The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1903-08-22
ORDER OF UNITED woRKMEN.
A Pioneer California Editor Gives a
Few Pointers to Fraternal Insur-
ance Societies.


ance Societies.
The graduated scale of assessments
passed down from the recent session of
the Supreme Lodge of Ancient Order
of United Workmen has started an agi-
tatiou in the Subordinate Lodges which
threatens the Order.
Grand Master Workman Miller has
called q special session Of the Nevada
Grand Lodge to meet at Reno on Sep
TENDER 1 to ratify or reject the Supreme
Lodge scale of assessments.
In local lodge circles the audible MUIR
murings portend no good to the Society.
Some of the older members are in open
revolt, and do not hesitate to put the
seal of condemnation on the Order that
would make Immediate death the only
safeguard to a member"
The editor of the San Francisco Jour
nal of Commerce. under date of August
II, sounds a note of alarm to the Work
men in particular. and incidentally to
all fraternal insurance societies, in the
following
The Order of United Workmen has
for a quarter of a century fairly full
filed its mission of providing fraternal
insurance at low cost to the members
of the organization. But as b rates
charged at first were such that no clear
minded man could hope for the stabil-
ity of the Order, few have been sur
prised at increases in assessments taking
place.
At first the apparent fairness and ad-
vantages offered were such as to boom
the membership to proper
tions. Then when a death or deaths
occurred a fiat assessment upon the re-
manning members was made of one dol
lar or more each to cover the amount
required. For a few years this plan
worked well and at a cost of from Sl2
to 500 per annum for a 50. 900 insurance.
But it was evident hen that the pay
ment of 500 or even double that for
thirty or forty years did not justify a
payment at death of $4,000. A men,
Der for forty years at even $50 annually
would cause to be drawn out s $1,000 at
death and only have paid in $1,000.
This was absurd ON the face of it.
ment of rates was made which caused
the assessment on members over 80
years to be raised to about $46 annually
and for lesser ages less amounts. 1t
has now been found that this does not
work either and a new scale has been
proposed which brings the insurance to
a cost about equal TO that of standard
life insurance companies which offer
security ~undoubted and a policy which
is available as a cash asset even if pay.
ments are dropped.
1t does not seem to have occurred to
the managing department of the A. o.
u. W., or else it has been willfully ig-
nored, that the operation of the Order
has been and is carried ON at an unjus-
tifiable expense.
1t is simply a fraternal life insurance
proposition and all the claptrap of
lodges and lodge meetings and the in
cidental expenses of rent, salaries and
such should be cut down to a minimum
figure by adjustment of all but the
necessary secretaries to receive assess
ments of members, receipt therefor. re-
port deaths and make payments.
A lodge is carried on at a frightful
expense and gives no equivalent in in
creased security or acquisition of bus
mess. The Valley Lodge in this city
assesses it's members-probably about
800-s7 each per year for lodge dues.
Nearly $4,000 to carry on the work
which one man could easily perform
for from 81, 200 to $500 per annum,
and there are dozens of other lodges in
similar condition.
If the Order is to live it must not
only raise the scale of assessments, but
must similarly scale its own expenses,
for the latter are fully as onerous as the
former.
Make the fraternal assessment plan a
business one or acknowledge failure
and drop it. The assessments o pro-
posed are evidently meant to squeeze
out members who joined the Order i'll
good faith many years ago. hoping to
provide their families in case of death
with a moderate insurance. 1t is fool
ish TO think that young men will join
an Order which is attractive only while
youth lasts and becomes financially re-
pulsive as old age creeps on.
The Order is really fraudulent in re-
gard to its expenses and holds out no
assurance that even the proposed rates
if paid-and very many will not pay
them-will save the Order from fiat
failure and inglorious termination a few
years hence. Immediate death is the
only safeguard offered to a member.