The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-10-21
IaY Arain.

Nh. EDTToR:-I have Carefully read the
communication OF Old Settler in reply to
my article Of the day before, and while
thank him for his. in some respects able,
and In all respects, very gentlemanly re-
ply, think he unintentlonly misrepre-
senis or misundeTstands my position. He
says INVESTED largely in real estate when
our then village was much more 10 debt
proportionately than our city now Is. Mr..
Editor, at the time so invested was not
aware of the Indebtedness of the county !;
but if had been it would not then have
deferred me from so doing. /, after look
ing over the state, settled in Emporia on
account of the beauty Of Its location, It's
freedom from miasma, but above all for
Its reputation as . strictly temperance
town, where saloons were not allowed or
tolerated. did not come here because
had not succeeded IN other places,
but came here for the
reasons already stated. wanted my
children and my grandchildren brought
up free from tbs demOrAlIzIng influences
that always follow in the wake Of whisky
selling dram shops. l therefore invested
several Thousand dollars in this vicinity.
Taxes, even with q much heavier county
Indebtedness, were never near as high as
they are now. Why this is so I am unable
TO explain, unlesy extravaganza on the
part OF our law makers has been the rule.
| have heard over and over again, citizens
OF the older states express themselves free
lY in favor of our city and vicinity, but
when informed of the amount of our taxes,
say, "this will never do for u.s." We like
your city, We like your people, but your
taxes we can't stand
Mr.. Editor. YOU, have no doubt, have
heard the same obi ctiOn and have seen
peyple leave and go elsewhere
on account OF what to them
have see med excessive taxes. Il
Now, my dear Old Settler, don't
think you read very carefully my former
communication, or you would have seen
that l opposed the extravaganza OF q neIo
court house costing, in all probability, over
q hundred thousand dollars. ] said then
and now repeat that with $4,000 and a
free site which we now own adjoining our
court house, Jail and the necessary offices
for the safety of our records can be kept.
So your argument on Humanitarian
grounds falls to pieces. Mr.. Editor, we
are differently constituted. What might
not and did not deter me, will and has, to
my knowledge, deferred many. /, thanks
to my own industry, temperance and fru-
gAlItY during long life, had accumulated
property sufficient not 10 be frightened at
the taxes, taking the benefits
of the surroundings into con-
sIderatlon as an Offset TO them.
Diners not so fortunate, were frightened
and left the place. Again, If "Old
Settlers" arguments amount to anything,
and, because l was not frightened at the
taxes, others would not be, why does il
not also work the same in other channels
Old Settler speaks of my contributions in
aid of the cyclone and earthquake suf-
ferers. If what one does others will also
do, why does he not to clinch his ergu-
menta, mention the names OF others who
assisted those far off sufferers? 1t Is be-
cause we are not alike. Most folks thinks
charity begins at home, and we all know
that more freely giving community for
charitable purposes does not exist
throughout our Drosd land than the peo-
pie of this city. Please pardon me sir for
again trespasEing on your columns, but
thought It necessary to explain. Yours,
w. JAY.