The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1876.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 620, 14 June 1876, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1876.

Testeeday wo published a letter referring to the article appearing in Monday’s issue of this journal, upon Friendly Societies, and to-day we print a second, both calling us to account for what we considered to be well intentioned and friendly advice, and in each of these epistles we are told that we know little or nothing about them. These gentlemen must really have read the article they so designate with little or no attention, when stating that there is no fund set apart, for relief of members whilst out of employment. We are aware, if the writers of the letters in question are not, that there is a certain fund which is apportioned to members suffering from illness which incapacitates them from work, and this must surely mean out of employment. It is not our intention to discuss a play upon words, the purpose we have in view is to draw the attention of the members of these societies to the opportunity which is now before them to advocate the introducing into the Bill advantageous amendments. We do not see how the purposes of these societies can be served (which are nothing more or less than insurance companies upon another footing), to take upon themselves the position of secret societies, and bedizen themselves with regalia, and march with banners and flags flying, and men dressed in grotesque fashion. What would these very men say, should the various building societies, fire insurance companies, and other societies, form themselves into orders with secret signs and flags and banners ? They would say that it was beneath the digni!y of the members of such companies or societies to commit such absurdities. We simply call attention to the fact that the regalia, flags, &c, do cost money, which, although it may not come from the funds of the society, comes out of the pockets of the individual members, which money, added to the funds of the societies, would be of

more essential importance to their well being. There is no denying the matter, the whole of these distinctions is another system of advertising each particular society or order. With reference to the question of the payments of contributions not being able to be made in the day time, and that the lodges offer every convenience, we have but to refer the question to the wives of the gentlemen who make these statements, and we think that the ladies will agree with us, that “ the “ lodge night” is generally an expensive one, and that the lodge is oftener than not made the excuse to leave home; whereas by being enabled to pay the weekly contributions to any deputed receiver in a neighbourhood, all the mummery attached to the societies might be abolished or greatly diminished. We regret that our previous remarks should have been misconstrued ; our impression is, however, that were the moneys expended upon extraneous matters, and on the meetings of friends and convivialities in connection with lodges, added together in one sura, and the actual contributions paid into their funds made another total of, that the first would outnumber the second tenfold.