The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-12-11
AUDITOR WlLDER,s ne.
PORT.
The CaraaIn 1GIaeu On Xv.A
Again.

state Auditor, ID. W. Wilder. Great
ed q sensation. The one inst ont
eclipses that made last wear In many
respects. We have not been favor.
ed with an advance copy, by our es-
teemed friend, the auditor. but have
been permitted to glance over a
copy we found In the hands of a
friend who was passing through our
city. We feel little sighted that
we have not been furnished with a
copy.
We read enough of this report to
express the opinion that It, too, will
create sensation. In the matters
ofcompleteness, plain and blunt Ian
guage, and the amount of valuable
Information it gives of the financial
status and history of the state, it is
the most remarkable state paper ev-
or issued in any state. II contains
about fifty large pamphlet pages,
and Is replete with figures, giving
lust the information needed, not on
ly by the members of the incoming
legislature, but by all the people.
Its style and matter are SO intesest-
ing that when one sits down to read
1t he does not wish to lay It aside
until he has gone entirely through
II.
Mr.. Wilder does not mince his
words in rejecting upon those who
have administered the various de-
partments of the state government.
We like the report on this account,
Notwithstanding our toes are slight
ly tread upon along with those of
others. We had something to do with
framing the state printer law which
the Auditor criticises rather severe
ly, and the reason we do not
"squeaP is that he does not tell the
truth In his assertions about that
bill. We do not say he deliberately
falsifes. We suppose he has been
lead into error In some way. Had
he known how faithfully and hon.
estly the work was done on that
bill, he would not have said it was
framed against the interests of the
people and in those OF the public
printer. 1t is the truth that hurts,
and Webs assertions do not wound
our feelings in the least.
We suppose there are many other
statements in this remarkable re-
port which must be taken with a
considerable degree of allowance,
but the mass of truth, and the
wonderful amount of information
IL contains in statistical form, as
we'll as its fund of wise and practic-
al suggestions, must lead to great
good to the state. This report Is of
more practical value to the state
than all the state documents ever is
sued. Barring its overdrawn state
ments in some instances, its SEEM
ing anxiety to censure, its distaste-
full egotism, In holding up it's au-
thor as the only officer who has
done anything for Kansas, and its
cheap pnfTs of two or three fellows,
1T is all right. As we look at the
matter it is decidedly out of tatse to
puff officers who have done their
duty, and to engage in electiOneer-
ing for them, in n state report. Mr.
Wilder doubtless thinks this all
right, and we shall not quarrel with
him about IL. There is SO much
that is good in this report, that its
faults are lost sight of.
To give some idea of the matter
of this remarkable document, we
give briefly it's "table of contents"
After preliminary remarks 1t be-
gins with an examination of the an
nual expenditures of the state. I'm
der this head table is given, show
ing tho rate of taxation, the amount
taxed. and the taxable property of
the state as fixed by the State Board
of Equalization for each year begin
ming with 1861, and closing with
1874. Accompanying this Is table
showing the latest reported valua-
ton and rate of taxation in the diff
ferent states of the Union. Next
the report gives n series of tables,
showing the expenditures for state
purposes, under the different heads,
for each year since the state was adj
mitted. Special tables give the cost
of printing year by year, and the
amounts voted for newspapers.
Then follows a table giving in total
the general revenue, and school and
interest taxes collected and paid out
each year from 1861 down. These
tables, IL Is needless TO say. furnish
q class of information which has
heretofore been inaccessible, and OF
the highest interest and importance.
The auditor then discusses at length
the various subjects, manuscript
Journals; double and erroneous as
sessments; commission and mile
age to county treasurers public
printing; the insurance department
investigation of school funds; the
bond registration law, with a table
showing the municipal bonds regis
tered in 1874; the fiscal agency
bank statements; fees and salaries
the standing of railroads; the state
debt, with table showing the date
of issue, for what purpose, rate OF
interest, terms of payment, &c, OF
all the bonds ever issued by the
state; the sinking fund sale OF In
dian land; repeal of laws; the state
relief bonds; county organization
school land account; condition of
the treasury; proceedings of the
State Board of Equalization tabu-
lar statement of the taxable proper
ty in the state, by counties, as fixed
by the state board, and the amount
of taxes apportioned to each county
for the year 1874; tabular statement
OF the railroad property Of the state
by counties; how much our taxes
amount to, and for what they are
psid; u tabular statement showing
the amount of taxes in the various
counties, aud for what purpose ley
led, the rate per cent, indebtedness,
and total amount of taxable proper
~; and general summing mp.
The message of president Mac
Mahon 90 the French Assembly
seema To rive the best of aatisfac-