The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-24
ANTI POLL TAX.
Meeting to Protest Against En-
fOrcement of Ordinance.
Measure Denounced as Unjust
and Unreasonable.
ORGANIZATION Is MADE
Preparations For a Fight in the
the Courts.
Committee Appointed to Raise
ORGANIZATIONS MADE
Committee Appointed to Raise
Necessary Funds.

3
Monday night to protest against the |
action of the city council in levying a
poll tax and to avoid the payment of
the same if possible J. J. Gunther was
elected chairman and A S. Huling sec
rotary.
]. r. McKeever was the first to ad-
dress the meeting. He said: Our OBJ
there is a fighting chance to defeat this
ordinance in the courts. We want to
raise money to meet the expenses.
This poll tax ordinance is unpopular
and unjust and many of US think it is
illegal If it is legal it is legal rob-
berry. If we can't defeat it we can de-
feat the city administration at the next
election"
w. ". Harvey was called upon to
speak from a lawyers standpoint He
said: q have given the legal phase
of the question but little consideration,
but upon request I looked up a few au-
thorities- This ordinance seems to be
burden upon those least able to bear
it and least able to avoid it. The man
who works for day wages is the one
who has to go onto the streets and
work it out or pay. find that for
some years We had a law in the state
authorizing cities to levy poll tax In
1898 the legislature repealed that law,
but the act was not legally passed and
was declared void by the supreme court.
I believe the law IS illegal. observe
that it exempts some and not Others
The ordinance does not state what the
money shall be used for. There seems
to be several reasons why the ordinance
may not be legal 1t would be unwise
to state that it could positively be
beaten, but there is q fighting chance"
A S. Huling said: This is a matter
have given considerable thought The
poll tax is one OF the most unjust that
bears upon the poor It is based upon
pretense, upon the pretense that those
who are not upon the assessment roll
do not pay taxes Dr. J. T. Mcfarland
made that mistake in his Sunday SER
mon. Where do the business men and
merchants get their money for taxes?
When you rent a house does not the
landlord say something about taxes?
This ordinance gives none nor does II
provide a list of persons who have to
pay this poll tax. The charter of the
| city provides for a list to be kept by
| the city clerk and the names taken
| from the registration books. There is
no mention of that in the ordinance.
This was a matter of several years ago
and I remember that the former method
1 was for the deputy street commissioner
to start out with a pocket full Of blanks
/ and ask children where their parents
| lived and then fill out a blank with
/ the mans name and leave it at his
| house. The names were picked up
| here and there There has been no
system, and the tax has had no effect
| upon any except the ignorant and pu-
| sillanimous. There has been no reason
| Why anyone should pay the tax. 1t
! is vulnerable upon the summons that
everyone work or pay. 1t is Ostensibly
| a highway tax, and it is no business of
| the city whether the work is doue or
| paid by the person taxed, or whether
| another is hired to do it.
| mo one must pay this poll tax to-
| morrow. Appoint Harvey attorney for
| US. and as soon as a person is arrested
| have him appear for him at once We
| must get the unions to address the
common council. If you are members
| of a union, bring this matter before
| your meetings. The council is your
agent. You need not petition that body.
il your demands are not needed you can
| unmake it,
1t was decided to call the organiza-
| ton the Mechanics and Laborers' Pro-
tective association Mr.. Harvey was
| chosen attorney of the new organiza-
| ton to act with the following executive
committee: J. R. McKeever, c. Long,
| and J. Lortie. The following commit
tee was appointed to raise the money
/ needed in fighting the ordinance; J R.
| Mckeever A. S. Huling, Dr. Massey,
c. c. Smith J. ]. Gunther, N B. FRS
bic and A Malone. The attorney and
the executive committee were en-
powered to proceed in the manner they
chose. An injunction or a habeaS corpus
case will be brought. The COMMITTEES
on funds called another meeting for to-
night when the subscription papers viii
be at Weber's hall and money will be
| received to be used to defray the ex-
penses Of the court cases. At the meet
| ing last night So was raised