benefit and rate of assessment and in the method of collecting and disbursing the funds, but retaining the lodge system and social fraternal features.

During the decade from 1880 to 1890 the multiplication of these orders in the United States was most prolific. The eleventh census reported that on December 31, 1889, there were in the United States 298 orders with 40,342 subordinate branches or lodges. The number of these orders afterwards decreased. Nearly all the older orders were members of the National Fraternal Congress, while the younger orders were grouped in the Associated Fraternities of America. The two orders amalgamated in 1913 under the name of the National Fraternal Congress of America. The societies have two classes of membership, benefit and social members, and the total benefit members on January 1, 1916, was 8,128,908, and the total membership, 8,573,739, with 119,996 lodges. The total insurance in force was $9,443,671,501. The insurance written in 1915 was $912,149,539 and the benefits paid, $103,508,093. The grand total of benefits paid is $2,627,207,755. The total assets January 1, 1916, amounted to $264,068,045, and the liabilities, including $8,697,042 of reserves, $29,321,246. [For a review of the earlier plans and purposes of Fraternals see the Cyclopedia of Insurance for 1897-98.]

Nearly all the orders organized prior to 1895, on the old assess ment lines, found their rates inadequate, and gradually changed their methods both of assessing and collecting rates. The National Fraternal Congress in 1899 adopted the form of a legislative act, the purpose of which was to enforce rates and rules that would enable the orders to meet their engagements with members at maturity. This act became a law in several states, but did not meet the needs of the situation, and the question of adequate rates, as well as a table of mortality on which to base rates, was a subject of much controversy. The discussion resulted in the whole question of legislative control and regulation of fraternal orders being taken up, and after repeated conferences a measure providing for the regulation of fraternal associations was finally drafted and received the endorsement of the two organizations. The bill drafted in 1910, known as the Mobile Bill, is in force in Alabama, California, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

The law known as the New York Conference Bill, which modified the Mobile Bill, is in force in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Rhode Island, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Maryland, Georgia, Louisiana, Massaschusetts, and Mississippi.

The old fraternal bill, which omits the valuation requirement, but requires adequate rates, is in force in Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Vermont. In South Carolina the Mobile bill is practically in force, while in Kentucky, Arkansas, and Nevada there are no laws regulating fraternals.

The following is a list of the principal societies, their location, date of organization, benefit membership, and number of subordinate lodges on January 1, 1916:

American Insurance Union, Columbus, Ohio. Organized 1894; membership. 42,397; subordinate lodges, 459.

American Woodmen, Denver, Col. Organized 1901; membership. 17.500; subordinate lodges, 252.

Ancient Order of Gleaners, Detroit, Mich. Organized 1894; membership, 66,685; subordinate lodges, 1,367.

Artisans Order of Mutual Protection, Philadelphia, Pa. Organized 1873; membership, 17,118; subordinate lodges, 70.

Beavers Reserve Fund Fraternity, Madison, Wis. ship, 20,832; subordinate lodges, 373.

Brotherhood of American Yeomen, Des Moines, Ia. bership. 208.169; subordinate lodges, 3,841.

Organized 1902; member

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, 1873; membership, 80,804; subordinate lodges, 843.

Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, Cleveland, Ohio. bership, 123.252; subordinate lodges, 827.

Canadian Order of Chosen Friends, Hamilton, Ont. ship, 34.911; subordinate lodges, 600.

Canadian Order of Foresters, Brantford, Ont. 91.046; subordinate lodges, 1,211.

Organized 1897; mem

Peoria, III. Organized
Organized 1883; mem-

Organized 1887; member-
Organized 1879; membership,

Catholic Mutual Benefit Association (Supreme Council), Hornell, N. Y. Organized 1876; membership. 64.187; subordinate lodges, 785.

Catholic Order of Foresters, Chicago, Ill. Organized 1883; membership, 144.000; subordinate lodges, 1.771.

Columbian Woodmen, Eminent Household, Atlanta, Ga. Organized 1903; membership, 23.938; subordinate lodges, I. 403.

Court of Honor, Springfield, Ill. Organized 1895; membership, 74.316; subordinate lodges, 1,230. Ohio. Organized 1907; membership, 50,127;

Daughters of America, Cincinnati, subordinate lodges, 612.

Degree of Honor, Sioux City, Ia.

ordinate lodges. 1.185.

Organized 1896; membership. 45.954; sub

Equitable Fraternal Union, Neenah, Wis. Organized 1897; membership, 28.444; subordinate lodges, 534.

Fraternal Aid Union, Denver, Col.

subordinate ledges, 1,456.

Fraternal Brotherhood, Los Angeles, Cal.

subordinate lodges, 409.

Organized 1896; membership, 64,283;

Organized 1896; membership, 26.558;

Fraternal Mystic Circle, Philadelphia, Pa. Organized 1885; membership16,883; subordinate lodges. 451.

German Beneficial Union, Pittsburgh, Pa. Organized 1892; membership. 23.345; subordinate lodges, 306.

Heralds of Liberty, Philadelphia, Pa. Organized 1901; membership, 22.665 subordinate lodges, 183.

Homesteaders, The, Des Moines, Ia. Organized 1906; membership, 24.546; subordinate lodges, 594.

Improved Order of Heptasophs, Baltimore, Md. 63.336; subordinate lodges, 754

Organized 1878; membership,

Independent Order Brith Abraham, New York, N. Y. Organized 1887; membership. 200,142; subordinate lodges, 759.

Independent Order Free Sons of Judah, New York, N. Y. Organized 1899; membership, 18.733; subordinate lodges, 136.

Independent Order of Foresters, Toronto, Ont. Organized 1874; membership. 190,125; subordinate lodges, 3.855.

Knights and Ladies of Honor, Indianapolis, Ind. Organized 1877; membership, 51,740 subordinate lodges, 1,149.

Knights and Ladies of Security, Topeka, Kan. Organized 1892; membership, 165.779; subordinate lodges, 1,739.

Knights of Columbus, New Haven, Conn.

815; subordinate lodges, 1,731.

Knights of Pythias, Supreme Lodge, Indianapolis, Ind. Organized 1887; mem

bership. 70,860; subordinate lodges, 4,118. Knights of St. George, Pittsburgh, Pa.

subordinate lodges, 262.

Organized 1882; membership, 118,

Organized 1881; membership, 19,401;

Ladies' Catholic Benevolent Association, Erie, Pa. Organized 1899; membership, 150.900; subordinate lodges, 1,253.

Ladies of the Molern Maccabees. Port Huron, Mich. Organized 1886; membership. 41.749: subordinate lodges, 891.

L'Union St. Jean-Baptiste d'Amerique, Woonstocket, R. I. Organized 1900; membership, 28.197; subordinate lodges, 335.

L'Union St. Joseph du Canada, Ottawa, Can. Organized 1863; membership, 27.363: subordinate lodges, 580.

Maccabees, The, Detroit, Mich. Organized 1883; membership 308.561; subordinate lodges, 5.702.

Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters, Boston, Mass. Organized 1879; membership. 41.453: subordinate lodges, 241.

Modern Brotherhood of America, Mason City, Ia. Organized 1897; membership, 67.306; subordinate lodges. 1.511.

Modern Order of Praetorians, Dallas, Tex. Organized 1899; membership, 21.656; subordinate lodges, 616.

Modern Woodmen of America, Rock Island, Ill. Organized 1883; membership, 940,225; subordinate lodges, 14.256.

Mystic Workers of the World, Fulton, Ill. Organized 1896; membership. 86,003; subordinate lodges, 1.089.

National Croatian Society of the U. S. A., Pittsburgh, Pa. Organized 1894; membership. 35.966; subordinate lodges. 408.

National Protective Legion, Waverly, N. Y. Organized 1890; membership, 21.043; subordinate lodges, 531.

National Slovak Society, Pittsburgh, Pa. Organized 1890; membership, 40.252; subordinate lodges. 557.

National Union, Toledo, Ohio. Organized 1881; membership, 57.910; subordinate lodges, 691.

New England Order of Protection, Boston, Mass. Organized 1887; member47,621; subordinate lodges, 443.

New Era Association, Grand Rapids, Mich. Organized 1897; membership, 25.550; subordinate lodges, 305.

North American Union, Chicago, Ill. Organized 1895; membership. 31,307. Order Brith Abraham (United States Grand Lodge), New York, N. Y. Organized 1859; membership, 66,367; subordinate lodges, 392.

Odd Fellows Relief Association of Canada. Kingston, Ont. Organized 1874; membership, 27.402.

Order Knights of Joseph, Cleveland, Ohio. Organized 1896; membership, 15.633.

Order of Railway Conductors of America (mutual benefit department), Cedar Rapids, fa. Organized 1868; membership, 45.030.

Order of Scottish Clans, Boston, Mass. Organized 1878; membership, 19.007; subordinate lodges, 173.

Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, Chicago, Ill. Organized 1887; membership. 87.118; subordinate lodges, 875.

Progressive Order of the West, St. Louis, Mo. Organized 1896; membership,

19,615.

Protected Home Circle, Sharon, Pa. Organized 1886; membership, 92,489; subordinate lodges, 598.

Royal Arcanum. Boston, Mass. Organized 1877; membership, 243.095; subordinate lodges, 1,898. Neb. Organized 1896; membership, 28,841; membership, 31,608; subordi.

Royal Highlanders, Lincoln,

subordinate lodges, 448.

Royal League, Chicago, Ill.

nate lodges, 27.

Organized 1883;

Royal Neighbors of America, Rock Island, Ill.

Organized 1895; membership,

Organized 1894; membership,

283.911; subordinate lodges, 6,782.

Supreme Tribe Ben Hur, Crawfordsville, Ind.

100,018; subordinate lodges, 1.356.

Societe des Artisans Canadian Francais, Montreal, Can. Organized 1877; membership, 41,834: subordinate lodges, 506.

United American Mechanics, Jr. Order (funeral benefit department), Pittsburgh, Pa. Organized 1901; membership, 196,928; subordinate lodges, 2,042. United Artisans, Portland, Ore. Organized 1894; membership, 16.987; subordinate lodges, 273.

United Order of Golden Cross, Knoxville, Tenn.

ship, 16,603; subordinate lodges, 465.

Organized 1876; member

Organized

Women's Benefit Association of the Maccabees, Port Huron, Mich.

1892; membership, 170,224; subordinate lodges, 2,859.

Women's Catholic Order of Foresters, Chicago, Ill. Organized 1891; membership. 68,648; subordinate lodges, 1,061.

Women of Woodcraft, Portland, Ore. Organized 1897; membership, 45.675: subordinate lodges, 631.

Woodmen Circle, Omaha, Neb.

ordinate lodges, 4.174.

Organized 1895; membership, 155.421; sub

Woodmen of the World, Omaha, Neb. Organized 1890; membership, 751,058; subordinate lodges, 11,715.

Woodmen of the World, Pacific Jurisdiction, Denver, Col. Organized 1890; membership. 109.262; subordinate lodges, 821.

Workmen's Circle, New York, N. Y. Organized 1900; membership, 49.913; subordinate lodges, 566.

Workmen's Sick and Death Benefit of the U. S. A., New York, N. Y. Organized 1884; membership 51,997; subordinate lodges 339.

Yeomen of America, Aurora, Ill. Organized 1898; membership, 14.473; subordinate lodges, 551.

The Ancient Order of United Workmen is composed of distinct state organizations in Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington. The total benefit membership on January 1, 1916, was 139,991, and the subordinate lodges numbered 1,847. There are eighty-two smaller orders, whose individual membership is less than fifteen thousand, and there are several organizations, which do not furnish insurance as a special feature. The following are the leading societies with their membership: Ancient Order Free and Accepted Masons, membership (United States and Canada), 1,760,277, Independent Order Odd Fellows, (United States), 2,194,773; Knights of Pythias, 729,053; Ancient Order of Foresters, (American branch), 44,698; Order of Rechabites, 1,000,000; Loyal Order of Moose, 505,618; Red Men, 495,954; Order of Owls, 364,547; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, 442,658; Order of Eagles, 413,000; Ancient Order of Druids, 333,215 (American, 32,510); Hibernians, 315,000; Foresters of America, 205,765; Sons of America, 187,000; Order of Orioles, 98,000; Knights of the Golden Eagle, 82,656; Knights of Malta, Ancient and Illustrious Order, 41,000. The total membership in such orders, which includes besides those named aboved, such orders as the Boy Scouts, Grand Army of the Republic, Sons of Veterans, etc., is 17,817,268.

Both the Mobile bill and the New York Conference bill define "fraternal benefit societies" as any corporation, society, order, or voluntary association, without capital stock, organized and carried on solely for the mutual benefit of its members and their beneficiaries, and not for profit, and having a lodge system with ritualistic form of work and representative form of government and which shall make provision for the payment of benefits in accordance with Section five of the act.

The laws also define "lodge system" and "representative form of government in the following words:

Section 2. (Lodge system). Any society having a supreme governing or legislative body and subordinate lodges or branches by whatever name known, into which members shall be elected, initiated and admitted in accordance with its constitution, laws, rules, regulations and prescribed ritualistic ceremonies, which subordinate lodges or branches shall be required by the laws of such society to hold regular or stated meetings at least once in each month, shall be deemed to be operating on the lodge system.

Section 3. Representative form of government. Any such society shall be deemed to have a representative form of government when it shall provide in its constitution and laws for a supreme legislative or governing body, composed of representatives elected either by the members or by delegates elected directly or indirectly by the members, together with such other members as may be prescribed by its constitution and laws: Provided, That the elective members shall constitute a majority in number and have not less than two-thirds of the votes nor less than the votes required to amend its constitution and laws: And provided further, That the meetings of the supreme or governing body, and the election of officers, representatives or delegates shall be held as often as once in four years. The members, officers, representatives or delegates of a fraternal benefit society shall not vote by proxy.

Section five referred to in the definition of fraternal benefit societies, quoted above, reads as follows:

Section 5. Every society transacting business under this act shall provide for the payment of death benefits, and may provide for the payment of benefits in case of temporary or permanent physical disability, either as the result of disease, accident or old age: Provided, The period of life at which the payment of benefits for disabilty on account of old age shall commence, shall not be under seventy years, and may provide for monuments or tombstones to the memory of its deceased members, and for the payment of last sickness and funeral benefits. Such society shall have the power to give a member, when permanently disabled or on attaining the age of seventy, all, or such portion of the face value of his certificate as the laws of the society may provide: Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be so construed as to prevent the issuing of benefit certificates for a term of years less than the whole of life which are payable upon the death or disability of the member occurring within the term for which the benefit certificate may be issued. Such society shall, upon written application of the member, have the power to accept a part of the periodical contributions in cash, and charge the remainder, not exceeding one-half of the periodical contribution, against the certificate with interest payable or compounded annually at a rate not lower than four per cent per annum: Provided, That this privilege shall not be granted except to societies which have readjusted or may hereafter readjust their rates of contributions, and to contracts affected by such readjustment.

Any society which shall show by the annual valuation provided for that it is accumulating and maintaining the reserve necessary to enable it to do so may grant to its members extended and paid-up protection or such withdrawal equities as its constitution and by-laws may provide. The reserves must be accumulated, however, under a table of mortality not lower than the American Experience Table and four per cent interest, and it is further provided that such grants shall in no case exceed in value the portion of the reserve to the credit of such members to whom they are made.

The payment of death benefits under each of the bills is restricted to "wife, husband, relative by blood to the fourth degree, father-inlaw, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, step-father, stepmother, step-children, children by legal adoption, or to a person or persons dependent upon the member," or, if after the issuance of the original certificate the member shall become dependent upon an incorporated charitable institution he shall have the privilege with the consent of the society of making such institution his beneficiary."

Any society may admit to beneficial membership any person not less than sixteen and not more than sixty years of age who shall be examined by a legally qualified physician and in accordance with the laws of the society.

Seven or more persons may organize a society, by filing notice of intention, giving names of society and its officers and purpose of the organization with the insurance commissioner, who, if he is satisfied that all provisions of the law have been complied with, may issue a certi