Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-01-23
MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.

We would like for every citizen of this
county to carefully read Governor
Humphreys message on the subject of
the promiscuous issuing of bonds by
counties, cities and municipalities. At
this particular time, when it is proposed
TO saddle another 500 900 burden on this
city, the governors views are apropos.
The governor says:
The subject OF municipal indebted
ness has been a fruitful theme OF exec
utIve messages. For years each of my
predecessors has warned, protested aud
eXpOStulaJed Ill vain, for in spite of il
ali The volume of debt has doubled and
trebled, swelling with each recurrence
OF The frenzy in railroad construction
until, as IL appears by the auditor s re-
port, Ihat Oh July LIST, 1897, the grand
aggregate of county, township, city,
board OF education and hOOl-diStrict
Indebtedness amounted to S3I ,l07, 646 O3
bearing an average interest of at least
8 per cent. per annum. This interest
means an annual tax of 81 1856, ASS. 81, Oh
levy equal to FIVE and one-fOurth mills
on the dollar on the present assessed
value OF all taxable property in the
ceeds the state levy for the year 1888, by
5419, 1903,
During the past two years $I3, 1886, O6l
of bonds have been registered in the
auditors office, showing that this in
debtedness exceeds the aggregate herein
mentioned by several millions of dol
lars, The report on total indebtedness
being to July |, 1887, and OH regstra-
zion to June 80, 1888. OF the amount SO
registered, So, $50 was to aid In con-
struction of railroads. This indebted
ness is a severe and constant strain up
On the productive resources OF the tax
paying people. There Is no mysterious
alchemy in legislation whereby debts
can be discharged, and l realize how
much easier it is to suggest difficulties
and conditions requiring cure than it
is to devise the remedy; and attention
10 called to this subject now by way of
warning, and in the hope that while the
past is beyond recall and must take care
IF itself, you must do something tor the
future In the way of clipping the wings
Of these minor municipalities, by aTigid
and wholesome limitation upon their
power to vote bonds for any purpose
other than to build school houses
always to be excepted in Kansas. How
the existing debts of these municIpali
ties are to be paid is for the taxpayer.
How to provide some safeguard for the
future, is the question that confronts
YOU. An absolute prohibition above a
specified rate per cent. of the taxable
value of all property, would greatly cur
tail the power to issue bonds.
1.-The state auditor calls attention to
the funding of county warrants for cur
rent expenses. under the general fund
ing law of 1879. Under this law. cOun-
ties and cities can issue bonds to fund
indebtedness without submitting the
question to a'vote of the people. This
has been taken advantage of, and large
amounts of bonds, running twenty
years and bearing 6 per cent. interest.
have been issued in payment for out
standing county warrants. Some of
the newer counties and cities have
availed themselves of this, and have
undoubtedly become lavish in expendi-
ture for that reason. The act referred
70 should be amended so as to prohibit
this indiscriminate Issue of funding
bonds"