The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-03-31
PILGRIM FATHERS
HEAD NOT ALARMED
Supreme Governor Comments on New
Rates and Declares $15O,ooo De-
fcit Will Be Met Easily.

Local members of the United Order Of
Pilgrim Fathers will be Interested i'm a
statement on the condition of the order
by Supreme Governor George 4. Brad
street of Boston. On Jan ! the order
comprised 10,063 members, all in New
England Mr. Bradstrect denies emphat-
ically that the order is III danger of going
out of business or into bankruDtcv. He
denounces the publication OF a report that
the order has large deficit. Although
admitting deficit of Approximately $780,
0O0, he denies that the order can fail, and
says the increases in rates ordered by the
Massachusetts insurance commissioner.
after allowing for members who NAV with
draw, will pull the order out of debt
within two years, possibly in 10 months.
The troubles Of the society he Laws in
part to the high cost Of living, lack of
employment and the open winter, which
have caused an unusually high death rate
| throughout New England.
| The financial truobles Of the Pilgrim
| Fathers date back to 1904, when it was
| found the rates charged were not high
enough. At that time rates We're raised
| In 1913 another change was made and
members were assessed on their ages in
/ 1904
| On Feb. l., Insurance Commissioner
Frank H. Hardison OF Massachusetts noti-
fed the order that its income was INSULT
eient to pay mortality claims. On Feb.
10 the supreme council notified its mem
bers that on March l assessments would
be based on actual age Of members in
I1913.
In the first two cold months of the vim
ter, November and December, the NOR
tality Of members increased about 30 per
NJ u. %
increase in the death rate, together with
la comparatively small existing deficit
caused a total deficit of approximately
t&150000
Following Is an example Of what the
new rates Will mean to a member who
Joined in 1895 at the age Of 30, and i
| now 30 wears old:
y member joining the order in 1895 q.
age 80, paid 80 cents per month on 81 00t
protection. In 1904 leaving the mcmbei
at age OF entry, the new table OF rate
adopted increased his monthly assessmen
B. to $l.30, which was continued with SOM
special assessments until 1918, at whicl
- time he was brought forward to what In
: age was IN 1904, on on basis of - year
- OF age, which increased his rate To 81 81
Now, il 1915, he is advanced again iron
80 years in 1904, 10 his age in 1913. @
- years VI dBtp NLtlCl Increased MS rat
, to $3.50 per month, and other ages a sin
J., liar ratio of advance.
: Commenting on the increase in rates tn
supreme governor says:
: | w hile it Is hardship for some of tn
- older members, options are provided 10
( old age benefit and other privileges tina
: permit Of their staying in the order an
:, continuing such protection as they ca
Il pay for comfortably.
il Judging by the large number OF appl
cations for using the options, it IS evidcI
G that the loss OF members viii be very muc
e smaller than the alarmists predict but Z,
/ members should ascertain the facts an
the privileges offered them before surre1
derlng their protection through the inlir
ence OF false rumors, for with the del
wiped out the order can grow and proslye
The death claims are being paid at Il
' present time within three TO four month
and by the increased income they can SOC
be paid promptly on approval"
ls The supreme treasurer SAYS that in II
past rs years the order has paid out oy,
Sl1, 100000 to benehciaries of deceas,
member.