Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-20
CONSERVING OF
R.N.A.REvENUES
To Be DISCUSSED
Supreme Oracle Myra B. En-
right Will Bring Matter Up
Before Camp Here.
SUGGESTS SCALING PLAN
Subject Carefully Treated in Annual
Report, Now in the Hands Of
the Printers.


the first two or three years of mem
bership is suggested by Mrs. Myra b
Enright supreme oracle of the Royal
INeighbors of America, as a possible
solution of the rate question for that
organization. The plan will be brought
TO the attention of the supreme camp
in this city during the week of May Is
in the report of the supreme oracle.
This report. with those of other SUI
lpreme officers. is now in the hands of
the printers and will be ready soon for
distribution.
Mrs. Enright points out that the
benefit contracts of the society aPgre,
gate $3.50. ZOO. 900, and while there is
but 81 $50 900 In the benefit fund. The
membership is unalterably opposed to
an increase in rates and while. there is
no disposition to advocate such
course. il is obviously wise al the com
ing supreme camp to consider conser-
walton of resources. Mrs. Enright
says:
Your supreme oracle. prior to the
! Denver supreme camp. ecommended
that the society in the future lew IL
assessments each year. win 4 view of
creating a surplus H. the benefit fund
for its future necessities. 20 this re-
quest all the supreme officers and the
supreme delegates at the Denver ST.
preme camp heartily responded, and
the result was that a. assessments
have been levied for the benefit fur d
each year since that time. and / be-
lieve that we will all lie of the crin-
ion that in the future there shall be
an assessment levied each month.
Rates Are Now Lowest
81 believe il to be my duty at this
time TO call the attention of the SUI
preme camp to our benefit fund. We
have obligations outstanding TO pay
on benefit contracts. $25O.OOO. 900 We
have in the benefit fund. $3.50. 900.
Our membership is opposed to- an in
crease of our assessment rate. IL is
manifestly unwise to urge any in
crease of our assessment rates. al
though they are lower. possibly than
any other society doing business in
America. and unparalleled. | believe,
in fraternal insurance. Our assess
ment rates have never been increased. |
shall we take fortune at it's tide |
and conserve our benefit fund, or al |
low the same TO be jeopardized by pay |
ing. as frequently happens, $1,000 from |
the benefit fund to the beneficiary of a |
deceased member who only paid there |
to 40 cents. while a member of the So
ciety, or be jeopardized by paying, as /
frequently happens. the face of the |
benefit certificate of deceased members
who joined the society, after being for
of impending death from lat
ent disease. or otherwise. with I'M
sound bodies, causing death within a
very short time?
MANY of our foremost fraternal So
;ieties have responded to such a sit
nation and have conserved and pro
.ected the benefit fund with most fav- !,
,rable results.
Does Not Stop Growth.
after a careful examination of this
question and the history of such fra
ernal societies in the scaling Of bene-
1t certificates during the first two or
hree years of membership, or. in 9TH
r words, of paying only a pee cent
II the face of the benefit certificates
Turing the first two or three years of
membership, instead of paying the
ace thereof at the date of adoption, 1
ind that these societies. without an (
reception. have experienced no in I
reased difficulty in obtaining new ;
lembers on the one hand, and have ,
experienced a lower membership ,
cath rate on the other. The conser-
alton of the benefit fund. and by this
mean the saving and protection of il, 4
-om inequitabie demands, speaking
cry broadly from the experience of q
lese fraternal societies, consists in
iving the waste or outlay from char
y and fraud. Those who advocate
Ich contracts declare that the pay
ent OF $1,000 of the benefit fund in
Schange for 40 cents paid by the de-
eased member who departs her life Y
iring the first month of membership.
so cents during the second month.
not an insurance contract equitable
nd mutual, but is an expression of
rarity most commendable for a char
able institution. but unwise for a fra Ii
rnal benefit society holding out in a
dement's TO the world for permanent h
surance at the lowest cost, and that X
Ich charitable expression eventual n
robs the so-called old members. who 8
rViVe or may survive. to a ripe old "
'e. And also. those who advocate :.
On contracts declare that the expert n
zee OF the insurance world Is uni ~
rm; that those who contemplate S,
icide or have an intimation of i'm ia
nding death from latent disease or bt
herwise. and because OF these said "
nditions. take insurance upon their ID
es. shun the society which does no, r.
y benefit certificate in full at Z;
option. and that the number whn nc
old the societies who have this seal in
, plan, from actual experience is so tn
Eat as to make an appreciable de-
Ease in the death rate of such so. m
ties. WI
no
Experience Favors II. III
7 submit the foregoing for the con-
GRAFTON OF the delegates TO the com Sc
supreme camp without any rec IN
except To say that in my on