The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-06-30

first years assessments after the eX-
penses Of doing business had been
deducted That simply means, that
an Of the money derived from the
first year assessments, except the
mortality losses for that year, was
90 go into the expense fund. Il means.
that III addition 20 the per cent.
that Mr.. Maekin testified to as q
factor Of safety that there would be
an additional SIS 001,000 saved the
first year as an additional factor Of
safety. Also there was no credit
given IN the formulating Of the ex-
pease percentage to the effect that
the society derives a yearly income
from the Wo0dmen building and from
the Sovereign Visitor and from mon
ey from other sources. This yearly
income was all called a factor Of
safety. When you sum up Mr.. Mack
ms testimony and the testimony Of
all witnesses testifying in behalf Of
the defense. you will find thai there
is at least from 10 TO is per cent. Of
the soeiety's funds which Is not ac-
counted for. They call this 10 to Is
per cent. factor OF safety The
only reason they give for charging
this sum is, that they feel that they
should have some assurance that the
society will never be out Of funds
and they say that if they have too
much money they can skip an assess
ment, and the membership will save
in that manner. They do not take
into consideration the fact that the
member who dies will have d lien
deducted from his policy, and that mis-
benehciaries cannot possibly have any
benefit from the fact that IN the fu.
ture an assessment will be skipped.
They do not undertake to excuse
themselves from the fact that over
100000 has already been deducted
from the certificates of the, deceased
members of the order who died since
the new rates went into effect This
100000 will never be paid back If
these rates exist and neither will the
beneticiaries under these certificates
ever receive any benefit from the fact
that an assessment might bew skip
ped. This money, Of from 10 to Is
per cent. Of the society's funds,
amounting To millions Of dollars per
annum, can be spent in any manner
simply means that he can send out
the Sovereign Commander sees fit. II
his paid agents to all parts of the
country and that he can spend this
surplus money to herald his name be-
fore the entire membership and in
order that he might be enabled tc
perpetuate himself in the position
which he new occupies. If this money
comes into the society there is nc
legal way in the world for the mem.
bership to over get it back Dividends
cannot be paid because the law Of
Nebraska does not permit it, yet tn,
Sovereign Commander has said thai
he intends to pay dividends. Or
ferdss ASahiinatinn' the denied that h,
ever said anythingsiof the kind. Mr.
Barnett who was conducting th
cross examination, asked him If |
was not a fact that he sent out
letter over his signature to the mem
hcrship IN the state of Missouri advis
ing them that the society would pa
dividends. He said positively tina
/ he had never sent out any such let
tiers. Mr. Barnett then took iron
his files letter. which he handed Il
+ the Sovereign Commander, who wa
testifying under oath. The Sovereign
i Commander looked at the letter ano
when asked if he did not cause tina
particular letter to be sent out, h
said yes, he did. Mr.. Barnett the
took the letter and read that porto
which referred to the paying Of divid
ends. 1t. was plainly stated in tn
letter that dividends would be pait
After reading that part of the lei
ter Mr.. Barnett asked the Sovereig
4 Commander If he did not dictate tina
letter with that portion in it an
cause II TO be sent out to the mem
bership. After he saw that he wa
trapped and couldn't evade the poin
The Sovereign Commander admitte
that he caused this letter to be sen
out, and admitted that in causing
10 be sent ont that he was deceiyin
the membership = that he could ne
pay dividends. This is the sort of
man who Is conducting the affairs q
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