The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-06

| of goods worth $4,000. moneys and
credits worth $4,000, that makes him
worth $50. 600. less his Indebtedness. If
he owes SO, 600 the law allows him to
| deduct that amount from his monies and
credits, which leaves his assessment
/ stand at $4,000. which is all he is
worth. And that is right Most every
one that trades and barriers can take adj
vantage of that law as il now stands by
| balancing their credit with their debts.
| But how is it with the farmer? If he
| buys a farm worth s., 900 and paws 81, 900
down, and gives mortgage on the farm
| for the balance due, of $4,000, under our
present law, the rate of assessment will
be based on a valuation of $1,000, while
he is absolutely only worth 81. 600. He
has no money and credit to balance his
Indebtedness, and be is not allowed 70
take his Indebtedness out of his real
estate assessment Does this give equal
taxation!
feeding cattle in the fall. He borrows
the money, gives mortgage on the
cattle TO secure the debt. He feeds the
cattle until they are fat, and sells them
on the first day of April to pay the debt.
and assesses him on the basis OF 81 600
for the cattle, as he had them on the
first day of March; while, in fact, there
is neither cattle or debt in existence.
The farmer never did own the cattle, in
fact. The only dollar of actual owner
ship by him in the cattle was the extra
flesh he put on after buying, till sold.
Is that justice?
The day laborer concludes to buy
small property for home for himself
and family. He buys under the INSTALL
ment plan, and the payments are so
arranged as to keep ahead of what the
property would rent for. He buys
house and lot for $1,000; he pays $25
down. Probably before the second pay
ment falls due the assessor calls around
and assesses him at the rate of $1,000.
No use to kick, he has no remedy under
the law. He has paid S25. He owes
1915, and he is assessed at the rate of
$50, for every dollar he is worth. Is the
case overdrawn? / think not.
You may ask why it works a greater
hardship on farmers and laborers than
other people. My reason is this.
Farmers as rule get cash down or
trade, in exchange for all the produce
that leaves the farm. A few come out
about even, others a little ahead,
which they spend on Improvements, etc,
while hundreds are loaded with
debts from year toyear. It's safe propo-
sltion that not more than one in twenty
five have money and credits with which
to balance their Indebtedness. The great
majority of laboring men live up to and
beyond their income. Most all of the
moneys and credits are coming to the
other fellow; hence, unjust taxes on the
very men who are least able to pay
them. There are a few farmers who
loan money, but they are few and far
between. Not but what there are many
farmers who are accommodating property,
but they prefer more land to money on
interest, and they generally reach be-
yond what they are able to pay down.
assuming voluntarily the very burden l
am talking about.
l do not assert that there are a larger
per cent. of laboring men in debt than
men of other callings, for we are
nation of debtors, but I do say that the
are more apt to have money
and credit to balance their debts than
the laboring man, thereby giving them
many chances over the laborlng man OF
an unjust assessment.
These defective and unequal laws OF !
can be easily remedied, if
the classes of people Interested will
adopt sensible methods and pursue them
with the same vigor that capitalists and
do in carrying ont their
schemes. 1t will take earnest, persistent
and continued work to remedy all the
bad legislation that now affect our tinan- |
cial welfare, not only as state but as
Ia union there is strength and you
will never get what you want by organ !
izing or running off after third parties. |
You brighten away your strength by so |
doing. Have you never noticed that |
steer clear of third parties? /
Look back if you please, and see if you |
can recall a single instance, where they |
ever depended on a third party to carry /
their measures. They like to see third /
parties, but they are very careful to put /
in their work with one, of the two great |
political parties of this country, and you
should do your work the same way.
In fact | sometimes think. that the
gang" of political demagogues who /
have been and are now leading the
over the entire country to some extent.
but more particularly confined to Kan
,as), are the hired tools OF monied corp
orations and combines; knowing that de-
ieat is sue, to any measures advocated
by third parties.
do not mean By this, that the meas
Tres advocated by the present third or
Peoples are right and just and should
prevail. There are few ideas advocat-
ID by them that might possibly bear in
7estigation. But as an entirety their
platform of principles, IS simply absurd
md ridiculous, and displays stupidity,
hat Is alarming.
But | am dIverging, this is not intend
d as a partisan communication. To
emedy the above inequalities in asses
nent and taxation, | would place in the
ist of assessable property every evidence
# indebtedness, mortgages, notes,
and every other instrument
# writing upon which an action might
% brought IN courts of justice to
ecover money, or upon which exeCu-
ion may issue. Would there be any
hing unfair OF unjust IL such a law
Nothing whatever, IN my judgment. Bat
avs one. that would iulure our credit,
nd we could not borrow any money,
rom the east whence II all comes. / do
lot believe 1t would inIure Us IN the
east. If anv II would be bat tenn porariIv.
Bur that is not the question Is the pri1-
ipis right: And If 1t Is, then we should
dopt II. II the people IS the east should
ave TO pay the taxes on their invest
nents in Kansas. they would probably
ONE to Kansas anu invest ia some man
a