The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-02
msans Much to the Lodges Of'the
State.
OUTRAGE AT $3.50 P. nj.
Big Debate to Take Place To-
morrow Afternoon.
Question of Remuneration of Ac-
countants Starts Trouble.

s=1ASE ways ana means committee Wed
nesday afternoon when the ALBANIAN bill
exempting buildings and land owned
and partially occupied by benevolent or
literary lodges from taxation was rec
commended for passage after a hard
fight
OF course all the Odd Fellow, Ma
sonic, fraternal insurance, and other
lodges Of the state made a great pull
for the bill, and with Representative
George ALBANIAN, grand master of the
Kansas Odd Fellows to lead the attack
they were able to exert great pressure.
II the members had been able to cast
their votes without regard for the de-
mands of their lodge constituents, there
Is no doubt that the vote would have
gone the other way
It is a great thing for the lodges if
they can &c their bill enacted into law.
Under its provisions. a lodge can build
Tor example, a 5000, 900 building, use the
top floor for a lodge room. ana have the
whole building exempt from taxation.
tt means thousands of dollars to the
lodges Of the state, and will tend 10
stimulate the construction of lodge
buildings 1t is claimed by the oppon-
ents of the bill that such a law will
tend to injure the rental value of build
4nSs owned by private parties by put
ting them at a disadvantage in compe-
Eition with the buildings which are ex-
empt from taxation.
ALBANIAN made a good fight for his
bill, and overcane what seemed to be
certain defeat. He was ably assisted
in his fight by Mead of Mitchell, Adams
Of Sedgwick, and several others.
Mr. Adams made an extended speech,
IN which he claimed that the bill was
simply to make more definite and Ger
tain the existing provisions of the con-
EtitutiOn- He said:
THE lodges of the state do an i'm
mense amount of charitable work which
would otherwise fall upon the state. 1t
is no more than right that the state
should assist these benevolent lodges by
exempting their property from taxation.
when the proceeds of that property are
devoted entirely to benevolent and lit
erary work"
A. ". Benson, chairman of the ju-
dietary committee, is opposed to the
bill. He said:
II am a member OF several of these
lodges, but I believe this bill is a step
in the wrong direction, and a very long
step. The constitution covers the needs /
completely. and this bill tends to make
the situation more involved No legis-
1ation is needed I know that these
lodges are in a position where they do
not need any special assistance. It op- 4
ems a way by means OF which large
properties may be shielded from taxa
ton, and it viii work injustice to the
general taxpayers Of the state"
Several members of the legislature |
who are lawyers expressed the opinion
be held to be unconstitutional. The |
constitution provides that all property /
used exclusively for benevolent liter
airy and religious purposes snail be eX-
empt, but this does not include lodge
property owned for rental purposes.
The motion to recommend the bill /
to the house for passage carried easily. /
It is likely that the bill Will be passed
on third reading, but the chances are
that it will be defeated in the senate.
WOmen's Suffrage Debate.
People who want to hear a real
good debate should be on hand at the
house of representatives on Friday
afternoon at $3.50. The bill giving
women the right to vote at presi-
Dental elections has been set for spe-
cial order on that date, and the big
guns will indulge in cannonade of
Dratory.
The motion to set the suffrage bill
for debate on February was made
by D. c. Jones of Norton, and carried .
with out opposition. The lobby in ia
vor of the suffrage bill has been doing
a lot of active work since the opening
Of the session, and the chances seem
TO be in favor of the passage of the
bill.
Pay for Accountants.
Speaker Stubs and Speaker Pro
Tenn Clark tangled up Wednesday L
afternoon in the house committee of
the whole over the question of pay for
assistant accountants to be employed
II
partments. The Brandon bill. which
was under discussion, provided for a
fee of $40 A day. Clark moved to cut
it down to Sc. Stubs said that a
good accountant was worth SIS or $50
a day.
"a cheap accountant" declared Mr..
Stubs, sis dear at any price"
These assistant accountants at SO
day will get more pay than the state
accountant at S2.5O0," said Mr.. Clark
I'VE hire our state accountant on the
theory that he is an expert; that he
can direct and take the leadership in
merely bookkeepeTs, to do what the
accountant directs. It seems to me
that $40 a day is too much. If we
cant get a good enough accountant
more. or had better hire assistants at
$40 a day and let the expert CO.
Mr.. Stubs replied: I'VE want to
hire men for this work who can go to
the bottom of things. A mere book
keeper is not what is wanted. I have I
had lots of experience in hiring ex-
pert accountants and know what
they cost. We hire them at regular
intervals to go over our books 1
know that some of them make five or
ten thousand dollars a year. How
ever, believe that we can get a good
man who wants regular position for
four years and who is ambitious for a
little honor for $4,000 a year. But I |
am not in favor of reducing the paw
of the assistants"
Mr.. Lupfer seemed to be thoroughly
convinced that Mr.. Stubs was right.
He moved as an amendment that the |
assistants be allowed SIS a day. Nobody
seconded the motion.
After a. little further discussion, the |
Clark amendment was defeated by a
decisive vote.
There was only one important change |
made in the Brandon bill. At the sug-
gestion OF Speaker Stubs a new sec
fion was added, giving to the state ac-
countant the right to administer oaths, |
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