Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-12

INCREASE OF RATES.
Royal Arcanum 10 Latest Insurance
Order to Make Change.

A matter which Is 1uStfdt ipeSe"'
creating quite an amount OF interest
among the local. members OF the order'
is the increase Of rates OF insurance In
the ROYAL Arcanum but while the an
nouncement seems to nave occasioned'
much opposition and severe criticism
I'm New York md other places, the Au-
p,,sta members Of the order, as we'll
az those in other places in the State in
general. do not appear to he very much
disturbed over the matter, and it is
not thought that the increase Of rates
will result in the falling off in the
membership OF the order in Maine.
Several Of the older members of Pine
Cone Council of Augusta. who were
formerly members Of Did Dirigo Coun-
Gil of this city, who were some timc
ago taken into the former council, and
who will be most affected by the
change in rates, have been seen, but
none Of them have expressed an inten-
ton of dropping out, IND 1t is hardly
expected that the younger Cnes will, SO
that the natural inference is that the
membership will not suffer on account
of the new rates.
A prominent Augusta member OF the
order was seen by q Journal represen-
tative, yesterday, regarding the matter
of increase in rates, and said that
while the announcement would natur-
ally occasion some speculation ami
talk, he did not anticipate any trouble,
or any loss of membership on account
of the change The feeling on the part
of the Augusta members, he SAID, was
shared by those at Bangor, Bath, Port
lard and other places in the State ana
as for himself, he thought that the in
surance business carried, on by the
order, in a way that would guarantee
protection to it's members, could not De
maintained at a lower rate than that
provided for by the increase in rates.
The new rates, which are to take ef-
feet on October Z, are advanced for all
members in proportion - age. In the
case of young men the advance will be
slight, but as the increase is progress
sive, with each added year. men of
fifty or sixty will have to pay consid-
erabIy more, while those over sixty
wears will find their monthly assess.
ment very much more than now.
The officials Of the order say that in
order to maintain the present surplus
of something over s20o0,00O, it has be-
come absolutely necessary to advance
the rates-that the assessments will
not he too high under the new ar
rangement, the trouble being that they
have been too low in the past to guar
antec the entire stability Of the order
and the maintenance OF its surplus,
upon which, of course, depends its abll-
ity to meet all obligations in the event
of a great epidemic causing an unusual
number of deaths.
The question of the new rates was
discussed at a meeting OF the grand
officers, held at New Meadows. We'd
nesday, and i'm order that the matter
may be thoroughly understood by the
Maine members Of the order, Geo. IL.
Dufileld Of Pittsburgh, Pa, has been
sent to Maine by the supreme regent
as grand deputy of the State. Mr.
DuffieId will visit every council in the
State, and will explain to all the de-
tails of the several options adopted by
the grand council. His work will be-
gin at once. and IL spec ial meeting of
Pine Cone Council Of this city will be
held. Tuesday evening, June IL, At
which he will address the members.
Mr.. Duffield will also conduct other
work In the State, IN the interests OF
the order, and as he is considered one
of the most Jealous and ablest field
workers in the ranks. of the Royal
Arcanum 1t is expected that his Efforts
will result in an increased membership
in Maine councils. The Royal Area
mum Is one of the strongest fraternal
organizations in the country. ranking
third i'm the list.