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

81 s :, . ~ q
osificisa. but = kmsiy csssics. "a shs sarnes
hope that in providing fog ths support Of Z.
et.ts Govt tor a tns sn:ssns t1.nsi :.
! Supplied. and 1t tho same time the lsvy for NV
emo may bs reduced to at least three and three
tenths mill: thi, bsins the I.ts for :s.ss.l yess
taxable valuation annually yielding q givsz
rate co1espondingly greater revenue. il u rees
enable to hope and insist that the State IN all ii
varioue interests may be amply provided Tor at I
| INVESTED FUNDS.
| The permanent school fund invested at The
| close OF the fiscal year amounted to the sum Of
amounted to s01 z7o. The State UniWsrsity fund
invested. 1n7.s0 State Agricultural College
inveett in bonds l7s.066 II. and on land oon-
tracts ~, 62o.s6. Ali of these several amounts
! annum: The invested sinking fund at the close
OF the fiscal year was S12 COO in State bonds bear
ing seven Per cent. interest. The annual lew
bonds OF the State may be paid at maturity.
INCOME DISBURSEMENTS.
| The disbursements to the several counties OF
annual school fund, derived from interest on
sales OF school land and invested permanent fund
90s. 81. and for the fiscal year ending June 81.
1853, was $3.50. lS0.66. The income paid to the
State University from its investments for the
70 KISS scb and a in sss
s12 100. and for 1888: l,0c0 This school has an
income from unpaid balances on sales of land in
addition to the fund invested. To the Agricul-
$s1.0l6 s. These amounts should be considered
IN maktng appropriations for these educational
SINKING FUND.
REDEMPTION of State bonds has been omitted for
the past two years, and a law authorizing the
funding of the matured and maturing bonds
during the years 1888 and 1859, duly passed.
l cannot understand why q State like Kansas.
with An assessed valuation of 3S5s 248 sass and
debt OF only Se15, 00o, falling due in different
particularly 30 when the State Treasurer's report
showed that on March q. 1855. he received from
the National Government. on account of expenses
Indian hostilities, the sum of Sssa,sts.ls, Of
which under an existing law he credited to the
sinking fund. S2s2, SO. State bonds havio been
Issued IN payment OF such expenses. Tne bal
ance, 81 sos was credited to the revenue fund.
In the same report it is shown that in order to
provide q sufficient sum to meet the appropria-
tons OF the Legislative session of 1885, it be.
came necessary to transfer the said 1882 500 from
the sinking to the revenue fund. This, it appears.
was done by authority of an act Of the Legisla-
ture passsd at the special session of 1855. Thus
the full sum of 4ss2 s0s.'S became a part Of the
revenue, an amount exceeding one and one-tenth
mills levy on all the taxable property of the
State at that time. Business sagacity would have
than fund debt upon witch interest must be
hoped that the levy for sinking fund will
be revived, 80 that the State may be able to meet
Its bonded obligations as they severally fall due.
STATE DEBT.
Tho Gfo&o hoDdo on<et,rl;nc ~ A.. <l,xo o,o
$8lS. 600 $S7 600 of which mstured January LIST,
1889 Ofthis &86 600 Is held by the school fund
and $1,000 by the sinking fund.- The funding Of
1888. Thene1t bonds that fall due are Sl2,50O
held ~ The State school fund. On March 18th.
school fund. On July Is 1888. $4,000 tall due:
$50 600 of these are held By the school fund, and
$4,000 by individuals: On July 1st 1897. S2o00 900
are due fs being held BY the school fTad
three different issues of bonds ture. namely:
one Of $3.50, geo; one Of $4,000; and another of
SsSS9G Co. total sS99ooo OF these. $4,000 are
fund. $1,000 BY the state University fund, and
Ss4 900 by individuals. January LIST, 1899. the
balance Of the State debt, except fundine bond
being two Issues of bonds-one Of S7o.OoO aud
one Of es9. o00-equal to $159.OOO. OF these $25,-
GOO are held by individuale. and .S1s4.000 by the
an9s Sa
same being in the hands Of individuals and cor
porationsl Is: On July LIST, 1895, $4,000; July
. - ls" J.n sa1s0 July Iysse l' 1ss
totsi. s25s.too; The balance ''i Being held By
funds which the State controls.
The State debt has decreased since the date Of
the reasurers report S12 0C0, leaving the amount
actually outstanding. a. above stated. SsOs,00O.
Ofthis, $7s5. GOO falls due within the next ten
years. Computing upon the present assessed
an annual levy of about two-tenths of one mill
which Of course would be decreased with the in
crease of taxable wealth. Ordinary prudence
small degree in some direction. rather than con-
tnue the payment of interest for twenty years,
az the funding of the debt would contemplate.
G What hn.;,. sound policy for the pIu
fnanoierins for the State of Kansas. As my pre- pre-
deceseor eptly and wisely remarked in his mes
sage to this legislature. Pay az you CO." This
every municipality.
LOCAL TAXATION.
The amount raised by taxation for State. coun-
ty, township, and school purposes. on assessment
Of 1887. was 81. 4po 707. So. namey State, sl274
township. 81 .7as OF; and school. 1882 640s1
an average rate per cent. of $50 rpon each 500
of assessed value.
The taxes levied for purely local purposes sre
indeed burdersome. and are the only ones COM
planned Of, though entirely salf:imposed. The
State levy is email compared with the amounts
COueCtoO IN O0IIdyluS 0Xp6uboo Oh vdIlOub uuul-
cipalities. What the State exacts is only about
one-ninth part of the whole amount collected,
the balance being for purely local purposes. For
the support of county government alone the tax
levey is nearly three times as much as the State
requires; while townships, cities and school dis
tricts levy tribute with heavy hand, and in still
greater measure 10 defray expenses incidental to
local government q greater portion being for in
tereet on outstanding bonded Indebtedness, con-
tracted with q reckless extravaganza in many
cases little dreamed of of De Tocqueville. when
he wrote 80 eloQuently and admiringly of the
beauties of thoee minor municipalities as the
republics in the new system of popu-
lar governme Mt in America.
All this criticism of municipal government |
and taxation must not go without important |
qualification. complimentary to the generosity, |
enterp, ise and intelligence If not to the prudence
and foresight Of the people, who have absolute |
control in all these matters of local concern.
The ten thousand free schools and magnificent |
school houses account for q very considerable |
share of this cal taxation, of which no Kansan
ever complains. or offers word In exclamation. |
The nine thousand miles Of railroad in operation
In the State tell of millions and millions Of bonds
voted in aid of their construction. These railroads
the Kansan regards an educational force, oper-
ating on parallel lines with the school house the
pres and the telegraph. stimulating intercourse
and activity in the multiplied fields of human I