The Washington herald., 1912-10-12
NATIONAL BBEETlT
BODY IS THRIVING
General Manager q ". RUTHERFORD
Pleased with Work Of Recent
Convention.

<
tional BENEFIT Association. which met 1t
Calvary N. e. Church, in Philadelphia.
Pa. has adjourned. 8. w. Rutherford. Of
this city. the secretary and general mana
ger OF the association, who has Just re-
turned. says:
Upward Of 80 delegates were present.
and In every respect the session was q
very representative and enthusiastic
body
The session was opened with devo-
tiona exercises. which were followed by
several able and instructive addresses
and reports The convention was pro-
nounced the most successful ever held
by the association. It II unique In that
It II the largest interstate colored body
in the country. as well as the only one
OF its kind.
1T closed with a grand concert and
musicale. given by the various talent of
the agency corps. and under the direc-
ton Of Messrs. e. N. Broadnax and r.
w. Stewart.
Tho practicability Of the business
principles Of life insurance has been
thoroughly demonstrated In the success
OF the National Benent Association.
900 on the lives Of 10000 policy holders
and pays to its shareholders an annual
dividend Of Is per cent.
The concern was organized in 1888 by
number Of negro men and women.
who. realizing that they were not 70
ceiving the consideration they were en-
titled to by other companies. decided to
form . business organization Of their
own. Accordingly. with several other
representatives In and about Washing
ton. D. c., we procured a charter. For a
ha h,,e Of he mt Ia
transacted in one room. on the fourth
floor Of the building at 600 F Street
Northwest. This structure Is now owned
by the organization. Is entirely free OF
debt. and has recently been ofiicially ap-
praised by the Insurance Department OF
the District Of Columbia at $35.0co
"At nSst the operating territory Of the
new concern was mainly the District Of
Columbia and New Jersey. With the
increase Of its capital the association en-
larged its field of effort and benefit. and
about ten years ago commenced active
operation in Pennsylvania Rhode Island.
Delaware, and recently In Maryland.
This organization has been singularly
fortunate In regard to its Investments.
Its present resources are Sl5o.ooo.''
Asked as to the associations compli-
ance with the insurance laws OF the Dis
trict OF Columbia. Mr.. Rutherford said:
The National Beneft Association has
always been one OF the first to meet
missioner. and only recently has made
a deposit of $4,000 OF approved security
as a joint deposit for the District Of Co
lumbia and the State Of Maryland for
the benefit OF all policy-holoers.
Furthermore" Mr.. Rutherford said.
'the Insurance Department Of the State
of Maryland recently had a corps Of ex-
pert auditors engaged over a month per-
sonally examining the entire business Of
the association at the home once. in
this city. approving and appraising its
investments. and as a result OF this in
vestigation and examination has Just
issued very interesting and favorable
report on the associations work, condi-
ton. conduct OF its business. and char
acter of its investments. concluding with
the statement: The affairs of the asso-
ciation are in a highly prosperous con-
dition. and IL il well and economically
managed. and its records are neatly and
accurately kept"
NJ. E. Church. Philadelphia. and one of
the ablest preachers Of the negro race
and a man whose heart and soul are In
the improvement OF the condition Of the
race. made the comment at the conclu-
sion OF the associations convention that:
THE National BENEFIT Association, OF
Washington. D. c.. which held its an
nual session In the Calvary NJ. E.
Church. Broad and Fitzwater Streets,
Philadelphia. has merited the high
which a generous COM
munity Is bound to bestow. In its
business management 1t presents un-
evidences Of the favorable
results OF the races short civic exist
ence. even though the sun OF Americas
great privileges and facilities has given
its light to this race through a hazy mist
Of unparalleled prejudice and inhuman
race hatred: despite all this. and the fact
that the race must make its way through
hard and rocky soil, poorly irrigated
and hurtfully shaded by towering devel-
opments and numerical advantages
which are the Inheritance and posses
sions Of another race. Denied the chance
to earn wages like other men; denied
the chance to live in conditions condu-
Give to health and social prosperity; de-
MED the atmosphere pregnant with eth
ical and literary ozone so vital to the
life Of other people. and many other con-
ditions indispensable in making Of
people, this race has achieved the mar
velous heights indicated In the manage
Benefit Association. of Washington.
D. C..
Its president. DR.. Robert W. Brown,
Is unpedantic, unpretentious. but cap
able. clean. and good. Its secretary and
general manager. Mr.. S. W. Rutherford
Is the embodiment Of business. brother
illness, and becoming in every particular
appertaining to his office. His wisdom
Is like the chemical properties Of the
sun. His words are like the dews that
fall. His actions are like the heat Of the
sun. His presence is springtime among
his people. The field agents, branch
and secretaries conform splen-