Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/673

 FRATERNAL BENEFICIARY SOCIETIES 659

a fact worthy of notice that the Ancient Order of United Work- men, which is the prototype of so many later societies, was also the promoter of the congress, for it was pursuant to a notice sent out by its supreme master-workman that the Washington meet- ing was held. In its organization the National Fraternal Con- gress presents no novel features. It has the usual set of officers and the customary methods of doing business. Its scope of work is indicated in the names of the standing committees on statutory legislation, medical examinations, statistics, and good of the order, and others. Along all of these lines it has done a large work. Much valuable statistical material has been gathered, which may ultimately serve as a basis for the insur- ance business of the orders. Reports have been made from year to year on legislation in the different states ; and the discussions of the medical section have resulted in greater thoroughness and uniformity in examinations. Among the special commit- tees which from time to time have been appointed, none has accomplished a better task than the committee on rates, to which reference was made in a preceding paragraph. The congress has done a great deal to clarify opinion among the orders in regard to their financial affairs. It has also brought together the fraternal press of some three hundred members and a total circulation of more than a million and a half. A similar body, the Ameri- can Fraternal Congress, was organized at Omaha, in 1898, by the representatives of eighteen orders. The chief point of dif- ference between the two congresses seems to be the reserve fund upon which the latter insists. This is significant as indicating a strong tendency toward the employment of well-established business methods. In one way or another a number of societies have established a reserve fund, although, because of their dis- like for old-line terms, it is usually called an "emergency fund." The federation of fraternal societies has given a strong impetus to reform.

Opposition to fraternal societies is based upon a number of different things. The imperfections of their benefit systems have called forth bitter attacks, which have only too often been justifiable. Those fraternal societies which do an insurance