20/3 THE BENEFIT SYSTEM 75 



Provision was made in 1904 for members in good stand- 

 ing who had retired from mill work to continue their mem- 

 bership in order to participate in the death benefit. At first 

 the law required that retirement must be caused by old age 

 or disability; in 1907, it was provided that members with- 

 drawing by honorary card might by becoming " silent mem- 

 bers " retain their rights to benefits. "Silent members" 

 were assessed at the rate of one quarter's dues annually (not 

 to exceed $1.80) in addition to the regular death benefit 

 assessment. Members who went to work without permis- 

 sion in a non-union mill could not continue as silent 

 members.^ 



Experience soon demonstrated that the original assess- 

 ment of ten cents per quarter was not sufificient to cover the 

 amount of the claims and the cost of management. By 

 1906 the original fund had dwindled from $13,000 to less 

 than $9000. The secretary stated that one reason was that 

 the union was obliged to take bad risks which no insurance 

 company would take. In order to place the fund on a pay- 

 ing basis the quarterly rate was increased to twenty cents 

 per member. 



The system of death benefits increased the desire for 

 other benefits. The convention of 1906 appointed a com- 

 mittee "to formulate by-laws relative to the creation of a 

 sickness, accident and out-of-work benefit fund to be con- 

 ducted in conjunction with the death benefit fund." The 

 committee investigated the matter^" and reported at the 

 next annual session, and copies of the report were sub- 

 mitted to sub-lodges for final action. In 1908 the report 

 of this special committee was adopted, with the exception 

 of the provision for out-of-work benefits. The new benefit 

 scheme, compulsory on all members, became operative Oc- 



" Proceedings, 1910, p. 9087; Constitution, 1905, p. 30. 



'"Mr. Bowers studied tlie constitutions of all trades unions in the 

 United States and one in New Zealand and presented in his official 

 report the hest features of other unions' plans. Sentiment in favor 

 of extending benefits was crystallized through the columns of the 

 Journal. 



