The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-23
Gets Good Job for Defiance Of
Chairman DOlIey.
REFUSED TO PAY ASSESSMENT
Now Virginia A. Davis Has
Been Promoted.
Will Be Private StenOgrapher
to the Governor.


against the assessment orders of the
Republican state central committee,
Mrs. Virginia A. Davis was today ap-
pointed confidential stenographer and
assistant executive clerk under Cover
nor-eIect George H. Hodges. Mrs.
Davis is a stenographer in the offices
of the public utilities commission. She
refused to pay the assessment of the
Republican state committee IN the re-
cent campaign 1t was largely because
of her stand against Chairman J. N.
Dolley and his committee, that Hodges
today rewarded the young woman with
one of the most important appoint
ments in his Office.
In the recent campaign. the Repub-
lican state committee was called to
task by the Democrats for its assess
ments against the employee in the
various state departments. 1t was
charged that the Republicans thus Sc
cured from the state employees suffi-
Glen funds to conduct their campaign;
and that in instances wherein em-
ployees refused to pay, that they were
given to understand that they might
seek employment elsewhere. This con-
tention, however, followed a series OF
interviews by Henderson S. Martin,
chairman of the Democratic state COM
Mrs. Davis supplied many of the de-
tails for the campaign charges against
Chairman Dolley and his committee.
1t was when the state campaign was
beginning to get well under way, that
a notice was one day sent to state en-
ployees notifying them that they had
been assessed two and one-half per
cent of their annual salary. There was
no dispute that this money was to be
used in the state campaign. The same
system had been followed before So
there were really but few protests.
Then Mrs. Davis Cried.
And SO that same bright autumn
morning, an envelope was laid on tha
desk of Mrs. Davis in the utilities COM
mission. Now Mrs Davis had planned
to buy furs and she had hoped that
this winter she might be able to save
some money from her pay check as
a saenographer for the board Those
in the young woman's mind that morn
ing as she entered the Office, hung her
coat and hat on a nail and walked to
her machine. No one was looking as
Mrs Davis opened the envelope and
read the letter of assessment. But Just
80 seconds later the Office force saw
the woman bite her lips, they heard her
stamp two tiny feet on the tile floor
and declare that she would never, new
er do it. And the next minutes Mrs.
Davis sat down in her chair and just
cried.
Out on the street that day a clerk
told the story. 1t fioated from office
to Office and from store to store BY
night, Mrs. Davis had been urged from
a dozen sources to hold tight to refuse
to pay her assessment. Still no one
knew just what might happen The
position which the woman held in the
office of the utilities commission, waa
of some Importance and value. She
didn't want to leave. And she didn't
want to pay that two and one-half per
cent assessment.
Then Henderson Martin as chairman OF
the Democratic committee charged thar
the Republican committee was holding a
club over state employees and would dis
charge all who refused to pay their as
Dolley denied these charges
At the same time Earl Akers and others
urged Mrs. Davis to pay the assessment
But she declared that never. never, never
would she pay toll from her earnings for
ticket. -'''o-
Friends TO Her Rescue.
1t was after the election was over and
Capper was beaten for governor, that
position. She knew that Hodges would
clean house from cellar to gar
,et- And Mrs. Davis really wanted a job.
She knew some influential Democrats and
she told them of her wants
Next the story was told to Governor
elect Hodges. At the close Of the story.
Hodges smiled and remarked that he be.
ieved he had a place for just such Q
woman.
And so, when George H. Hodges takes
,ver the governorship at noon Tuesday,
49, Virginia A. Davis will be
fitted from ordinary stenogra piers
position in the utilities commission and
established in the important position OF
private stenographer and assistant execu-
i've clerk to the next governor of Kan
as.
The position to which Governor-elect
Hodges has appointed Mrs. Davis pays
] 500 a year and is one of the best steno-
,raphic positions in the state house.