Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-03
WOODNEN COUNT on GOING
National Headquarters win Leave Omaha
if Taxation Order is Enforced.
cANNoTMFoRD TO PAY ON RESERVE FUND
Sovereign clerk Yates Has Little
Hope Now that states Mandate
Can BE Changed or Omaha
Keep order.

The order issued by the State Board Of
Equalization to County Assessor Reed to
assess the reserve fund OF the Woodmen
o. the World wir in the opinion Of John
T. Yates. sovereign clerk or the woodmen,
drive the headquarters of the order from
Omaha TO some other city.
The reserve fund OF the woodmen at this
time amounts to about $4,000, upon which
the tax would be in the neighborhood Of
$4,000 or $4,000 yearly. This tax, Mr.. Yates
said, the executive committee of the order
will not consent to pay, and should the
order secure no relief through the courts
then he said the executive committee would
move the headquarters from Omaha.
II regret exceedingly that the State
Board Of Equalization has issued It's order
to Assessor Reed" said Mr.. Yates. 81
thought we had the matter all settled and
that there would be no further trouble
about our reserve fund Inasmuch as there
are interests outside of Omaha constantly
at work to Secure the headquarters Of the
lodge, Of course the executive committee,
which has the authority to do so, will re-
move the headquarters to some other city
where the reserve fund will not be taxed.
st. Louis. Kansas City, Cleveland. Detroit
and other cities are constantly after the
headquarters and one Of these will get It.
NOT Tax shiEkerA.
''The matter OF course, will be tested in
the courts, hut / am afraid our executive
committee will not want to walt any longer,
but will insist on moving now. I have
little hope that we can do anything or get
any relief. I don't want the impression to
get cut that we are taxshirkers, for such is
not the case. We are willing to pay on our
tangible property and on the money which
Is paid into the treasury by Nebraska
members, but the money which is collected
from nonresidents-of many other states
and merely held in trust by us we believe
should not be taxed. see no way to get
relief, though. as the state board I under
stand has issued a positive order to the
county assessor
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind
but that the headquarters will have to go,
for there are fourteen votes in the execu-
tive committee and OF that number only
two Of them are from Omaha, Mr. Root
and myself. Inasmuch as the eastern cities
ard members of the executive committee
always have been opposed to Omaha, there
is no chance for Omaha to retain the head
quarters In view OF the action OF the state
board.
Nearly Lost IL Before.
I'VE came near losing the headquarters
six years ago and It was only by the heir
OF the Commercial club, which guaranteed
y to secure 1000 members for the lodge, that
we managed to retain it. The club offered
bonus of some lots, but of course the
lodge will not accept a bonus from any
city, for It would prevent us from ever
moving the headquarters. After that fight
we bought our present headquarters and
have about completed arrangements 10 put
on another story for an auditorium, lodge
room and banquet hall"
The Woodmen OF the World at this time
employs about 200 people and 1t handles
monthly some $4OO,OO 1t keeps constantly
on deposit $4,000 in each OF four banks II
the city subject 10 check The Sovereign
Visitor the official organ OF the order, /,
published here and postage is paid on $780,
000 copies a month. Besides this tons o.
literature are sent out each month. Tht
monthly stamp bill alone amounts to 81, so
or 5000. Omaha, of course will lose al
this when It loses the headquarters. Shoult
the courts not grant relief to the order 1
is probable the tax for this year will hav
to be paid. as Mr.. Yates said he saw n,
way out of 1t. About $35O,0OO of the reserv
fund is invested in government bonds