The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-01-04

/ This system results IN great Unequal
lty of appraisement, even in the same
county, and places the taxable value Of
| the real estate far below what it should
be. While this does not benefit the
taxpayer, or reduce or increase the
amount of tax necessary to be raised.
it works real injury to the state, and
especially our municipal organizations,
by making the rate of taxation appear
higher than it really is. and suggests
to those not coRniZant of the abuse OF
our system, heavy rate of taxation,
when In fact it is quite the reverse. 1t
also fails to show the rapid increase of
values, and the true value of the taxable
wealth of the state.
therefore recommend to your favor
able consideration, as means Of rem
edying, IN q measure, the more serious
defects of the present system, the APP
pointment OF election of q county as
sesser, whose duty il should be to
appraise real estate only, every third
year. leaving trustees to appraise new
structures, as now provided by law.
This would secure an equal, or at least
q more uniform, valuation OF real
estate, and would como nearer ascer-
tanning the true value of the wealth OF
our state, and reduce the rate per cent. of
taxation from fifty to one hundred per
cent, and furnish potent and conclu-
sive argument In favor of bringing
wealth and population to our state, and
take away all temptation to reduce
values to save state taxation. 1t also
would relieve county boards of the
necessity of raising the value of each
single tract of land in a township. for
the purpose of protecting some town.
ships against the wrongs of an inten~
tional low assessment in another.
HIGHWAYS.
Our road laws do not seem to fulfil
the objects for which they were enacted,
In a satisfactory manner. There has
perhaps been as much thought and study
gwen to the question of economical
road making as to any other of equal
Importance; but no sysytem has been
devised, as yet, that seems to answer
the purpose in satisfactory manner,
without too great an expense.
Various systems have been de Used
and presented, but they do not seem
adapted to the younger states, on
account of the great expense and heavy
taxation entailed on the real estate to
carry them out in a proper and satis>
factory manner Good roads add
greatly to the value, convenience and
beauty of farms, and aid materially in
reducing the expense and time of
transporting the products of the farm
to the markets and the depots. Good
roads save the heavy wear and tear on
teams, wagons, and harness, and enable
the producer to move larger quantities
of pr Oduce to market in less time, and
to take advantage of the rise in the
markets, and save time and labor that
could be used to a profit on the farm.
You will remember that as the Law
now stands the only legal means of
opening, making, or improving our
public highways, is the two days work
required of a certain class of individ>
uaIs, and the annual road tax not
exceeding three mills on the dollar,
which the tax payer is allowed to
work out in his district. While this
may be sufficient to keep many roads
in repair, it Is wholly inadequate for
the purposes of opening new roads,
cutting down hills, or making needed
fills. County boards haye no authority
now, under the law, to appropriate
money out of the county treasury for
making or repairing roads. / have no
special plan to suggest to remedy these
defects of our road laws, but suggest
that you give the matter serious atten>
ten, with view of remedyinQ the
defects of the system, and securing
better highways for the use of the
public, In as economical and satisfactory
a manner as possible. To this end |
would recommend, however, that the
| board of county commissioners be
authorized to levy tax annually, not
exceeding one mill on the dollar, to be
used exclusively by the county board
in the repair of, or grading roads,
where public necessity may require
such work to be done, as the means
now provided by law are inadequate.
There is no tax that could be levied
that would be of so great benefit to
| the farming interests, as one that
could be used exclusively, in prudent
and economical manner, for fhe better
ing OF public highways, and none that
will give a more immediate and benef>
cial return to the farmer for such a
a small expenditure.
| APPROPRIATION BILLS
Should be introduced as soon as pos.
sible, so as to give ample time an6
opportunity for their careful examination
and consideration.
It is important to the taxpayers, wht
bear the burdens and so nobly RESPOND
to every demand made on them, that tn
strictest economy may be observed, anC
that all extraneous and unnecessary ex
penditures may be avoided and omitted
It is important that no appropriation
bill should contain an appropriation 70
more than one object. This course viii
permit the Executive to interpOse an.
objections he may have to any item
without interfering or delaying the pas
sage OF important and meritorious appro
priationS.
, By pursuing this course you vii
make every appropriation bill stan
or fall on its own merits, without endan
: gering the passage of bills that ar
unobjectionable, and thus enable tn
s Executive to practice that wise principl
: embodied in many State Constitution
: of vetoing single obj ectionable items c
appropriations.
q CONGRESSIONAL APPoRTIoNMENT.
y In the decennial apportionment mad
nv Congress in 1882, seven members {
= Congress were assigned to the State
q Kansas. By the Third Section of tt
e law providing for such apportionm en-
u il REQUIRES the members of Congress
q be elected from Districts composed
70 contiguous territory, and containing,
IF nearly as practicable, an equal numb
a of inhabitants, and equal in number
= Tho RenroSantafiVe6 to which each Sta