The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-01-18

o htndrance rather than q help to prosperity
and that they will not earn enough, for man
years TO come, to nay their operating expenses
| Their construction has entailed upon the PEG
| pie of many Of our counties townships an,
cities enormous municipal debts, which will b.
burden. not . curse, to their population
| for q generation.
1t is often said that these municipal debts
were voluntarily contracted by the people. Blu
this statement Is not, IN all cases, based on fact
In many instances, indeed, the votes author
| izng them have been secured by compulsor,
process. Directly or indirectly the people havt
been informed that failure to vote bonds woult
| result in the location Of railway lines by sucf
routes as would seriously injure or utterly de
| stroy existing communities. in which were GEN.
tered all the hopes, the efforts, and the accumu
| lations ofyears Of labor and enterprise. In thi:
age railways make or unmake cities and towns
and when o community, knowing this fact, has
| railway bond proposition submitted to it the
alternative is well understood and the freedom
Of action allowed its people is not very clearly
apparent.
DIsCRIMINATIONs AGAINST KANSAS INTERESTS
Many communities, too, have been deluded
by hopes or defrauded by promises OF local ad'
vantage that have Tot BEEN and never will be
realized. And worse than all, and OF State as
we'll as local concern. several OF the railway
lines OF Kansas are so operated as to build UP
and foster alien communities, to the detrimeni
or destruction of our own towns and cities.
Extravagant and burdensome as is the volume
OF municipal Indebtedness our people have
voted TO aid in bull ding railways, it would not
be disastrous II hese corporations, tn Great
ures OF our laws and the recipients of the prod
igal bounties of our municipalities, were so
managed as to build up, promote and foster
Kansas interests and Kansas communities.
But several, if not most, OF the railroads trav-
crsing our State are SO operated as to retard the
growth and damage the prosperity of commu-
mites that have materially aided IN building
them, and that are bearing heavy burdens Of
taxation to meet indebtedness contracted for
this purpose.
The Board Of Railroad Commissioners, in its
last annual report, calls attention to some of
these Determinations against Kansas interests
and communities, and asks that additional
powers be conferred upon the board, by law, TO
compel the railways to deal justly in such mat
tiers. Icordially indorse this Recommendation,
and trust that the Legislature will vest in the
board ample authority not only to redress the
wrongs specially mentioned, but to protect
Kansas communities and Kansas interests gen.
orally against determinations and injustice.
That such legislation is necessary, no observ-
ing citizen of the State will question. On sew
eral Kansas RAILWAYS, trains are run and frelghts
and fares are adjusted for the benefit OF alien
communities, that bear none Of the burdens Of
our Government, and have no common interest
in the prosperity of our people. One great line
Of railway, traversing a large portion Of our
State, has termini at two points on our border,
both outside the limits OF Kansas. Another
line disregards the orders and defies the au-
thority OF our Board OF Railway Commission
ers. The rights, the interests the welfare Of
Kansas towns ana cities are ignored by many,
If not most, OF our railways, or II justice Is
done them II Is grudgingly conceded not
as right, but Us q favor. It is time that the
law making power OF the State gave these
matters its serious attention. Kansas commu-
mites are justly entitled to all the benefits and
advantages that Kansas railways can give
them. Millions of acres Of State lands, and
millions OF dollars In bonds have been given by
our people TO aid in building these roads. The
benenciaries OF this prodigal generosity should
recognize their obligations to the people of the
State, and so operate their lines as to confer
the largest possible benefits and advantages
upon Kansas communities. The Legislature.
by wise and firm enactments, should demand
that the trade and commerce Of the State
shall not be utilized for the sole benefit OF
alien cities and towns. The Board Of
Railroad Commissioners should have ample au-
thority to prevent injustice being done to any
Kansas community. either in the running OF
trains, in the adjustment Of freights and fares,
or by any other form OF discrimination hurtful
to Kansas interests or Kansas people. Appeals
to the business and fairness of many railroad
managers have been tried, again and again, for
many years, and have failed TO accomplish any
important results. 1t is time to try what
stringent law, backed by determined public
sentiment will do to secure justice for Kansas
at the hands OF Kansas corporations.
ILLEGAL METHODS.
1 call your attention, Also to methods adopted
by several counties and municipalities for
evading the existing limitations put upon their
tax-levying and debt-creatlng authority. The
Legislature of 1879 enacted law ito enable
counties. municipal corporations, the board Of
education of any city. and school districts, to
refund their indebtedness" It was the plain
intent and purpose Of the Legislature, in enact
ing this law, to confer upon these municipalities,
boards and districts, authority to refund bonded
Indebtedness only; that is, TO take up outstand-
ing bonds and issue others in their stead. But
the letter Of the statute confers upon any one
of these municipal sub divisions Of the State
power to compromise and refund its matured
and maturing indebtedness Of every kind and
description whatsoever. upon such terms as can
be agreed upon, and to issue new bonds .
In payment for any sums SO compromised"
In several. il not in many counties, cities,
townships and school districts of the State, I
am informed that the authorities have issued
warrants or orders on the treasury for any pur-
pose whatsoever, and whenever these warrants
or orders aggregated o considerable sum, have
treated them as '.matured indebtedness 4" and
proceeded to compromise and refund them
by issuing in their stead Understanding bonds
In some OF the newly organized western coun-
ties such warrants have been issued to pay ex-
penses incurred in conducting county seat con-
tests, as well as for other unauthorized or ex-
travagant expenditures.
This law should be so amended, at once, as to
embody its original purpose in plain language.
that can not be perverted. The authority in
tended to be conferred under IT'S directions
was perhaps necessary. But the authority ex-
ercised was never intended TO be conferred, and
has been used, In many instances, to further
Wonton extravaganza II not fragrant public rob
berry and Official mslfeasance.
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION.
In two previous biennial messages have
called the attention of the Legislature to the
fact that our laws for the assessment and
revision Their defects, universally recognized.
are organic. Tho system they create invites
and encourages Partially and
injustice. II is impossible TO secure . uniform
and just assessment Of property until there 10 q
radica, change in the methods Of assessing and
eQualizing values. So long ss township trustees
are employed as the assessors, just so long will
unequal and unjust assessments be the rule. 1t
Is absurd 70 expect that these officers, holding
their positions by the votes Of those whose
property they assess, will not each endeavor TO
secure for his neighbors and constituents all pos
sible exemption from the burdens Of taxation.
Our laws too, are contradictory in their direc
tions 70 assessors. Section Is chapter 100, laws
Of 1874 requires that all classes OF property
shall be assessed at the true value thereof
in money" Section S. Of the same chapter.
however, directs assessors to assemble at the
county seat on the first Monday Of March of
each year, and then agree upon an equal basis
Of valuation Of such property as they may De
called upon to assess" The assessors invari-
ably interpret the last quoted provision as
them 70 nx any 'basis Of valuation"