The Calumet news., 1914-09-30
Amendment IS
Being OPPOSED
FraternaI Insurance Orders In Cop
per Country Interested

| notwithstanding the activities of the |
New Era Association of Grand Rapids, |
which took the initiative in preparing |
the petitions for the submission of the |
amendment and the Fraternal Amend |
ment League OF Grand Rapids which |
has an agent here working in the in
| terests OF the amendment, opposition !
To the amendment to the state con-
stitution which will be submitted to
the voters at the November election,
continues to increase in the copper
| country.
Practically all of the older fraternal
insurance orders have joined the op-
position. Thomas j. CARING supreme
chancellor of the knights of Pythias is
I preparing Il letter to members OF
that order warning them against the
amendment. Similar action has been
taken by the Cleaners, the Tribe of
Ben Hur, the Woodmen, and will be
taken by other orders.
The amendment, it is declared,
would abolish lodge systems and rit-
uals, limit fraternal insurance societies
to the payment of death benefits af-
rect the stapllity OF the reserves OF
| these orders and open their member
| ship rolls to competing old lire com
panies upon the pretext OF petitioning
ior referendum or initiative py per-
| maps 20 members OF an order'
The clause requiring the Legislature
TO provide by law Tor the lncorpora-
tlon regulation ana supervision OF ira
ternal benenclary societies. with the
power TO issue death dement, certlh-
Gates Is DeleVed by insurance oom-
missioner John l. Wlnshlp TO limit
such societies under the constitution
TO the payment or death Denerts' DONG
away with all Dement'S Tor ola age TO-
TAI ana permanent disapillty' specinc
accluehts' heaith ana accideht ana nos
pltal ala insurance on the part Oh IRA
terhal orders.
PROVISION that such societies must
nave democratic OF representative
FORM OF seH-goVernment includins
the hNlng OF lts own rates. would re-
move ehtireiy from state SUPERVISION
the matter or rates a provision whlch
fraterhal leaders say Is not 10 DE oe-
slreu.
RESTRICTION OF the iesal reserve iuhd
or assessments leVled TO the mortua-
ny COST per Sl'ooo insurance III lorce oi
successiui iesai reserve INSURANCE COM
pafiies or oo years experience III uu-
uitioh 10 the necessary EXPENSES vi
|
10 lead 10 the enforcement OF s'ep-ra'e
insurance, the las. resort ol ira'eriai
socletles' otherWise the rate must pe
hisher III younger years anu reserve
accumulated 10 care ior tie iosses
among oiuer meinpers'
Inc hhal provision that haoiltles
c0luins oi MioiliSah BUSINESS may w
ihaue payapie from assessnieii's ol
Mlchlsah members "ouiu hl' haru
some OF the oruers Whlch nave peei
dolhS business III Michigan ior mum
per Oh years IL the hatiohal pouies 81
ruIed.
IL is pointed out py local lra'erhai
insurance Workers that this iatter pro-
VISION oVercofnes the auNaitase Whic"
10
national organization. ILLUSTRATING TINS
point they assert that the ola a. u =.
w. lost It's Identity largely because Oh
the fact lts membership was coiiiiHeu
entirely To Mlchlgan ana coulu not
be brought To point where IL was SER
sustaining. Although In the carry
years or It's history, insurance protec-
ton was granted at remarkably low
rate, this could not be continued Wlth-
out an ever increasing membership
made impossible by the inaoiiity oil the
order to expand To other states. WIN
the increasing age OF the MEMBERS as
scssments became heavier each year
and the order was hnaliy iorceu W
suspend.
OF some of the old fraternal insurance
companies are greater than the Mlchl-
gan assessments. sun the staoility
% tl,s. .Iafa -