The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-19
WHERE WOULD KANSAS BEa

The attempt of the Wichita EAGLE to
influence the county commissioners to
donate S. 900 for Sedgwick county's. pro-
portion of the proposed Sl00tO0 fund for
the Kansas exhibit at the worlds fair
should be severely censured by the tax
payers. The commissioners have no power
to levy a tax for any such purpose, and as
our taxes are already high they certainly
will not do so. If the money can be raised
by private subscription well and good.
Should the commissioners be so foolish as
t make the donation, we apprehend that
they will be promptly restrained. While
we would be glad to have Kansas fully
represented the taxpayers of Sedgwick
county should not be forced to pay the
amount demanded by the EAGLE.-Cheney
Herald.
The EAGLE has no more interest in the
matter than has any other institution OF
any individual whose all is involved IN
the present and with the future of Sedg-
wick county and Kansas. Nor has the
EAGLE attempted to influence the county
commissioners, but rather the people of
the county. If the amount is raised by
subscription, it will have to be con-
tributed by the enterprising few and the
generous, and we have no doubt that
the editor of the Herald, as he is in favor
of having "Kansas fully represented, "
stands ready to do his part. But, Is 1T
fair or morally right to ask him, and
maybe dozen other generous men of
Cheney, to go down in their pockets for
cash sufficient to meet Morton townships
quota while others of his neighbors, just
as able, and who will be benefited just
as much, together with all the non
resident property holders who also will
be beuetitted proportionally, just as
much, and to enjoy such benefit at the
expense of the generosity of the editor
of the Herald, and the few enterprising
and 'broad-minded men who are to help
him to put Kansas before the world in
her Respondent and true light? The
EAGLE don't care how the money is
raised, so it is done in fair and honor
able way; but it knows that the non-resi-
dent owner, whose property is being
rendered more valuable every day by
we who are here struggling with efforts
to develop the country, ought to put up
his full share, to say the least. and the
only way to reach him is through the
tax rolls, which reaches all alike and
equitably. A large per cent of the prop
erty of Kansas is held by
non..- resident spectators and in
vestors, who are lookingto the enterprise
of the people of Kansas to make their
property valuable, while these non
residents never do anything to help ex-
cept as we catch them through the tax
rolls. If the four thousand dollars is
raised by subscription, and which is the
amount we believe assigned to Sedgwick
county, we venture that not more than
a thousand men or so will have to make
the entire contribution which is to
benefit the more than ten thousand
others found upon the tax rolls. Ii all
the counties would thus through their
commissioners make an appropriation
covering the quota assigned them, 1T
would be exactly the same to every tax
payer as if the state legislature should
have made the appropriation in the bulk,
cost the people less the expense
of the legislature while thus employed
in the work, which if it should be by an
extra session, would amount to one
fourth as much as the entire sum asked;
which also would come out of the tax
payer. With all the foreign nations and
principalities of the world going down
into the revenues of their respective
peoples to contribute to the Columbian
exposition of the United States, how
would Kansas, which profited more by
her show made at the Centennial than
anv other state, feel with one hundred
thousand of her people being asked every
day for six months, Had Kansas moth
ing to exhibit"
The railways were assessed their full
proportion and have responded that they
will put up their cash as soon as the
counties of the state have done likewise;
SO the EAGLE simply reiterates that
which brought out the Herald's criticism,
and that is it would be the most equit-
able and morally just course for the tax
payers of Sedgwick county, without re-
gard to party, to petition the county
commissioners to make an appropriation
from the general fund sufficient to cover
the amount that the tax rolls show to be
our true proportion of the amount de-
sired by the commissioners to put Kansas
on an equal footing at Chicago with
other western states.
s~---a--------
DEMOCRATIC DEFENDER