The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-02-21
ORR TAXES AGAIN.

EDITOR NEWS: That the scarcity of
money is compelling thought among
the people, may be seen by
glance at The NEWS. First, we
have ''Fremont, and now "Phrank,"
discussing our taxes. This is ques-
ton of equal interest to both town
and country. With prosperous
country we may have prosperous
towns, put prosperous town with
a country in ruins, from any cause,
is an impossibility. Our unpro-
ductive debt is now $500, 900; an
nuaI interest S2S. 600, gathered from
all portions of the county, and ship
ped forever beyond our reach.
What relief will it give US to create
a new debt, and as a consequence
increase the amount of annual tax,
and the amount 10 be sent east each
year? This does not recommend
itself to my mind as the right pol
icy to lead us out of our present
trouble. How near our annual taxes
approach the value of our total sur
plus products am unable to say, but
of this much am satisfied, that Just
so long as we are compelled each
year to send so near the entire value
of our surplus products from the
county, just for that length of time
will money be scarce among us.
Your correspondent, Fremont, sug-
gests that by disposing of our'R. II.
stock (now unproductive) our bond
ed Indebtedness might be reduced
from 100000 to $I66,667, and a
statement in the News some time
since, justifies the supposition that
this could be done. This would re-
duee our annual interest from $751;
600 to ST., 667, saving US each year
SIG, 1888. Would this be relief? Sup
pose our bonds do not mature for
twenty years, then our saving in
that time would aggregate 1926, $50,
enough to pay our remaining debt
with balance in our favor of $780,
0l3. Is this worth looking after?
Again, suppose the exchange and
sale of our stock is perfected as sug-
gested by Fremont, and We do not
wish TO reduce our bonds before
maturity, then our remaining debt
would be 100000; annual interest,
81, 600: cash on hand S166, 667,
which if placed on interest at ten
per cent. per annum would give us
$l6.667 deduct from our annual in
terest debt 81 900, will leave a bal
ance to be raised by taxation of S4,-
1888, reducing our present annual tax
$23.667, saving us in twenty years q
grand aggregate of S573, $40, enough
to pay our remaining debt with a
balance in orr favor of S273, $40.
Now, would it be any advantage to
the people if $166.667 was loand
them for a term of years at ten per
cent? Would it do us any injury If
our taxs were reduced in the aggre-
gate $23, 667 each year? Which is
the better for us, to raise by taxa
ton 81, 1888 or $4,000 per annum
And finally, is it economy to save
in twenty years sufficient money to
pay off our remaining r. Il. indebt-
edness with a balance in our favor
of SITS. $40, or is it better for US to
float with the current as we are now
doing? In conclusion 1 say with
Phrank, of Agnes City, let prodn-
GERS take up the subject of economy
and reform, and when fully agreed
as to plan of action, whatever it may
be, let all understand that your de-
termination to support such policy
Is as interchangeable as the laws of
the Medes and Persians. Thus the
victory is won. RURAL.
Plymouth, Feb. II, 1873.