The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-11-16
CHANGE
OF RATES
/ IN The A. o. U. W. MEETS WITH
PROTEST OF OLD MEMBERS AS
BETRAYAL OF THEIR CON-
FIDENcE.
They Claim It is Guarantee Fund"
Which Guarantees Nothing and Are
Tired of Certain Conditions.
Michigan Conditions Prevail
in West Virginia.

Michigan Conditions Prevail
in West Virginia.
AT the request of prominent member.
of the Ancient Order OF United Work.
men of harrisburg, this article is repro.
duced from the Detroit News. 1t ex.
plains itself and the conditions it de.
scribes exist in the West Virginia juris.
liction, 50 the Telegram is told. 1t vii
be found Of much interest to the mem.
bes Of the order in this state.
To the Editor: Some time ago the
News printed two articles-one OF which
was editorial-upon the proposed change
in rate in the Ancient Order of United
Workmen. Both these articles proceed
with the assumption that the members
who protested against the change had not
investigated the subject, and that all
fraternal societies had found level rates
to be delusive, and the A. o. U. W. would
learn the same lesson.
50 far as the A. 0. U. w. is concern.
ed both these assumptions are unofundel
This order reached its greatest cxpan.
sion in Michigan in 1895, having then
over $4,000 members. Losses began, and
the fallacy of level assessments was as.
signed US the cause. The order approach
ed the subject, its trusted officers in.
vestigated, the supreme lodge took NJ
the matter in 1896, and after a careful
investigation put in force the system
of classified assessments now in use
This was adopted in Michigan in March
1893.
The members were informed that while
these rates would be ample to carry the
current losses, there was one contin-
gency mprovided for-the contingency
which called for relief assessment year
~ 10 make up losses in states where
the assessments had been found made
quate to pay losses; that further inves
tigution was needed to determine the
amount required. The same men who
had taken the council OF actuaries and
had determined the rates Of assessment
had this matter in charge, and after three
years of investigation, promulgated a
plan of guaranteed assessments, to be
collected with the regular assessments,
This guarantee fund was to be paid by
all members, and its object was to guar
antee two things. First, that there
should be no increase in rates after the
rate at age 80 had been reached, and,
second, that there should be no more thar
IL assessments per year. This was pui
INTO effect in Michigan in March, 1901
Both changes were accepted in good
faith by the members in Michigan.
Wilson's Endorsement.
When this had been done, ono of tn
supreme lodge committee who had for
INFLATED the plan, w. Warren Wilson,
Il leader in this grand jurisdiction, in a
published address, which was being dis
tributed by deputies as late As last May,
wrote OF the plan:
"Thc simplicity of the plan commcuds
it, its efficiency fortifes it, ITS equity sus.
tains it, and its security endorses it to
every impartial observer. 1t will stand
the test of comparison, investigation,
experience and mathematics, and is the
plan above all others that is equal t.
every occasion, no matter what il mag
be-"
1t viii be seen that the 4, O, I, W.
years ago saw the danger your article
pointed out, and provided against it. I'm,
medmtcIy after the meeting of the su.
premc lodge this year, Michigan mem
bcrs were surprised to lcarn-or to be
informed that the guarantee" they
had been paying for guaranteed" them
nothing; that the supreme lodge m !
formulated a new plan, requiring tie
member over So to pay over double wha.
he was assured was to be his maximum
payment. This was the condition when
your article was published. Michigan
members do protest, and think they have
reasons, but they are not the reasons
your editorial assigns. The same men
who assured them, after three years in.
yestigntion, that the plan would meet
every contingency, now assure them that
it will not, and that the proposed PLAN
is the panacea for all ills. They proved
the other plan correct by columns OF fig
urcs which proved it beyond a doubt.
Reasons for Protest.
Some OF the reasons why Michigan pro-
tests are as follows:
First, we have no confidence in the
assurances of the men who are engineer
ing the movement. Ii they were mis-,
taken once, what assurance have we that
they are correct now2 There is not al
argument they use that was not usel
before. They are discredited by theil
own octs TT they erred before they diC