The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-10-21

alnandmnt. contend that the Fra.
uernal Congress of Oklahoma does not
represent the desires or the best in.
terests OF the members OF the bene.
nciary fraternal societies in Okla.
mona. II was organized from the top
tc serve the selfish ends OF certain
mead officers OF certain societies which
ll IS claimed are represented In said
ffaternal Congress. | propose to show
i,hat 1t would be against the public
hiood and the interest OF fraternal in.
sutance societies IN Oklahoma for tho
amendment TO be adopted Real re.
forms come from the bottom, as in n
Tree the vital currents of life coma
up through the roots, the body. tho
branches, the flower to the fruit. They
do not come from the top.
What is the FraternaI conaress Of,
oklahems? How is II composed,
What is it's purpose? No camp or
lodge elects delegates to attend its
meetings. About four years ago w. A.
Fraser Sovereign Commander OF the
w. o. W., was in Oklahoma City. and
few OF his henchmen and a few
others got together and organizel
what they called the Fraternal Con
sounding words, it Is true There "a
no basis of representation or hxeI
time OF meeting for said organization
and only few attend its called meet,
ings. In the facts herein given you
will see the sinister purpose of the
organization.
Members Of the legislature Deceived
The Fraternal Congress of Okla
homa gave banquet to the members
of the Legislature in >the Lee-Huckinl
Hotel for the purpose of boosting" a
certain proposed law and the said pro
posed amendment TO our Constitution.
OF course the rank and file OF the
members belonging to the several fra.
tenal societies concerned knew moth.
ling about the meeting or its purposes,
but contributed the money which tho
head ocers used to pay the expenses
,ot the banquet. contrary TO the prin,
lciple, Taxation without representa-.
ton is tyranny" Members of the leg.
lislature evidently believed that the
Fraternal Congress of Oklahoma rep,
resented the members OF the several
societies concerned. In this they were
deceived, as the facts hereinafter dis.
llely submitted the proposed amend,
lmcn' to the people for their ratifica
ION or rejection. Several members OF
-fle le islatuie who voted to refer the
IprOuOsei amendment to the people
wi'T vote against the same.
oaJ,e. to Convert into Old Line Com.
pan!es.
The laws of the various states rec,
ol1i-e two lines or types of policies,
one Tor lroft and the other for mutual
Lt-c.iCn. Sec. 8, OF Art 10 of our
'C-nst.t-t.on exempts Insurance com,
p2nies which are not conducted for
profit, and insuring only their own
members fraternal societies). and all
of which the interest of each respect,
lively shall be uniform and mutual,
from certain burdens imposed upon
old line foreign life insurance com,
lpenies. Foreign life insurance com.
lpanies. organized for profit, are per,
United to write different types OF In.
surance, and they are required to pay
10 our state 5000 per annum, $500 for
each agent and two per cent on prem.
iums collected in Oklahoma. For the
year 1919 the New York Life Insur.
ance Co. paid TO our state on prom,
iums collected. after deducting divi
dends, s27,543.S4. Other companies
paid large sums to our state Frater.
nal insurance societies which writo
uniform and mutual policies. only
lpay $500 when permitted to do bust.
mess, and do not pay anything on pre-
,miums collected. II is the object OF
the proposed amendment to LAY down
the bars so that fraternal societies
can write different types of policies
This is admitted in the affirmative
argument. | agree that that would be
the effect OF the amendment If adopt.
ed. Instead of all new blood going to
support one type of a policy, The en-
ciFies and prestige of the frate,nal so.
cities would be scattered When tho
Woodmea OF the World began to write
types of policies other than the ono
which had been built up by the old
members, the rates on the old mem.
lers were increased. Ii was probably
contemplated that with many OF the
Old pombers forced out OF the society
H. would still go on with the same
officers at its head The rates were
tio,.tly increased and at the same
time the Sovereign Commanders sal.
. INfy was SiE.OuO W gsO
600 per year in addition to large sums
allowed for expenses Remember that
such man was the moving spirit be.
hind the Fraternal Congress OF Okla.
homa, which urges the adoption Of the
proposed amendment. Let US mem
lbers think for ourselves. When we
see our interests betrayed, let us act
for our common good. To allow fra
ternal societies to write different
types of policies would be fruitful
source of fraud. In that way they
could, under tho guise OF fraternal
society, write old line insurance. After
WRITING one type of policy for awhile
the INSCRIPTIONS could use the pres
tige OF the society in fostering another
type of policy. and as the old policies
are supported by new blood from new
members the rates would be greatly
Increased or be unable to pay the old
policies at death. Members, when
they are too old to take out other in
H..