The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-07


Membership Is Less.
sincerely regret cur toss Of mem
hershlp I was In hopes that we would
Ef4uw Il tarFr increase and year
ago I had good reason to expect one,
Judging from all the promises given
me
4 can charge 1t to two things. First.
com tnercial conditions IN most sec
tions were on the drag. and the
weather conditions OF a strenuous win
ter. spoiled many proposed rally.
/ was kept from one myself when on
the night was to leave for Kansas
City not a train left Omaha on that
1 night on account of a severe snow
storm. The second, and growing
! reasons, is the lack of interest of new
{ timber in the Organization, The OLD
war horses are getting tired and hay e
/ lost cnthusia sJn or else are getting
house positions where their time is so
| taken M cannot get out with the boys.
( and go many new ones join for the
! insurance only.
k+.4--.@~4, .4.l-~4A
/ a campaign Of education. which will
make the new member realize that he
/ is not merely n member of an acct
! dent company. but that he belongs TO
I an organization that has brought him
/ benefits that cannot be realized eX-
! Cept by one who knew conditions as
! they were before We had them adjust
/ ed,
They must be made to realize that
I they are getting benefits far more
! than can he told ia a short talk. for
| the 81. 600 more cost in the T. +. A.
Ii hEaRF AYR ant Fry. Al
, so called cheaper organization.
Gives AN Example
! lust last month I received a letter
| from q man holding a membership
! number in the thirteen Thousand ask
! ms why our Organization cost 81 90
I more, and stating he had often been
asked this question and could not Elk
j plain it. Think of I'll man being in
! the organization since 1895 and ask
such a question. ls he d good mem
! Der? | felt that even now he was not
entitled to a reply, but ] informed
I him, Is he in the organization for
i what he can put into ii or what he
/ can get out of 1t?
This. gentlemen. is "A serious ques-
I tiou but III ~ one that must be met
! and | trust that the efforts OF your
( buHrd Of directors Will be commended,
for the work done In the past year IN
( getting out literature along these edu-
I cational lines, ana while they have
not been out long enough to show the
/ results for the retiring administra-
/ ton. l fully believe that the incoming
administration viii reap the benefits
! Of the campaign
/ Il have no excuse TO offer for our
( loss. We have met adverse circum~
stances bravely and II the future
| schows that We, your officers Of la11-
/ 10, builded wisely ana well. a sure,
| progressive foundation, | will be sat
| Ished
/ Il trust the rivalry between States
| Tor winning the Texas horns may ne
revived. 1t was thought that no State
| with membership In four figures
| could win it. but this has been dis
proven in the last two years, Wiscon-
sin going from 1876 iii 1910 to s55
In 1911, made 20 per cent and won
the horns this year. Pennsylvania 60
ing from 2,755 to a.1sS. making ia per
cent. wins the horns. Fourteen States
snow gain. twenty show loss.
n ~ STAGE Report Heard.
LAS per resolutions passed at last
annual convention. State presidents
were requested To send in their re.
ports to the national president
Il heard from Zeigler, OF Iowa 1.-TWO
new posts organized) Hughes, OF
Pennsylvania, Gowan. of Tennessee.
Downing, Of Indiana: Marx. of FIori-
ds; Keinhardt, OF Ohio; Robinson. OF
West Virginia 1.-TWO new posts organ
ized); Ginnayen. OF Illinois; Goette,,
man. OF Wisconsin cone new post
organized, HoIbrook Of Nebraska
cone new post organized) Doherty
OF Kentucky. Kellogfh, ETA ofn n
OF kentcky. Kellogg, of Colorado,
Lanhau1. Of South Carolina Barnes
OF Missouri cone new post organ
ized).
To take a composite review OF all
OF them would result in one very pro-
nounced complaint: That OF the leth-
argy and non appreciation of the mem
bers assisting In the work OF get
ting new members. one OF the rem
edies offered is the election OF dis.
trlct national vice presidents who
would have supervision over the
membership getting or several States.
l question the ACCESSIBILITY OF this for
n State president cannot arouse the
necessary enthusiasm IN his own
State. | doubt IL he can In another
National Board Hit
Quite few complaints were reg
istered as TO lack Of cooperation OF
the national board, beg 10 state that
the directors went to ali places where
invitations had been extended to as
sist in membership getting, but the
board could authorize the expen-
diture Of money for organization work