Commonwealth v. Keystone Benefit Ass'n

Citations

• 171 Pa. 465
• 32 A. 1027
• 1895 Pa. LEXIS 1330

Syllabus

<p>Cons.itutional law—Title of act—Beneficial association—Act of May 23, 1891.</p> <p>The act of May -23, 1891, P. L. 107, entitled “An act to authorize and empower certain corporations incorporated under an act entitled ‘ an Act to provide for the incorporation and regulation of certain corporations,’ approved the twenty-ninth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, to pay money or benefits to members in the event of their sickness, accident, disability or death, or in the event of any or all such contingencies,” and giving certain corporations the right to issue death benefit certificates to their members, has its purpose sufficiently expressed in-its title, and it is constitutional.</p> <p>It is not necessary that the title shall give notice of all the indirect and incidental effects of the act; all that is necessary is that the title shall clearly express the subject of the act.</p> <p>Beneficial associations—Life insurance—Act of May 23, 1891.</p> <p>Under the act of May, £3,1891, P. L. 107, a beneficial association which does not operate through the lodge system, and which is not formed for the benefit of the employees of a'coi'poration or firm, or for the exclusive benefit of any religious body, may make contracts with its members to pay a sum not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars in the event of death.</p> <p>It seems that beneficial associations issuing death benefit certificates which are in effect an insurance of the lives of their members, are under the supervising control of the insurance department of the state.</p> <p>Query, whether infants two years old can be members of a beneficial association.</p>