The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-02-12
VOTE IS TAKEN
BY The PRINTERS
PLAN TO INCREASE THE DEATH
BENEFIT FOR MEMBERS SUB
MITTED ALL OVER COUNTRY
BATTLE OF BALLOTS WAGED
LAST THURSDAY.

In every typographical union chapel
in the country, the members of the
international were last Thursday call
ed on to express their opinion on the
proposition to increase the death
benefits for members.
The amendment was adopted by the
convention of the T. r. u. which was
in session at St. Joseph, Mo-, Aug. 8
to ID, 1909, for submission to ref
erendum vote of the members, and
therefore came before them with the
Endorsement of the highest authority
I'm the craft.
graduated scale of benefit. fixed
according to the length of continuous
membership OF a deceased member, Is
considered the best form in which to
make the increase suggested, as it will
give to continuous membership an
ver-increasing value unit, a certain
maximum is reached
Provision for Payment.
The method selected to make pro-
vision for payment of the increase IL
| by an assessment of one-half OF / pei
cent on all earnings by each OF tbs
members. 1t was believed by the cons
vention that this would not be toe
heavy a burden for the members to
bear and would produce an amount
of revenue sufficient to pay substan-
tial mortuary benefit The calculations
on which this Ger clusion was reached
were based on the receipts for the
pension fund from similar assess
ment, and led the convention to be-
lieve that with such an income for the
purpose the /. T. U. could safely as
sumo the responsibility of paying to
the families of deceased members
mortuary benefits as specified below
Amounts to BE Paid.
The several amounts of benefits
provided for by the amendment ere
as. follows;
For membership of one year or less
SIS.
For a continuous membership OF
more than one year end less than five
years, $125.
For continuous membership OF
more than five years anG less than
ten years, $175.
For continuous membership OF
more than ten years and less than
fifteen years, $275.
For continuous membership OF
more than tifte- years. $500.
May BE Enlarged When Desired.
The convention believed this to be
substantial and yet a conservative
way in which, to introduce the fea-
ture of mortuAry benefits into the
fabric Of the ]. It, u, and is a plan
that may easily be developed into
the payment of larger benefits il the
experience of years shall show the
wisdom of such a. course
imperative on All.
The convention, in considering this
subject, declared it's conviction with
great unanirnity that any Insurance.
or mortuary benefit scheme which viii
provide. for sum larger than this
amount at present paid must be arbi-
trary. That Is, the convention decreeC
that if the amendment should be adopt
| ed, the insurance must be taken. anc
ternational Typographical union From
this there can be no escape.
What President Lynch Said.
In discussing the subject in his an
\ nual report, President Lynch said:
4 "A statement made in order to mega.
tive the insurance proposition lis tina
d large percentage of the membership
now have insurance in an old line O
mutual company or fraternal society
/ That this is true, and that 1t will un
doubtedly work a hardship for tn,
| time. being to the members who arr
carrying all the insurance they cal
now afford, is not combated. On thu
other hand if the insurance idea lis {
good one, start should be made, anc
gradually the injustice which, II i
submitted, is more faHcied than real
will adjust itself.
1T is asserted, and contradiction O
the statement Is challenged, that in
| surance furnished by the Internationa
1 Typographical union will be more sta
bic. more certain, and In the end {
greater benefaction than a large pro
portion Of the membership now. COM
prehend. II must be remembered tina
/ in any insurance or death benefit ven
lures we set afioat there will be N
expensive offices to maintain, NJ
lagents, no lobby at the national b
state capitals. no high salaried OF
i ficers, no advertising and no expens
for lawyers and courts III combatin
elaine"
s5