The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-27
COMMERCIAL CLUB MEETS.
A Lawyer and Doctor Talk to Bust
ness Men.
THE LAWYER PRESUMES TO TELL

They Do.
Only twenty were at the meeting of
the Commercial club, and the greater
part of the evening was devoted to dis
cussion of the matter of permanent quar-
ters for the club.
Those present at the meeting last night
at the National hotel were:
President w. II. Davis, Secretary c.
S. Elliott, c. s. Downing, George w.
Crane, Warren M. Crosby, J. P. Davis,
Charles P. Adams, Charles Wolff, A. A.
GODDARD, Arthur Capper, D. J. Green
walc, ]. l. Durham, W. L Miller,
s. S. OFT. W. s. McClintock, John E
Moon, c. W. Snyder. DR.. Menninger.
James Kurn, s. NJ. Crow and Samuel
T. Howe, who came in late.
The subject for last nights meeting
was the work of the club.
Addresses were made by DIR. Mennin-
ger and Assistant Attorney General
GODDARD
DR.. Menninger said: This club was
organized with an eye single to the ad-
vancement of the commercial prosperity
and growth of Topeka. and that which
will benefit the whole will benefit each
cit izen.
'The club might with profit discuss
these questions:
"How can the city raise sufficient rev.
enue to efficiently carry on the different
branches OF its government? To what ex-
tent should the revenue of the city be in
creased? Our license laws and their
bearing on the expenses of the city gov
eminent Should the higher schools be
supported by public taxation? How can
the evils of our present system of taxing
on real aud personal property be reform
ede
ssThe club could be great power in
the settlement of vexatious and often ex-
pensive questions between laborers and
employers
unemployed laborers and what obli-
cation rests upon city or citizens for their
support? What measures are practical
bic on the part of employers to diminish
their numbers. Can any plan of en-
ployment, public or private be devised
that will provide them with at least
bare living? The eight hour movement.
Social and industrial anita gonisms Rail-
roads; the obligations of the manage
ment to the stockholders, the employees
and the public. Employers and en-
ployes, their relative rights aud
reciprocal duties. Need and prac-
tica bility of a scheme to provide
good and cheap houses for work
ing people. The market house question.
Our city health laws. The question of
crime, immortality and nuisances atfiict-
ing our city. Can anything be done to
lessen themf Does punishment follow
crime? If not, why nolf Do we com
promise with fraud?"
DR.. Menninger's paper was applauded
and Mr.. GODDARD arose. He said:
"If a man should come to Topeka to
invest his money in any property, either
business or residence, he would find that
its gross rental was very good. That
question answered. he would want to
know about the net income, and we
should be compelled to tell him that the
taxes are high, that the insurance
rates are high, that the water rates
ars high by reason of our water company
having a bonded indebtedness several
times the cost of the plant, and that we
have to pay 81 for gas when other cities
pay fifty cents. Then he would find
that the net income from the property
was very low indeed.
Suppose a man should come to To-
peka to establish a factory-not one of
those fellows who want big bonus, but
a straightforward business man. Find
ing all these things, he would say, Il
must make those losses up in some other
wav, How about your freight rates?'
And we should have to tell him that
we are all at sea regarding freight rates
and we couldn't promise him anything.
"There are great many things around
here that we could investigate without
loss. Let's investigate the use of public
moneys. Are they extravagantly ex-
pended? l hear that we have just built
a magnificent court house that is even
now inadequate to the demands of the
officers that are moving into il We have
j ust voted big bridge bonds to be issued
under a doubtful law and l believe we
will have a hard time to get anybody to
take them excepting at a big discount
that will insure against big loss to the
purchaser.
"All these things that are everybody's
business and nobody's business are what
this club should take care of.
There is no more important question
to us than freight rates, l think we
should have committee to investigate
it. The Santa Fe must pay debt sew
eral times the cost of the road and it. is
compelled to discharge men whose work
the road needs, to cut down expenses,
and this same need of saving will induce
them to push the freight rates to the
highest notch they can
"This should also be a club for enter
tainment in a degree Distinguished
visitors, prospective investors and buyers
are to be taken care Of
ut has been proposed that this club
take up the fall festival. The fall festi-
val is good thing and yet the railroads
will reap the benefit of it largely. It
wig be worth $4,000 to the railroads.
regard it az merely a social function. It
is not matter of business. The fall
festival is all right but don't let us fool
ourselves into calling it matter of bust
ness, that this club should make it its
business to push. There is an organiza-
ton for that purpose. Let's don't crowd
it out, though we may help it"
In a short address J. P. Davis said:
I'VE should help each other The pros
perity of a neighbor is our own pros
psrity and the prosperity of the city"
James Kurn arose and said few words
in favor of the market house idea: SIN
cities where there is market house peo-
pIe can ret vegetables and produce