The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1905-06-22
The Royal ArCanum.

The general impression prevails that
a crisis has arrived in the affairs of the
Royal Arcanum, the best, il not the
leading fraternal insurance order. The
order has moro than 800, 900 members
composed of the cream Of the country. |
Recently the supreme council of the
order in session at Atlantic City passed
legislation that materially increases
the assessment rates, notably those of
members of fifty years and over 1t
was shown at the session of the supreme
council that in 1908 the amount con-
Tibuted by members at ages below
fifty was 80, 1874, 500, and by those at
ages of fifty and upward was 5000, 55G.
The amount paid for those dying at
ages actually below fifty was 80, $40, 800,
and for those dying at ages actually
fifty and upward was "a, 1885, The
latter class thus contributed approx
mately $3, 792, 443 less than it received,
or, reversing the statement, the fifty
years and upward class received about
five and one-half times what it paid in.
In 1904 the amount contributed by
those under fifty was about 81, 1870, 1893
and by those oyer fifty about $703, RIO.
The amount paid for deaths under fifty
was therefore $50, 455, 500 and for those
above fifty $500, 500, or more thau
seven times as much as they conhibu-
ted.
This statement, and much that goes
with it. shows that the supreme coun.
Gil did we'll to take the bull by the
: horns and devise a plan based on TWEEN
q ty-seven years experience of the order
: on the mortuary tables of 400, 900 per
sons, which should, so far as may b'
4. seen, 'Qake care of itself" as well a
h the fraternity, for all time The prin
70 cipal trouble at this time arises iron
y the resentment of members above fit,
y years of age whose assessments ar
10 lacked up from one.third to one-half
10 serious burden in many instances, an
it is only natural that this should ran
re kle, especially after the promise mad
r, several years ago that the increase
o. assessments then made, were ampl
q. and would stand.
Mt Commenting ON the subject, the New
ID ark, N. j., News, which is publishe
- in the midst of 10000 members of I'll
order, says: "But the fact remains thi
to this fraternal beneficiary variety of il
ne surance, based on assessments gradl
o. ated according to age, free from man
ne of the expenses which attend ordinar,
en- straight life insurance has been an e,
~ pertinent ever since it was beguI
- shortly after the close of the civil wa
Many of the orders which clung to
fiat rate for all ages and other insult
81 cient systems, have dropped by tt
ne wayside with losses to thousand
Vn Others have had to increase their a
en sessment rates several times. Throus
to exceptionally good management Il
lie Royal Arcanum has, until recent
ed borne its banner far to the front. No
~, us too, it must face the crisis, and it r
h. quires no soothsayer to predict tn
y, there are other like societies to com
1t would, therefore, be the part of pr
dence and common sense for Royal A
canians everywhere, instead of brea'
ing away or into court, to take ration
Ia proceeding to have the supreme cou
Dr. cilreconvene and see if it cannot di
~ tribute its present rate of assessment
so that they will bear less upon t