Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-20
". 0. ". NAY MOVE.
ACTION OF SUPREME COURT OF
NEBRASKA MAY AFFECT FRA
TERNAL ORGANIZATION

NEBRASKA MAY AFFECT FRA
TERNAL ORGANIZATION
Governor Mickey Has Brought Suit
Demanding Reserve Fund of the
Order to be Placed on Tax Books
Brief History Of the Case.
Members Of the Woodmen Of the
| World whereveN located are just now
very much interested to ascertain
what action the supreme court of Ne
braska will take in regard to the mat
| ter, brought to it's attention through
the action of Governor Mickey of that
state, to compel the officials Of Doug
lass county to place the 100000 re-
serve fund of the order on the tax rolls
OF that county. On that decision de-
ponds whether or not the headquar-
tiers of the order will be removed from
| Omaha.
Although the order has large mem
bership throughout the United States,
and Notwithstanding the fact that 1t is
! growing rapidly, there has been more
or less confusion since the matter OF
the possibility of removal of general
headquarters came up few days ago,
some people getting that order and the
Modern Woodmen of America mixed.
The Modern Woodmen of America
was organized a number of years ago
! by Col j. G. Root, then of Lyons, la.
He remained the chief official of the
organization for a few years, when
there was sort of revolution within
the ranks and Colonel Root withdrew.
| 1t had been placed on the sure road
to success, however, and today has an
immense membership with splendid
headquarter buildings at Rock Island.
Organized the w. o. w.
After hts withdrawal from the Mod
ern Woodmen Of America, Colonel
Root organized the Woodmen. Of the
World, and he is now sovereign COM
mander Of that order The order has
what might be termed a phenomenal
growth, having total membership of
about 100000, distributed in almost
every state in the union.
In order to protect the members of
the order in the years to come, and
at time when the death rate will be
increasing the Woodmen of the World
created what Is known as an emergen-
cy or reserve fund That fund has
grown until it has reached $3,000000.
and which is growing at the rate of
| $4,000 month This fund is simply
/ for the purpose of protecting the fra
ternal beneficiary certificates, and can
be used for no other purpose than for
the payment of death losses, for which
it was created and accumulated. This
vast sum is invested in interest bear
ing securities for the purpose of in
creasing it against the time when it
will be called upon to meet whatever
deficits there is in the regular chan
nels in making prompt payment of all
| death losses.
Wants to Tax This Fund.
The state of Nebraska is just now
attempting to force the order to pay
| taxes on this 100000 reserve fund.
The local officers Of Douglas county
and the city of Omaha are opposed to
this plan and have refused to place
| this money on the assessment rolls of
! the county. Not only this, but they
/ are making every endeayor to prevent
| this being done. Governor Mickey,
however, through the attorney general
of the state, has commenced an ac-
tion in the supreme court, asking for
an order compelling the officials of
Douglas county to place this reserve
fund on the assessment rolls, thus
compelling the order to pay taxes
The matter is up to the supreme court
and will be decided in a short time.
Feel 1t Is An Imposition.
The date of levying taxes in Ne
braska is the first of April instead OF
the first of January, 81 in this state
and in view of this fact, the sovereign
camp, the governing body of the order
recently adopted a resolution, instruct
ing the executive committee to remove
the headquarters Of the order from Ne
braska If the supreme court should
hand down a decision which would
compel the Douglas county officials tt
place the reserve fund on the assess
ment rolls and collect taxes accord
!, ingly. II this is done the order will
be compelled to pay $4,000 as taxes
on the reserve fund for the year 1905
Therefore, IL the decision of the SUI
preme court is against the order, the
executive committee will remove the
headquarters before the first Of April
J in order to escape the payment of an
other $35, 900 to $4,000 of taxes.
Do Not Want to Move.
If such removal is decided upon i
will be because they are obliged to d.
so for these reasons. The order doe!
not want to leave Omaha, where man.
of their one hundred employees owl
their homes. The order owns large
office building on one of the prominen
corners in the city, and the expense O
moving, the change in the literature
Z the confusion resulting from change
is certain to be avoided If possible
But if the supreme court upholds tn,
position Of Governor Mickey the orde
will remove.
. TO ANNOUNCE CANDIDACY.
George D. Perkins Boom Will 81
: Launched Monday.
! Sioux City, Jan. 1s.-The boom o