Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-01-25
Governors Message.


An ancient adage, 'out of debt, out
of danger" has been supplanted in some
circles in these modern days by ''our
debts stand for our investments. -
The late Governor John A. Martin, in
his message to the state legislature on
January IL, 1887, presented the follow
ing startling thoughts:
The aggregate of municipal indebt-
edness is rapidly and enormously swell
ling until it has reached proportions
that shOuln alarm every citizen who
has at heart the prosperity of the state
and the well-being of it's people. The
municipal subdivisions of the state
have gone to voting bonds and piling
up Understanding debts that will In
few years cripple and dishearten every
energy and ambition of their people
and paralize all public spirit.
IF all the bonds voted were issued,
the municipal indebtedness of Kansas
would be: County, S14, 373, 65l; town.
ship, S9,4l5, 800; city, So, 975 ,4S4; school
district, S2,SS5, $40; total, $30.619.S5l."
1t would be but an automatic state
ment to make the declaration that ex-
Governor Martin would, were he still
on earth, instinctively and lntuitively
repudiate the yaunted bost so boldly
made. "Our debts stand for our in
yestements." But the following COM
parison of municipal Indebtedness may
be appropriate and pertinent.
Amount of county bonds in 1890, S14, 732, 929 As.
Amount of county bonds in 1892, SIS 023, 1853. so.
Increase in county bonds in
two years. ...................$ 29O, 42T.M
Amount of township bonds in
1881. -, U4o 6@o.bl
Amount of township bonds in
1892 ...................... s,Os2. $50. 90
Increase in township bonds
in two years ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1928 SO
Amount of city bonds in 1890 80. 81, SS2 749. SO
Amount of city bonds in 1S92..... 9,S41, 20.59
Increase in city bonds in two
in 1880 ........,....... 81. $40 or. 81
in 1892 ....................... SIS, ISL 6f7. As
Increase in school district
bonds In two years s. ], 62S, 4I0.91
1t may here be seen that the aggregate in
crease in county, township and city bonds dur
ing the last two years is S2,441, 441.57.
The total assessed valuation of
all property in 1899. .S347, III, 21S. 90
The total assessed valuation of
all property in 1892 ........ 1884. 2O4 $500. As
Decrease in valuation in
TWO years Il l0,0IZ04S,D0
Assessed valuation of all lands
taxable in 1880. sl6s, 2S5 1917
Assessed valuation of all lands
taxable in 1892. .al7l, 167, 1885
Increase in value in two years 5 2,SS1, 800. SO
Assessed valuation of all personal
property taxable in 1880 S4S, $50 9l3.3S
Assessed valuation Of all personal
property taxable iii 1892. 46, 315, 1853 IS
Decrease in value in two years. IS 2,43j449.G 60
Assessed valuation of live stock
for 1880 Observation-Disclosures. S3l. 247, SG155
Assessed valuation of live stock
for 1882 ....................... 81 ,O33, A., 90
Decrease in value in two years s. PA, 1880
Assessed valuation of railroad
property in 1888. s., S66, 1921
Assessed valuation of railroad
property i'll 1892. 81 ,404,543 a
Decrease in value in two years IS 6,461 ,6sS.S3
Assessed valuation OF all town lots
taxable in 1880 81, s14, s75. 20
Assessed valuation of all town lots
taxable in 1872 Observation-Disclosures. 65,3l7 ,532 OS
Decrease in value in two years 5 7,4S7, 34l 62
1t is quite noticeable that the de-
crease in the assessment of live stock,
personal property, railroads, and town
lots in the last two years has, in the
aggregate, decreased SIG, sos, 919 60.
while there has been an increase in the
assessment of farms, improved and I'M
improved lands, of $2,SS1, 990.6S. From
hn ROT Of TOT 10
missioner it may be seen that the total
resources of the state and private
banks in October, 1891, was $50, 257 ,9S1.-
81, aud that in June, 1892, thelrresourc-
es were $33 ,062, 79l .06, which shows an
increase in eight months time of ST.
S04 ,4l9 70.
From the report Of the state treasur-
er we learn that the
Amount mt, in the treasury on July 80. :.
Received by the state treasury from
July !, 1890, toJune 30, 1892. 81, 1872. 531 10
Making a total of ...............s Sc, 1O7 1858 "a
Disbursements by the state treas
urer from July ], 1890, to June 80,
loJz-...... .'-.....-...-. % 3o0,0O6 ~
Leaving a balance in the treasury
July i, 1877, Ot.--....-..-..-...-..S al,
In the eighth biennial report of the
auditor of state, the fact appears that
16l newspapers of the state were paid
$1l9.60 each for publishing proposed
sundry amendments to the constitution
of the state, making in the aggregate
SIS, 255.50 One PERSONS name, who ap-
pears as manager" is ON the list TWEEN
tyfve times, and this gentleman drew
out of the treasury the munificiept sum
of 1880, which may serve to show in a
pecuniary way, at least, the most as
founding power of the press" If the
Kansas statutes really provide for such
an extended publication of proposed
amendments it might be we'll to mod
ify them so as to pile less of burden
in this direction upon the taxpayers of
this commonwealth.
Speaking of education, the message
shows 49S,S children of school age,
with $50 ,225 enrolled in 1892, which is
1915 less than in 1891. The governor
recommends an improvement in the
law requiring compulsory attendance.
The wages of male teachers averages
$42.15; female, 1884 In Summer
county, the average is the same. In
Sedgwick, the females average SOS
more than males. For 1884, twenty
three female county superintendent
have been elected. The governor rec
ommends the restoration of the one
mill state school tax to be distributed
as the present school fund is distribut--
ed. He recommends the appropriation
of $4,000 as building fund for the
State Normal School, also enlarged ia
cilities fof the Agricultural School and