Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-01-26
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
TO Nn Lenislatnre;


tives of the people, pursuant to the requiem nts
Of the constitution, is an occurrence 80 frequent
and usual as not of itself 10 attract more than
ordinary attention; but the political contests
which marked the election at which You were
chosen were such as to engage the attention OF
the people OF the whole state in most unusual
manner. The interest which attended upon the
late political campaign has been kept alivo not
only as regards tho results of the election but 30
far as II may be likely TO affect tho future policy
of the state Contempora neous with your cleo
ton, the people selected from among their num-
Der an entire set Of state officers who enter for
the first time upon the great duty Of admins
tering the government, indicating purpose on
the part of the people TO secure suck changes in
the management Of public affairs as they deemed
10 be necessary for their safety and protection
Beneath the surface of all political social agi
tation there has developed conviction that the
essential strength of every state must de-
pend upon its Justice in dealing with all persons
and with all interests. The relation Of authority
and service, of capital and labor, are daily APP
pealing 20 higher clements than force for tho
adjustment Of differences while the artificial
and fuctuatng relations of money and power
are proportionately weakened. Immunity FROM
responsibility for violated trusts, md immunity
from the penalty OF great social and moral
wrongs are yielding to the demand for reform
The great political parties have become so inter
mingled in opinion upon economic questions that
opportunity has been found for more deliberate
inquiry into apparent abuses OF official position
and power. Not only goodwill in words, but
goodwill in deeds among men, and on the part
of those in authority, always tend alike to the
safety and protection Of the individual and OF
the public.
Your selection as the constituent members OF
the law-maklng department of the state, and
your due organization having been accomplished,
the whole machinery Of state government is
moving onward in its accustomed manner; and
with Il sincere purpose on your part TO give tho
people the laws which they demand, and TO
which they are entitled, which efforts and pur-
poses will be cordially supported by the other
departments of the government, IL Is believed
that an era Of general prosperity will be realized
Let US all endeavor in our respective places to
discharge the duties devolved upon us by our
common constituency In such manner as to de-
serve their intelligent approval.
In obedience to the requirement. OF the constl-
tuition, that the executive shall ut the COM
mencement of each session communicate to the
legislature such information rs he may possess
In reference to the condition OF the state and
recommend such measures as he may deem ex-
pedient, i proceed to submit some suggestions
Tor your consideration;
Finance.
An ancient adage, "Out OF debt, ont of dam
ger" has been supplanted In some circles in
khAu arm In Inv luF
Investments" The late Governor John A. Mar
tin in his message to the state Legislature on
January II, 1887 presented thefollowing startling
thoughts:
1.-THE aggregate Of municipal indebtedness is
rapidly and enormously swelling until it has
reached proportions that should alarm every
citizen who has at heart the prosperity of the
state and the well being Of Its people
1.-THE municipal subdivisions of the state have
gone on voting bonds and piling up interest bear
Ing debts that will in few years cripple and dis
hearten every energy and ambition Of their
people and paralyze all public spirit.
IF all the bonds voted were issued, the munc-
ipal indebtedness of Kansas would be; County,
SiI81S,65 township, $9415, 806; city S9975, 49,;
school district $2,SSS,4lO; total, $O,Bi9Sl."
Itwould be buta automatic statement to make
the declaration that Ex-Governor Martin would
were he still on the earth, instinctively and in
tuitively repudiate the Wanted boast so boldly
made, Our debts stand for our Investments"
But the following comparison of municipal In
uepteunebb may DO appropriate unu peTJlneuI'
VARIOUS KINDS or INDEBTEDNESS.
Amount of county bonds in 1890 S14 792, 929 40
Amount of county bonds in 1892. ... 15,023, 80
Increase in county bonds in two
years .,,,.,,.',,...,',,,.,.,.,S 2h42i4l
Amount Of township bonds in 1890 .$S 0i0 500 81
Amount OF township bonds in lS92... B,OS2SO,OO
Increase in township bonds In two -
years Observation-Disclosures. i2,23,33
Amount of city bonds in 1890. 1872, 1885
Amount of city bonds in 1S92....... 9,Sil ,j2050
Increase in city bonds in two
years. ,.......,...,,.......,..$21 OS,77O7S
Amount of school district bonds in
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.: 49, ,O22S7
Observation-Disclosures. S1,871l6
Decrease in school district bonds
In two years. ......,....,....,,,,SlB 2S, 4lO9l
II may here be seen that the aggregate increase
in county, township and city bonds during the
last two years is S2,ln ,4I1.H.
THE STATES ASSESSED VALUATIONS.
The total assessed valuation of all
property in 1899 ..,...,,........$3 i7 III 2tS 90
The total assessed valuation of all
property in 1902 .....,,........ 1874, 2Ol, $3.50 As
Decrease in valuation in two
years ..,................,... 1882 ,54s.55
Assessed valuation Of all lands tax
able in 1890 $l6S 2s5, 1917
Assessed valuation of all lands tax
able in 1892. .................,,. III, 1877 1885
Increase in value in two years.,$ 1881, 9SO.8S
Assessed valuation Of all personal
property taxable in 1890 ...,..... SIS, $50 9t3.39
Assessed valuation of all personal
property taxable in 1872 .......... 1886, I6S7S
Decrease in value in two years. 8 2,495, 1880
Assessed valuation Of live stock for
1890, ,.,,;...,..,,.;.,......, ,$S1, 2l7S6l,O5
1902. 81, OS9, 422OO
Decrease in value in two years,.$ 214,4S0.55
erty in 1890 .;,..,.,;,..,; $57, 500, 2S257
Assessed valuation OF railroad prop
erty in 1892. .....,.......,,....... 81, 4Oi,5l374
Decrease in value in two years.. s q, 461, 6ss.SS
Assessed valuation Of all town lots
taxable in 1890 ,....,,,;.,,..,.,... $79 S14S7S7O
Assessed valuation OF all town lots
taxable in 1892 ........,..,........ 65,S17,532Os
Decrease in value in two years S 7,I97, 3l1 go
1t is quite noticeable that the decrease in the
assessment of live stock personal property, rail
roads, and town lots in the last two years has in
the aggregate, decreased Sl6,60S $780, while
there has been an increase In the assessment OF
farms, improved and unimproved lands, OF
S2SS1, 9306S.
From the first report of the state bank COM
missioner it may be seen that the total resources
of state and private banks in October, 1891, was
$50, 2G ,9Sl27, and that in June, 1892 their re-
sources were S33,062 7S1.O6, which shows an in
crease in eight months time of 81, s0i, i10.79.
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS.
From the report of the state treasurer we learn
that the
Amount in the state treasury on July
, l, lSO was. ;....:.........,....:...S u0,1SS.lS
Received by the state treasury from