File:Dutch life in town and country (1902) (14577636420).jpg

Identifier: dutchlifeintown00houg (find matches)
Title: Dutch life in town and country
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Hough, P.M., pseud
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Putnam
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
s do as they like,and make a good thing for themselves out of theirduty to the poor. Too often these managers aresupreme controllers of the funds, and the mem-bers have no influence whatever. In many casesthe only official the latter know is the collector,who calls at their houses for the weekly contribu-tions. This official frequently resorts to question-able tricks for extorting monej from the poorhelpless members, who simply and confidentlypay what they are told to pay—small sums, ofcourse, a few cents or pence, it may be, but still adding up in the long run—and when sorrowand death enter their humble dwellings they areeasily imposed upon by cool scoundrels, whotrade on their disinclination to quarrel aboutmoney when there is a corpse in the house. Another danger of the irregular condition ofthese funds lies in the fact that outsiders may takeout policies on the lives of certain families. Afew vears asro the country was shocked bv thealarming story of a woman who had poisoned a
Text Appearing After Image:
tilo X< The Workman of the Towns 59 series of persons merely to be able to get thefuneral expenses paid to herself, while many awretched little baby has in this manner been thehorrible investment of heartless neighbours, who,knowing the poor thing was dying, took outpolicies for its funeral. For medical examina-tion is not required for these beautifully managedassociations. Their premiums are, however, sohigh that this detail does not materially affecttheir sound financial position; and this being thecase, it cannot be denied that the absence of suchexaminations considerably increases their generalutility for the labouring classes. The clubs for preventing financial loss by illnessdo require a medical examination. They numberin Holland nearly 700, distributed in over 300towns. Some allow a fixed sum of money duringillness, others provide doctor and medicines,others do both. But the same objections andgrievances which workmen entertain againstburial funds apply likewise to these lat

Note About Images