The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-03-12
Amendment No. 2.
FOR the Register

lFOr the keS1Ster.J
AT the election next fall the people
of Kansas will be called to vote upon
two important proposed amendments
to the constitution of our State. The
first, in reference to the prohibition of
the manufacture and sale of intOXicat-
ing liquors as a beverage, is of such
vital importance that it entirely over
shadows the second; and yet the Sec
ond is one that should receive the care
full consideration of every voter before
he deposits his ballot ''fOr' 'or' against"
it. This amendment proposes to do
away with the constitutional provision
allowing the head of every family two
hundred dollars worth of personal
property exempt from taxation.
At first view this proposition seems
Just and reasonable, but a careful eX-
animation of the matter will show
some plausible reasons why this
amendment should be voted down.
And we will preface some of the rea-
sons with the statement that one of the
gieat evils of our times is lying and
dishonesty; and in no other one way
is this evil more glaringly portrayed
than in the listing of property for tax
alton. Any one who is a disbeliever
in the doctrine of total depravity needs
only 60 to the office of County Clerk in
any county in the State and examine
the record of property as listed for tax
alton, subscribed and sworn to by our
tax payers, and he will close those rec
ords firmly convinced that the doctrine
needs no additional proof. Until there
is some way devised for compelling the
rich to report all of their property for
taxation it would be unwise to do away
with the protection that is given to the
poor by the present provisions OF our
constitution.
The same amount of property is ex-
empted to the rich man as to the poor
man. When the assessor calls upon
the hundreds of poor men who are la
boring to make homes for themselves
and families upon our prairies, the little
personal property these men have is
easily found; their teams, cows, and
household furniture can not be con-
cealed. But when he assesses men
who have money, notes, bonds, stocks,
tax-sale certificates, merchandise, ETC.,
he is compelled to accept their sworn
statements and the two hundred dol
lar exemption is a mere drop in the
bucket compared with the vast
amount that escapes taxation on ac-
count of people forgetting what they
owned the first day of March each year.
That not more than one-half Of the
personal property in the State is listed
for taxation is a sad fact; but is the
remedy for this evil in the adoption of
this proposed amendment? We think
not. Last year the amount of personal
property upon which tax was paid in
Allen county was $316, 800. The amount
enlisted for taxation in the city Of lola
was $3S, 431. Does any believe that
one-half of the personal property of the
county, taking no account of the ex-
emption, was given in for taxation?
One of the great objections to the
present exemption law is that 80 much
property is squeezed in under it and
thus escapes its share of the burden oil
taxation. Well, this is not the fault
of the law, but of the manner of en-
forci-g it !; and doubtless the rich
squeeze in as much property under
this exemption as do the poor. Voters,
taxpayers, everybody, think of this
matter and be prepared to vote on it !
FAIR PLAY.