The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-10
CALL 1T A BLUFF.
City Commissioners Laugh at
Fire Insurance Men.
Threats to Raise Rates COnsid-
cred as Ingratitude.
BONE AND TANDY TALK
Ask Fire Insurance Companies a
Few Pointed Questions.
What About Thousands Spent
for Fire Protection.
BONE AND TANDY TALK

The war between the board OF city
nn,issfoners and the insurance "aei,
OF Topeka has reached me persona
,or,ba+ stage. The threats OF the 1lc
Insurance men to raise Shelr rates ~ ~
gTonelxa on account Of the INC eese -.
citv license has had no elleo1 o4 'iiS
board of commissioners. ,ar,+ a few
TToI1ovving the announcement d ~
49, 90 to the effect that the hIe n
s1Irence rates i'm Topeka Wou t, ~ 10
booeted mn another notch, no ACTON II.
reducing the Occupation OaA nos
taken by the city otncldis, ,,,,,.o,., in
furthermore the commissioners III
stst tbax will not reduce the ncehse'
,Tbev laugh at the threats OF the III
.-,,rarca men one minute and me next
minute they grOwl at wnal lIly -, 80
cider the ingratitude of these business
.ttiera is what I can't understan d,
.afd Rov l. Bone, city comnllsslOuSi
+5fs afternoon. when we WISH 70 -, ~
vance our receipts by placing a Palll .s
s95 additional tax on the insu l d a. A.
80, tbev souirm and squeal ana oe .
isre fbeS will have TO raise the IstlSs
In order to meet the expense; ~ ~,
tel1 the Deople of the CITY ina. 'll~
commissioners are really laAil'5
and not the fire insurance compares.
"Rnt when the city fire department
is ,,DIuetxv in bad fires and Wnen the
losses rim high what do these 1lre IN
s1Irance men DO? They come up 70 tre
civ hall in swarms and demand tns-
We Increase the efficiency of the hre
service. They say that unless we quo
more apparatus and more slaIlOhs 'ieS
will raise the rates. nj.
"a few wears ago after the Park
hl,rst-Davis. Copeland hotel ana 6rt-
mich Iron works fires-what dld tneS
do? They appeared before tne ctls
council demanding better prolectl0h'
isr~his fs when they are nit
These fire insurance men pay little
attention to what the city and the tax
Davers are doing for them For ms lance
mis- wear we are spending $4,000 alone
for motor fire apparatus, tnlS IL
their own interest. This will in the emu
decrease their losses. But they think
nothing of this Instead they howl
when we add a Jew dollars to their
licenses.
Now they want US to tax them ac-
cording to their business. That isn't
fair to the city. We are not aDie 70
work out our plans for a years budget
II we have to depend upon uncertain
receipts Why don't we tax the muck
sters the moving picture SHOWS, the
peddlers, etc, on their receipts? Inc
proposition is foolish.
Commissioner Tandy has his fighting
blood boiling-and when Mr.. Tandy Is
aroused he pays little attention to OBJ
stacles.
Let them raise their rates-and
show their unfairneSS,' said Mr.. randy.
IF these men squabble and complain
over a few additional dollars in license,
they will do the same over their bust
ness They have little to say about the
thousands Of dollars we spend each
year for fire protection They are too
busy watching their own pocketbOOk
Their bluff to raise rates will have liz
tie affect on the city commission. We
have made the license rates and it will
stick"
And Mr.. Tandy pounded his fist on
his deSk-banpl Inst like that