The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-04-19
ASSESSING PBOPERrY.


The following, which we find in the
Lawrence Tribune. may be Of interest
to property owners in our county, es-
pecially when taken in connection with
the assessable valuations on property
referred to in this paper last week:
The supreme court OF Kansas on last
Monday issued mandamus to the as
SCISSORS Of Atchison county and city,
requiring them to assess the real and
personal property subject TO taxation,
at its full value. The writ was issued
on the application of Attorney General
Bradford. The case1s one Of general
interest throughout the state, as 1t
affects every taxpayer, and OF special
interest to the cities whose revenues
are limited by the statute fixing the
maximum rate to be levied for the Vari-
GUS necessary funds. The laws Of the
state provide that all property shall be
listed for taxation at its true value,
and that value to be determined by its
usual selling price. A custom, how
ever, has grown up among the assess
ors throughout the state OF FIX
ing, each county for itself, a scale
of valuation, varying from twenty per
cent to par OF the true value OF the
property. This acts uneQually be-
tween the counties, as the same scale Is
not adopted by all, but more unfairly
as between the citizens OF the same
county, as it releases large proportion
from assessment. An illustration viii
show how unjustly. this method of seal
| ing works. The law exemptS from
taxation $500 In value to each head Of
family. On the scale Of Is per cent
of the value, which has been adopted
| by many of the counties, this $500 ex-
emption covers $500 valuation of per
sonal property, which is more than Is
held by large majority Of the people,
thus releasing them from so much Of
the public burden, and shifting It on
those who have been less fortunate In
keeping the value of their property,
within this safe limit. The mandate
of the court, directed to the several
assessors Of Atchison county is as fol
lows.
Whereas, it has been suggested tc
me by the affidavit, motion and ap-
plicatiOn of 8. B. Bradford, attorney
general Of the state of Kansas, the re
lator, that you, and each Of you as as
SCISSORS OF your respective townships
and the city OF Atchison, did meet al
the county seat Of Atchison county
on the FIRST Monday Of March, 1888, fol
the purpose Of agreeing upon an equal
basis of valuation OF such property q
you might be called upon to assess, anG
that at said time and place you die
then and there enter into an unlawfu
agreement and conspiracy to the effect
that you would not assess and return
such real and personal property IL
your respective townships liable to as
sessment for taxation at its true value
in money, as required by law, but in
stead thereof that you would asses
and return such real and persona
property, for taxation at one
fourth of its real cash valui
or true value in money, and that yoI
renow proceeding and engaged in car
. rying out of such unlawful agreement
and that said relator is without remed,
except by the interposition of thil
court. Now, therefore, we being will
ing that speedy justice should be don
in the premises. do command you ant
each OF you that you assess all real ant
; personal property in your RESPECTIVE
townships and in the city of Atchisol
at its true value in money, and no
otherwise, or that you and each of yol
l appear before the supreme court at tn
city of Topeka on May 1, 1888, at tw
O'Clock, to show cause why you ant
each of you have not done as com
manded in this writ.
1t is understood that this movement
is to be all along the line, If this writ
not set aside at the hearing in May.