The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-11
TO FORCE A LEVY.
Tax Payers Want a State Fair
Located in Topeka.
Insist That County Commits
siOners Do Their Part.
ASK BUT TWO MILLS.
Farmers Would Exhibit Their
Products to the World.
Increase I'm Taxes Would
Scarcely Be Noticed.
Ask BUT TWO MILLS.

state fair as authorized by the last
session of the legislature is attested by
the protests which have already reach
ed the committee appointed by the
Commercial club to ask them to recon-
slider their vote on the question.
meeting of the business men of the city
was held at the parlors Of the National
hotel Tuesday afternoon to devise plans
whereby an expression of the tax pay
ers of the county could be secured.
A number of petitions were prepared
to be circulated among the business
men along Kansas avenue and others
to be sent to the country for the sigma
lures of the farmers and stock breeders.
The first petition returned was one
placed in the hands of G. W. Merriam
to be circulated among the business
men of the uptown district of the city
and though Mr.. Merriam was out but
an hour it contained the names of seven-
ty of the business men who are tax
payers in the city
The petition as signed read:
The undersigned tax payers of Shaw
nee county are in favor of holding
state fair on the fair grounds in the
city of Topeka and ask the county
commissioners to levy the special tax of
mills authorized by the last legislature,
the money so raised to be used exclus-
lively in erecting permanent buildings
on the fair grounds under the SuperViS-
ion of the county board. Topeka and
Shawnee county will never secure aid
from the state of Kansas for a state
fair until we show our willingness to do
something on our own account" and
was signed by the following:
The Merriam Mortgage Co., John c.
Harmon, Wheeler & Switzer, Ferry &
Doran, .. B. Bolnar, w. A L. Thomp-
son, Merchants National bank, John
V. Abrahams, E. B. Merriam, F. L.
Tomp1ins, e. c. Seger, Wilson & Neis-
ton, The Prudential Trust Co., The
Prudential State Savings bank. Chas.
w Merriam, H W. McAfee, A. A.
Richards, r. w. Squires, J. L. Paine,
A. S: Andrews. Capital National bank
Edwin Knowles, Guilford Dudley, w.
B. Kirkpatrick, Lee Monroe, Crosby
Bros, E. H. Crosby. w. T. Crosby,
w c. Stephenson, The Kansas Farmer
Co. F. NJ. Stoves & Sons. Robinson,
Marshall Co., Coughlin Hardware Co,
Jas. NJ. French, w. 1. Miller, Chas. L.
Wood. Adams Brothers, I. NJ Blitz. T.
r. Baker, Mary d. Holiday. John E.
lam. H. A Heath, Chas. F. Hardy,
E. B. H. Remly, A. H. Purdy, A. G.
Goodwin, w. L. Taylor, d. NicoH. A.
F. Williams, Fred T. Ermes. J. C. Hol-
w. A. Alortcn,C. Z. MitchellW. H. Hall,
C. S. Bailey, c. E. Curry. A. P. Upde-
graft, John H. Outland, F. S. Savage,
G. A. Bailey.
/
in favor of the state holding a fair and
in favor of the board of county COM
missioners making the levy which was
auth orized by the legislature. After
the committee had adjourned one of
the members called up a number of
the farmers of the county and asked
them to express themselves on the
matter:
D. A. Stahl of Auburn said: Every
one in this part of the country is in
favor of a state fair and am at a loss
to understand why the county com
missioners refuse to make levy after
it has been authorized by the leglsia-
ture. Everybody in this part OF the
county wants to see a state fair
D. M Howard of Rossville. who for |
merly represented Shawnee county IN
the legislature, said: am gao 10
know that the last legislature looked |
with favor on a state fair, and 1 am |
sure that if this county will do its part |
that there will be no trouble IN secur-
ing an appropriation for a state fa1r Two |
years from now This part OF the |
county is in favor of the county COM
missioners voting for the two mill |
levy"
John johnson. a farmer living at
Dover and the president of the Dover
State bank, said: Every one have |
talked with is in favor of state falr'
and 1 will be glad to appear before the
county board and make an appeal Tor
the two mill levy which they seem to
think we do not want. I had no idea
that thew would take the view of the
matter that they have. and am salts
fed that a majoriey of the largest TAX.
payers of the county are In raVor OF
the proposition"
F. L. McClelland, a stock grower and
taxpayer of Berryton, said: nave
talked with a number OF my ne1Shpors
in regard to a state fair and If neceS-
sary I will circulate a petition in my
asking the board OF
commissioners to change their
attitude on the matter. L understanu,
however that our representative, MT.
Harrison. is in favor of making the
levy, and that it is the representatives
from the city of Topeka who are OPP
posing it"
farmer from near Richland, said: II
want to see a state fair and as far as
am able to learn everybody IN this sec
ton of the county wants to see the coun-
ty board vote for the two mill levy as
authorized by the legislature. If 1t Is
necessary we will organize out in this
district of the county and wait on the
board in a body and tell them
how we feel on the matter or state
fair
G p Raker of Valencia said: IF this
is not a grating proposition on the part
Of a few of the Shrewd ones living in
Topeka am IN favor of it and so are
my neighbors. If this is to be state
fair run by the state we feel that 1T is |
a good thing but / am not in favor of
a county fair such as we have had
which proves after we have paid our
admission to be nothing but a series of
horses races. We want a state fair but
are not in favor of anything else and
think that the county commissioners
ought to make the levy authorized
by the last session of the legislature"
There is no doubt" said H. A Heath,
secretary of the Kansas Stock Breeders
association, that the people of Kansas
want a state fair and that they want
It located right here in Topeka There
are nearly 1000 members of the associa-
lion which / represent as secretary and
hey are almost to man In favor Of a !