People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-08-31
BEATS THE DEVIL
Not Around The Bush, but
in an Open Letter.
Daniel c. Zereher, Assistant
Secretary Of Stale, Drops a
Line 10 Jimmie TrOutman.

Topeka, Kans., August y, 1894
Hon. JAMES A. TROUTMAN:
Dear Sir:-I am informed from sew.
eral reliable sources that you, in your
campaign speeches, in attempting tC
explain away the state records as
compiled by myself in a certain PAM
phlet entitled stubborn Facts '
make use of general assertions that
are very misleading to the public.
You are quoted as saying, in sub
stance, THAT the valuation of the
taxable property of the state is prac-
tically the same as under republican
rule; the tax levy is only a little less
than formerly: the amount Of money
in state treasury is about the same
now as when the Populists came into
power. Now if the Populists have
saved nearly 81, 100000 as they claim,
where is it? What has become of
it,"
Now, Mr.. TrOutman, don't you
know that the POpulists paid republi-
can deficiency bills to the amount of
$l7O65O.38?
Don't you know that the PopulistS
reduced the state tax levy $7l,32436?
This amount then was not collected
from the people at all.
Don't you know that s., ,46O.2O was
paid to your own father-in-law for
sandwiches, etc. for the sO-called
Douglass house of representatives?
Don't you know that at the end of
the fiscal year, June 20, 1894, the Pop
uliSts turned back into the state
treasury of unexpended balances $780,
.657.OS, which is the largest unex-
pended balance in the history of the
state?
Don't you know that for the three
fiscal years ending 1889, 1890 and 1891
the republicans expended S37S,5l3
for state printing, while under the
PopuliSt state printer for the three
fiscal years 1892, 1893 and 1894 there
was expended only 1927, ,541. .SS
for state printing, leaving balance
in favor of the POpulists of $780,
S7L27?
Don't you know that the POpulists
saved the taxpayers $244, $50 in reduc-
tion of salaries of county officials,
which amount would not show up in
the state taxes, but in county taxes?
Don't you know that S3l5,O was
expended on public works which is
Sl1l,5OO more than republicans ex-
pended on public buildings during
their last term?
Don't you know that $4,000 was
paid for the Worlds Fair exhibit and
that S9,671.03 additional was expend-
ed out of the state printing fund for
Worlds Fair printing?
Don't you know that the total ap-
preparation less by the legislature Of
1898 Pop than 1891 rep is sl5,.
O93.47?
Don't you know that there was
s722, S54.42 of tax taken from the
shoulders of the common taxpayers
by the POpuliSt board of railroad as
SCISSORS when they equalized the rail-
road assessment with other property
of the state? This tax consists of
state, county, school and municipal
tax, only a small part Of which is
state tax.
Don't you know that our board of
equalization has made a reduction in
the assessed valuation of real estate
in the western part of the state on
account Ofhot winds and depreciation
in values of over nineteen millions of
dollars? This will relieve the wes-
tern farmers and taxpayers of many
thousands of dollars in taxes this
year.
Don't you know that when the Pop
ulistS came into power that there was
S49,O25.S7 belonging to the school
fund that was uninvested BY the re-
publican school fund commissioners
I and which should have been bearing
interest for the state school fund:
This amount helped to make up a
large balance in the state treasury OF
which republicans boast.
Don't you know that in 1893 under
POpulist rule, the state levy was the
lowest ever known in the history OF
the state, and also that there was
more money in the state trasury than
was ever known before? And the
balance on hand June 80, 1894, would
have been about s225, 10000 greater,
had it not been for the unusual ex
penditure for the erection Of public
buildings during the year, also by.rea-
son Of the reduction o. ore,tenth Of
one mill in tie st .te tax levy.