The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-19
PLAN WAR CHEST
Topeka Merchants to Consider
Budget for City Charities.
Eliminate Tremendous Expense
of the Many Campaigns.
IT FAILED ONE YEAR AGO
Certain Organizations Afraid
They Would Not Prosper.
Matter to Come Up Before Next
Directors Meeting.

Consolidation of all drives into one
annual budget drive is contemplated
and urged in a resolution to be Of
fered to the directors of the Topeka
Merchants association at their next
meeting. The resolution was drawn up
by Charles L. Mitchell, a member of
both the donation and advertising
committees of the association.
The resolution and some comment
on it is contained in the weekly bulle-
tin of the Merchants association
which was issued today by Milton Ia
Dor, secretary.
In the bulletin Tabor comments on
the necessity of the Topeka mer-
chants and townspeople adopting
some system to eliminate continuous
and overlapping demands made by or
ganizations. He points out that it is
the belief of most of the merchants
that many of these drives overlap in
their work, and that the campaign
expense of putting on drives could be
materially cut down by the consolida-
ton of all approved charities in one
big campaign each year. He also
points out that this method of getting
together one big fund thru the organ
ization committee of an approval
committee composed of representa-
tiyes Of every element in Topeka can
eliminate from Topeka those drives
which the committee finds to be not
deserving.
Failed a Year Ago.
Tabor recalls that an attempt to in
augurate a budget campaign was tried
out year ago but failed He says
this failure was due to the activities
of certain local charitable organiza-
tions which felt they could not get
their due" under such a system. He
anticipates these same organizations
will attempt to block the present ef-
fort toward organization of a joint
budget drive.
Tabor also asserts in his bulletin
that many merchants feel they have
the right to decide to whom and TO
what they shall subscribe. He says
that the merchants are willing to give
but says that in giving they feel they
have the right to know how and on
what basis the funds so given are ex-
pended and are therefore entitled to a
full investigation of each charity's de-
money contributed will be devoted if
the demands are met.
The Resolution.
The resolution to be submitted to
the board by Mitchell follows:
Whereas, every member of the Merchants
Association is anxious to do his part in
subscribing to every civic and charitable
proposition winch tends to better the cOndi-
tiOns in the community in which we live,
and whereas the demands from soliciting
committees are becoming that numerous
that they are taking too much of the time
OF every merchant in explaining the reasons
for their demands, and whereas it is i'm
possible for every merchant to thOroly ana
lyze the necessity for the different demands
made upon us, and whereas in the judg
ment OF many of the merchants there is
serious overlapping of efforts of different
organizations along the very same lines,
and whereas in the judgment of n large
number of the members of the Merchants
Association we are being asked to subscribe
to different funds from a charity stand
point to do that which the state country
which should be borne from n taxation
standpoint instead of n subscription stand
point. and whereas the merchants realize
the absolute necessity for the creation and
maintenance of a community budget com
m1ttee who will devote of their time to
different charitable and civic organizations
and decide upon the total amount neces-
sary to cover all of these demands and
make plans for the proper financing Of
these propositions in such n manner a. s will
be agreeable and acceptable to every tax
payer in our community
Be 1t hereby resolved that the president
OF the Topeka Merchants association be
authorized to appoint a committee of three
members who will ask the different civic
organizations of the city to appoint a COM
mittee OF three to form a budget committee
to work out the plans for financing a com
munity budget and take full charge of the
fund among the organizations of a civic
and charitable nature which We as citizens
OF this community should subscribe to the
maintenance of. C. L. MITCHELL.