Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-24
Propose Higher Fraternal Rates.

Des Moines.-Two hundred thou,
sand voters who are members of
Iraternal insurance companies stand
IN the way of any legislation at the
next session of the general assembly
to fix minimum rate of assessment
which the fraternals will be allowed
to charge their members. The rank
and file of the fraternal insurance
men OF the state believe they should
be left alone and that the companies
should be allowed to work out their
own salvation" They argue that the
fraternals are paying their bills every
month and as there is no question Of
their solvency there is no need of
legislation. There are about 100000
members in Iowa of the fraternal in
surance companies, and of these about
100000 are voters, and it is suspected
that the legislators will allow mat
tiers to go to extreme length before
they enact legislation counter to the
| wishes of this army of men. Yet fra
ternal insurance is sure to be brought
| prominently before the next legiSla-
| ture.
State Auditor B. F. Carroll, his
deputy in the insurance department,
Ole O. Roe, most Of the members II
not all of the members of the insur-
ance commission, and large per cent
OF the officers of the larger fraternal
insurance companies believe that the
limit for most of the companies has
been reached and that in order to
pay the death claims the assessments
must multiply or the rates go up.
They recognize that the old fraternal
companies cannot raise the rates un-
less the younger companies are COM
PEELED to do SO also, for q company
that is just starting out or one that Is
but few years old has no difficulty
in running on very low assessment.
The rank and file of the members of
fraternal insurance companies, how
ever, cannot see why there is any
need of legislation. They argue that
their fraternal society is paying its
bills each month and as long as it ia
paying its bills they argue that they
are getting their insurance at cost
and the company is safe. They can
see no need Of raising the minimum
of the rates so long as the company
has money enough to pay its ex-
penses. This argument has been
made this summer to the insurance
commission now investigating the ques.
ton of rates and the argument is made
by officers of some of the fraternal
insurance companies.
The other position, the one taken
by the state auditor, the members of
the insurance commission and the
officers of some of the older and larg-
er fraternal companies, is that the
only way the companies are able to
keep paying their bills is by increas-
| ing the membership each month by
taking in young men. Only by taking
| in new members faster than the old
| able to pay their bills. But there is
a limit some time, argue the men,
| bers Of the insurance commission. The
membership cannot be increased for
ever and some Of the older fraternal
companies are already beginning to
| reach the limit.
Conference to be Held Dec. 5.
| 1t has been practically decided to
| postpone the conference of represent
| atives of the different states, with
respect to the election Of United
States senators by direct vote OF the
people, until Dec. 5.
The date originally fixed was Sept.
5. So many Of the delegates selected
| by other states are absorbed in cam
paigns, however, and 1t became so
| apparent that there was not sufficient
time for preparation, that it became
evident it would be advantageous II
the date were put over until after the
general election.
A conference was held in Des
Moines in which the governor and
| the Iowa delegates, except Governor
Larrabee, who could not be present.
participated, and after going over the
matter thoroughly it was decided, in
] effect that the date should be post
| poned.
This will only require notification
| by the governor of the fact, sent to
the governors of the other states and
| the delegates selected. More than
half of the states already had respond
| ed and had selected delegates.
The conference is the one author
| lied by the legislature last winter,
the governor being directed to issue
the call and invite the other states to
send delegates. The original date
| was fixed without due regard to the
fact that the campaign will be on at
that date most strenuously, in almost
every state.
Senator Lester w. Lewis. author OF
the resolution; Senator Thomas D.
| Healy of Fort Dodge, Jerry B. Sulli-
van Of Des Moines and Walter Dewey
of Charlton were in the city, of the
Iowa commissioners.
The states whose governors have
accepted Iowa's invitation and in
which delegates have been chosen In
clude the following: California, Col
orado, Illinois. Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Minnesota, Louisiana, Mich.
igan, Montana, Alabama, Oregon. New
Jersey, North Carolina, South Dakota,
Ohio, Texas, Washington, West Vir.
ginia, Wyoming.
This list does not include such
states as Wisconsin, Missouri, ETC.,
which it is known will appoint dele
gates.
Aged Ex-SIave Dies.
Mrs. Samantha West. the oldest col
ored woman in Polk county, died at
her home two miles northwest OF
Highland Park Mrs. West is said ia
have passed her 112th birthday. SAID
Coroner Beck, who has known the
negress ever since he came to Des
Monies: when first reached the
city about the first woman / met was
Mrs. West. She then looked as il she
was something over hundred. Her
death came as surprise to me, for