Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-01-26

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i The 6safs AUDITOR cells stssution 10 de fund
ing q county v.nants Tor c1rsns e1psose
undsr tie ssnesal f.ntaing Law Of 1870. Gndal
fsnd indehesdssss Without so6mittins tie GUS
tton TO . vote OF the people. This hae besn taksz
advant.ee Of. and large amounts OF bonds, run
6.ss isoed q M }os sss
and cities have availed thsmselves OF this, and
for that reason. The Act referred 70 shonld b
amended % 10 TO prohibit this indiscriminate
issue Of funding bonds.
RAID CLAIM CERTIFICATES.
Under the act passed at the last Legialature
e susirfias oerSc.sss to the amount q ssaS'
576.s4 principal, and 90. $3.50 interest. have
been iseued. q shown BY the report Of the Aud
Of the annual interest and onesenth Of the prin-
cipal which natures February 1st ls91.
90 far as the Pnce raid claims are concerned. !
Ell .q doIs
to the State b. the General Government to pay
certain specified claims. and By the State grossly
misappropriated. should Be immediately made
good to the claimants thus wrongly deprived OF
| their money.
STATE OFFICERS.
| In making estimates and computations for
| revenue and other purposes for the fiscal year
| ending June Ath. 1890 and 1891. the Auditor and
Treasurer should b. consulted. They are the
| financial officers of the State and their knowl-
edge will be valuable on this question. Their
ports are commenced to your earnest attention.
| and should be carefully considered. These re-
ports, together with the reports Of all State and
bureau officers, fail to receive the careful atten-
ton from legislators to which they are entitled,
| as can testify from personal experience.
| ASSESSMENT.
The question Of anne ding the present system
OF ass ssment il much discussed. The demand
is that all property shall be assessed at its true
value. The Law reQires the assessor. from actual
view and from best sources of information with
in his r.ach,No determine as nearly as practica-
BILE the true value.
Referring to personal property, the law re-
quires the several township and city SCISSORS to
meet and agree on an equal basis OF valuation of
Again, the oath required from the assessor to be
ATTACHED to his personal property return. 10 that
the value thareof IL estimated by the rules pre-
ecribed By law. This the assessor cor strues to
mean the equal basis agreed rpon at the meeting
of the several township and city assessors. These
township assessors are elected BY the people of
cal friends and followers. 1t has occurred 10
ne that in amending this law. after providing
for the assessment of all property at Its true
ing to perform their duties in accordance with
the statute. it would be well to make the office as
nearly nom political as possible. And it instead
office Of County Assessor be created, that It e
made the duty of the judge of the district court
of the several judicial districts to select and ap
IN their respective districts, Who shall hold office
for the period of two years. that eaid judge shall
have power to remove for cause and to fill va
cancies; such county assessor to have authority
OF such judge. An amendment of this kind
might remedy the evil complained of and secure
the assessment of property at its true value.
CORPORATION LAWS,
The attention of the Legislature is called TO
the act concerning private corporations. The
liberalty of the State permits the creation of
porations for nearly every conceivable purpose.
upon them, without any direct charge or expense
whatever. The ease with which corporations are
formed and the nominal expense incurred in
number that exist only in name. the in
that so@ethins may grow ont of fling Of the a.
Of this Law BY Citizens Of foreign States. who
come to Kansas long enough to secure the COOP
CREATION of sufficient number of actual residents,
az 1Ss on sDa n
their foreign homes to commence business.
holding themselves out as a full hedged corpora
tion. duly authorized under the laws Of Kansas:
State. their property is beyond the State limits,
no taxes IL levied thereon, and no benefit what
ever is derived BY the State for the corporate
should be amended SO that NO corporation should
be created or organized under the laws Of Kan
sas, except those formed for benevolent religious
named as incorporators shall have psid into the
State treasury specified sum or rate per cent.
on the capital stock Of such corporation. and
capital stock is increased; that a receipt from
the State Treasurer, showing that such sum had
been paid. should Re filed with the Secretary of
corporation or association; that the sums 80 paid
into the treasury should become part of the
general revenue and credited to that fund: By
this means the State would receive large tribute
for th0powers conferred.
FEES AND SALARIES.
There il, among the people. a demand for come
revision of the law regulating the fees and SAL
aries Of county officerr. Every Office should be
be liberal, considering the services required and
the responsibility inseparabe from every public
truet.
act. governing one hundred and six counties,
differing so widely in population and business,
is a task not free from difficulty. As between
inequality and IN Justice in Observation-Disclosures in
some instances should be reduced, while in 9TH |
ers it could not be done without great injustice.
sSe Is csrsany This
fest from few striking examples. The treas J
urer, in many counties. rs ceives more
pay pay than the State Treasurer; There
dutiee, responsibilities and qualifications necss-
sary to proper die charge of the functions of tho
respective offices. To cay that the compersa-
ton should be the same in both cases. would be |
The register of deeds in many cases gets more |
pay than the judge of the district court or the |
justices Of the Supreme court, positions requir-
ing great learning. hard labor. and years OF ex- |
perience and preparation. The pay Of our State |
Treasurer 10 ridiculousy meager. that Of our ju-
dietary far from Liberal. and something is sadly |
out of joint in the matter of salaries of county
officers. trust that further reference to these |
matters will not be necessary to secure an early |
and adequate remedy.
INSURANCE.
The Last report of the Superintendent Of In
surance shows that one hundred and seventeen |
insurance companies are authorised to do bust |
ness in the State. Eighty-three of thee were
f Q companies, twenty eight life. and elk COM
: anies are classed miscellaneous. About |
twenty Kansas comps MES have died of exposure |
and the number of worthless home companies |
has become very small.
The receipts Of the insurance department Last |
year. paid BY companies doing business here.
were Isl, 4e857. The receipts of the department
since it vas established in 1871. have been $685.
Sass: Most Of this money has gose into the |
school fund and the general revenue fund. It is |
turned over to the State Treasurer everT month. |