Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-01-19

statement il not IN al csseo, biosa - ~ 4.
many instances. indeed. the votes snfSceis;st
Directly OF indirectly. the peopie hsys -. ~
formed that failure to vote bonds vonld rrc,jt =
the location Of railway lines By snch routss -
wSud n an' WHICH "sss destroy
hopes, the efforts. and the accumulations Of yeers
Of labor and enterprise. In this aee. raiivays
make or unmake cities and towns, and whom
bond proposition submitted to Il. the alternsf,ve
Is well understood, and the freedom az astion
allowed its people Is not very clearly apparent
DisoRl,nHAT1oNs 4 AGMssr KANSAS TOWNS AND
Many communities, too, have been deluded BIZ
hopes or defrauded by promises of local advan-
taee that have not BEEN and never win be. real;
as local concern several of the railway Iines Of
Kansas are SO operated as to build up and foster
alien communities. to the detriment or destruc-
and burdensome as is the volume Of municipal
indebtedness our people have voted to aid in
building railways, it would not be disastrous #
the recipients of the prodigal bounties Of our
municipalities, were so managed as to build up,
promote and foster Kansas interests and Kansas
communities. But several, II not most. OF the
to retard the growth and damage the prosperity
of communities that have materially aided in
building them, and that are bearing heavy bur-
dens of taxation to meet indebtedness contracted
The Board Of Railroad Commissioners, in
its last annual report, calls attention to some of
and communities, and asks that additional
powers be conferred upon the Board, by law, to
compel the railways to deal Justly in such mat
ters. cordially l1dorse thus recEmmendahCn.
Board ample authority not only to redress the
wrongs specially mentioned, but to protect Kan
sas communities and Kansas interests generally
against determinations and injustice. That such
legislation is necessary, no observing citizen Of
the State will question. On several Kansas rail
ways trains are run and freights and fares are
that bear none of the burdens of our govern
ment, and have no common interest in Il 9 pros
perity Of our people One great line of railway,
termini at two points on our border. both outside
the limits of3Kansas. Another line disregards
the orders and defes the authority Of our Board
terests, the welfare of Kansas towns and cities
are ignored by many, if not most, of our rail-
ways, or if justice is done them it is grudgingly
conceded, not as right: but as favor It is time
that the 1aw-making power of the State gave
these matters its serious attention. Kansas COM
munities are Justly entitled to all the benefits
and advantages that Kansas railways can give
millions of dollars in bonds, have been given by
our people to aid in building these roads. The
benefciaries of this prodigal generosity should
State, and operate their lines as to confer the
largest possible benefits and advantages upon
Kansas communities. The Legislature, by wise
and firm enactments' should demand nd. that the he
utilized for the sole benefit of alien cities and
towns. The Board of Railroad Commissioners
should have ample authority to prevent
injustice being done to any Kansas COM
munity. either in the running of trains, in
the adjustment of freights and fares, or by any
other form Of discrimination hurtful to Kansas
tice and fairness of many railway managers have
been tried, again and again, for many years, and
have failed to accomplish any important results
determined public sentiment, viii do to secure
justice for Kansas at the hands of Kansas cor
poratiOns.
ILLEGAL METHODS.
call your attention, also, to the methods
adopted by several counties and municipalities,
for evading the existing limitations put upon
their tax-levyirg and debt-creating authority.
The Legislature of 1879 enacted a Law ITO enable
counties, municipal corporations, the Boards of
Education Of any city, and School Districts, to
refund theiI Indebtedness" It was the plain
intent and purpose of the Legislature in enact
ing this law, to confer upon these municipali-
ties, boards and districts authority to refund
bonded indebtedness only; that is, to take up
stead. But the letter of the statute confers upon
any of these municipal subdivisions OF the State
power to compromise and refund its matured
and maturing indebtedness of eUery Lind and de-
scriptiO1l ,chdtSOeUer, upon such terms as can be
agreed upon, and to issue new bonds In
payment for any sums 80 compromised"
In several, if not In many counties, cities,
townships and school districts of the State, am
informed that the authorities have issued war
rants or orders on the treasury for any purpose
whatsoever, and whenever these warrants or or
them as ''matured Indebtedness" and proceeded
to compromise and refund them by issu-
ing in their stead Understanding bonds.
ern oonnties a such ne~ Warrants have been
issued to pay expenses incurred in con-
Quoting county seat cases, as well as for other
S bo OF bs az
embody its original purpose in plain language,
that cannot be perverted. The authority in
tended to be conferred, under its directions. was
perhaps necessary. But the authority exercised
was never intended to be conferred, and has
been used, in many instances, to further wanton
extravaganza If not fragrant public robbery and
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION.
In two previous biennial messages have called
the attention OF the Legislature to the fact that
property values needed thorough revision. Their
defects, universally recognized are organic The
system that creates, invites differentiation and
possible to secure uniform and lust assessment
of property until there is radical change In the
methods of assessing and equalizing values. 50
long as township trustees are employed as the
assessors. just so long will unequal and unjust
assessments be the rule 1t is absurd to expect
that these officers, holding their positions by the
votes OF those whose property they assess, Will not
constituents all possible exemption from the
burdens of taxation.
Our laws, too, are contradictory in their direc-
tons to assessors. Section Is, chapter 107, Laws
of 1879 requires that all classes of property shall
be assessed .'at the true value, thereof in
money" section So, of the same chapter, how
ever directs assessors to assemble at tho
county seat, on the first Monday of March
of each year, land then agree upon an equal basis
Of yalnation Of such: property as they may be
called upon to assess." The assessors invariably
interpret the last quoted provision as a9thorixing
them TO fix any "basis of valuation" they may
deem proper, and, a. rule. agree on q basis" of
one-third or one fourth az the real cash value.
But in actual work, even this basis is frequently
disregarded BY assessors and numerous instances
can be cited In nearly every county, whore prop
erty is asseesed ct not to exceed ten per cent OF
its real value.
The county CLERKS, at q convention recently
held, adopted resolution looking to theelection
of Q county assessor for each county. Tho officers
making this suggestion have knowledge and
experience touching the practical workings OF
our assessment laws, that entities their opinion
to considerate attention. The qneetionsinvolved
however, are complex, and it viii b dificalt to
estab,ish system that will not be open to some
objections. But it IL certain that . more unfair,
inadequate, and objectional system than that
now provided By our laws cannot be devised.
A. haar