The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-20
NO PEACE THERE.
Fraternal Congress Not True to
Its Name.
Quarrel and Fight just Like
Other Associations.
OLD AND THE YOUNG.
W.B.Kirkpatrick's Level Assess
ment Plan Killed by Youths.
George G. Lockwood Of EmpOria
Chosen President.
OLD AND THE YOUNG.

The fourth annual meeting of the
Kansas Fraternal Congress was held
at, the Knights & Ladies of Security
hall at the corner of Seventh and
Kansas avenue last evening and the
session was one of the stormiest in
the history of the organization. For
six long hours the fraternal legisla-
tors met in session and most OF the
time there was a continual fight be-
tween the older and newer orders
represented.
The purpose of the congress is to
unite socially and fraternally the Of
ficerS and accredited representatives
of the fraternal beneficiary societies
doing business in Kansas, to promote
the spirit OF fraternity among the
membership of all fraternal
beneficiary societies and to improve
the business methods and to protect
and promote the interests of the
societies represented in the congress.
The latter clause-to promote the in
terests of the societies was well car
ried out last evening and some OF the
social side was exhibited but as a
whole the Fraternal Congress made
noise like a lot of legislators fighting
over the changing of seats or a city
council quarreling over street
naming proposition
The main action of the Kansas
Fraternal Congress last evening was
to go on record as disapproving of
the taxation of fraternal order funds
and property and incidentally send a
little delegation to the legislature and
see that nothing in contrary to their
wishes would be pushed through both
houses. The legislature is given due
warning to watch out for the Kansas
Fraterna1 congressman. They have
ideas of their own and they are not
afraid to mention them. A long dis
cussion was held last night concern
ing the taxation of fraternal funds
and property and all of the late de-
cisions from the supreme courts were
brought back to life and used as
models of defiance. The cases of the
Masons and Odd Fellows especially
were cited. Neither of these orders
belong to the congress.
In talking of the taxation matters it
was decided that all the property of
revenue should be exempt from
taxation For instance If a lodge
owns a building and leases it for Of
flee or store room use thereby gaining
property and could be subject to
taxation. But if 1theaorder was con-
ducting a beneficiary home of some
kind and was conducting it for the use
cause in the broad and legal sense
the protection of the home, the
widow, the orphan, it is different. At
any rate the Kansas Fraternal Con-
gress will fight the tax law in the
legisIat ture and as one of the mem
bers said before the convention last
night:
I'VE are just as good and just as
wise as those men in the legislature
and 1 am sure that they will recognize
our cause"
Calls 1t Self Admiration Society.
One of the members of the congress
made sensational charges when he
arose and said in loud tones that the
Kansas Fraternal Congress was moth
ing but a private means of gaining
honor. He said all the congress did
was to gather every year and elect
officers and then have the news
printed with their names at the top.
He said in part:
This is nothing but a self admiration
society. We come here every year,
elect officers, be. big fellows and go
home to tell them all about it. I don't
take any stock in this talking about
in union there is strength. Every one
of us will work our hardest for our
own lodge and there will not be any
union"
These charges were taken without a
whimper by the congress and when the
gentleman sat down there was not a