The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-08-16
OUR COUNTY TAXES.
Over sixty-NIne Thousand Dollars for
General Purposes Demanded
From the People for 1855.

/
THE NEWS is not much disposed to
complain of the action Of officials, be-
cause it knows full well that public
servants trouble commences when be
enters upon the discharge of public
duties, and that the general tendency Is
to censure when 1t le not called for. The
people are hard task masters. IS rule,
ami the disposition TO find fault Is IN
cressing rather than diminishing. While
we feed this way ard have passed over
many matters in the conducs of our
county affairs that seemed TO nS ought
To be different, We feel that in the mstter
of our constantly increasing county
taxes abuses exIst which ought At once
to be remedied. In what we shall have
to say in the discussion OF this matter
we want in the start to disclaim any in
tention of rejecting on any one, or Of be-
ing actnated by any other motives than
those of what we consider the public
good.
1t was doubtless surprise 20 the peO-
pie of this county to read in The News
this week that our tax levy fer
general county purposes is increased
three mills over last year. Last year 1t
was 91z mills, which raised $4,000, and
this year. notwithstanding the increased
value OF taxable property, the levy is
121z mills. which will RAISE $69, 212.
We submit to those in authority that
this is enough to make the people vince.
Can the Unsuitable nav of General
Purposes" never be satisfeds We sub
NIT that raise of $4,000 year is
more than the people want to stand. and
more than they will stand. II those IN
control do not cali halt and pus stop
to this increasing demand for taxes the
people will take the matter in hand and
stop it speedily. The fact that it takes
500, 600 TO run Lyon county this Yeas,
$4,000 more than it took last year, is
rather startling. We do not think there
has been any plundering or down
right dishonesty In the manage
ment of our county affairs.
We do not think any county
officer has been OVerpald, 30 far as we
know. We think the principal part of
the trouble has grown out Of 9 sort Of
! good natured careleseness. We remem-
Der few years ago that quite an excite
ment was raised over the fact that our
tax levy for general purposes was five
mills, and the result was it was cut
down to four mills. If it is not too late
it ought to be reduced this year 70 at
least what it was last. If it is too late
let it be recorded and let the people en-
phasize the record in way that will
| not be mistaken, that it must be de-
creased next year.
Let US see what is wanted with this
enormous levy for general purposes. SO
that the taxpayers may understand
where the money goes. A levy was
made of five mills for current expenses.
The current expenses, as we understand,
are composed of the following items:
County officers, 5000; district court,
1900; fuel, lights and repairs, 81, 500;
assessors salaries, 81 500; books and
stationery, $1,000. Total, $24 800
The levy for this purpose
will raise $27.765. Then we
have FIVE mills for bridges, four for
bridges generally, and one for bridge
at Columbia ford. Think Of spending
$28,765 in q single year for bEldgesi
We apprehend there is where the prIn-
eipal abuse in the tax levy exists. If
ever poor people were huinbugged
and HE'D in anything thOse. Of Lyon
county have been in the matter OF hridg-
es. There are bridges in this county
which afford a regular income to sever
| al persons, so regularly do they tumble
down, and so regularly are they rebuilt.
We understand that 5000 were spent
last year to repair the Neosho Rapids
bridge, and $4,000 are to be spent this
year il repairing what is known as the
Soden bridge If this is to bea regular
thing we had better let them fall into
the streams and lie there. We learn
that there is now outstanding 81 goo in
scrip which is drawing seven per cent.
interest for work on bridges last
year, so that the commissioners exceed
ed the appropriation that much. twill
take $500 to put up rickety bridge
| at Columbia. 1t Is the
Intention to spend $1,000 for bridges in
Center, Waterloo and Fremont town.
ships. We do not blame the people of
these townships for going in for bridges,
of course They zee there Is general
grab being made along the larger
streams for bridge money and they have
q disposition to get small share. The
money is stretched out and lot OF
worthless bridges erected TO be washed
away by the first storm. We should say,
If we were called upon to prescribe for
this bridge mania, that what Lyon coun.
! ty needs for the next few years is q
board of county commissioners who
have backbone enough to kick bridge
propositions that come before them
under the table and let them lie there.
We must not be considered as opposed
TO furnishing the county with all needed
bridges. But We Go say that better
judgment should be displayed in build
ing them. We are trying 20 do too much
at once in bridge building, and the con-
sequence is lot of cheap, poor struc.
lures that must undergo expensive re-
pairs every two or three years. We
think we speak within the bounds Of
truth when we say half the bridges
built IN the county have partly fallen
TO pieces before they stood three years,
or haYe been total wrecks. Why not
adopt sensible and business like policy
in bridge building? Why waste any
more money on bridges? Let small
/, permanent levy be made, and when
enough money has accumulated 70
build good bridge, one that viii stand,
let it be built Who believes that $500
will build good bridge
at Columbia ford? We do not.
The next item is one and halt mills
, for the poor farm snd 70 support the
poor. This will raise $S.32e, with pari
, of which an addition to the poor house
is to be built. Last year We spent 81
605.90 for the poor, and this sum seemed
enormous. There Is an increase Of
$4.72S for this purpose. . piece d
luxury that could well have bssu
avoided. One mill IL 90 go for paying
railroad bonds. This is better beca1ol
itpays debts which must be mes. buI
half mill would have been enough q
this time, considering orr othel high
taxes
AS We view the matter the same lew
we had last year would have been am
!, ply sufficient tor this. A levy Of foul
: and half mills for current expenses
two and half for bridges and one-hai
: mill Tor bonds would have been amply
q sufficient. Then the commissioners
! ought TO have cut their garments 70 Fl