El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-09-28

TTHE National Funeral Directors
/ association meets in Detroit
in annual convention today
The association has a membership of
approximately 10000, and a large pro-
portion of these attend the annual
meetings. The most interesting mat
ter that will claim the attention of the
convention is that of reducing the
number of funeral directors and under
takers in the business. For many
months there has been a widespread
agitation against the high cost of fun
erals. The unprOfessional methods Of
advertising have been protest against
the prevailing idea that undertakers
levy heavy toll on the woe and distress
of those who have lost loved ones
Business Overcrowded.
The undertaken who regards his
work in the light of a profession, de-
clares that there is no other business
more overcrowded, and that with 23,
900 'undertakers in the country there is
an average of only one funeral a week
for each Of them. He feels that there
ought to be some way to reduce the
number of undertakers to about half
the present number, and that in such
reduction lies the secret of more reas-
enable funeral expenses. 1t is asserted
that one of the reasons for the public
belief that the undertaken makes a
huge profit out of his business is the
fact that in making his charges for a
casket or coffin the undertaken often
includes in that charge his own serv-
ices and that of his assistants; where
as, he ought to make a specific charge
for the casket and another for serv-
ices and extras. The question of ac-
count-rendering. and that of limiting
the number of undertakers, are the
most important that will come up be-
fore the convention.
Another matter that will be brought
up is that of attempting to persuade
congress to forbid the burial of any
American citizen at sea. In addition,
the undertakers would require every
steamship line carrying passengers out
Of American ports to be equipped with
necessary facilities for bringing back
to shore the body Of any citizen who
may die at sea. Most of the lines out
OF American ports now carry collins
for this purpose The )undertakers
seek a worldwide abolition of sea
burial.
Trust Was Formed.
At one time it seemed that the Ma
tional Association of Funeral Direc-
tiers had solved the question of an
oyercrowded profession. There is a
companion association known as the
National Burial Case association.
About 1890 there was an agreement
entered into between these two asso-
cations, STIMULATING that the Funeral
Directors association should buy no
caskets or other funeral goods not
made by the members CT the Burial
Case association. In return for this
concession the Burial Case association
agreed to sell funeral goods to no one
but members of the Funeral Directors
association. When a man who was
not a member Of tie funeral Direc-
tors association ordered goods from
member of the Burial Case association,
he was advised that goods could not
be sold him until he Joined the Flu
neral Directors association. When he
sought to do this, he was told he
would have to obtain the endorsement
of the members residing in his coun-
ty This was seldom forthcoming, and
the agreement worked successfully in
limiting the number of undertakers
who could buy funeral goods from
any Of the big houses.