to secure re-
vision of the rates.
To the surprise of those who have
expected i'll consequences to be
strongly manifested the figures for
the past two months show very
healthy number of members and of
new camps. What is still more inn
portant, there is also a great falling
off in the number of lapsations.
During October the total number of
lapsations was 7,744 and 5,257 mem
bers were reinstated, giving 2,527 net
lapses. The total membership of the
order at the end of October was co.,
$50. At the time the committee on
reimbursement was finishing its work
and Immediately after its report was
made public there were many with
drawals from the society. During
July the number reached S,931 and the
rate per 1000 was 1888. This has
fallen off considerably in August, but
was still above the normal. The rate
per 1000 in the month of October was
$50