The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-08-31

transactions of the state for the nscal
years ending June 80, 1898 and 1894, to-
gether with such suggestions and
recommendations relating to the de-
psrtment as seemed proper after care
full thought and investigation The
business of the two years Is summa-
rized as follows:
Balance in treasury July 1. 1se2-...s ~ 62 g
Receipts during the fiscal years
ending June 30 1898 and 1884, 5,10l ,se1-5e
lOtal . c'o-~rS
Disbursements during the fiscal
years ending June -, 1898 and 1894 1895, n 8
Balance in treasury June %, 1913 sE2-S Sc
The people of Kansas" Mr.. Biddle
says. ARE to be congratulated upon the
healthy condition of the state treasury.
notwithstanding the small levy made
for state purposes The legislature
has been liberal in its appropriations
for the various state departments char
liable institutions. public buildings
and improvements: yet the available
balance in the treasury is abundantly
sufficient to insure, beyond question.
the prompt payment of state obliga-
tons. At the present time there is not
a single state warrant outstanding
bearing the stamp, Not paid for want
of funds
The report shows the bonded indebt-
edness of the state is SsOl. 600 Of this
sum sl2.5OO natures October Is. 1894.
and provision for payment was made
by the legislature of 1898 With the
exception of sl03. 900 all the state bonds
will mature before the close of the
present century, and the next legisla-
ture probably will take some action in
regard to the matter.
Referring to the state tax levy Mr..
Biddle said: Under the existing laws
the legislature fixes the rate of levy for
the state taxes. except for the main
tenance of the state university.
which is left to the state board of
equalization. The levy made by the
legislature is based upon the valuation
of property as returned by county
clerks for preceding years. which valua-
ton is made according to a general
custom that represents about one
third the real value. The state
levy should be made upon the
taxable property of the state as
returned by the county clerks each
year. and. therefore. could not be made
by the legislature. | would also urge
that the levy be made upon an ap-
praised valuation equal to the actual
market value. as now provided by sec
ton 6.S6I of the general statutes of
1859. l would, therefore. recommend
that the laws be so amended as to
make it the duty of the state board
of equalization to fix the levy
for all state purposes sufficient to
meet all appropriations made by the
legislature. which levy should be made
upon the property Of the state. assessed
at its true value in money A penalty
should also be provided. whereby the
present law requiring such assessment
might be enforced By placing the
matter OF making the various levies
for state purposes with the state board
of equalization. they could take into
consideration any surplus there might
be in the various funds of the state.
and make the levy correspondingly
less. and thereby avoid the accumula-
ton of unnecessary funds in the state
treasury. as has been the case for years
past
Il desire to call special attention to
the laws now permitting counties to
certify amounts Of state taxes CHROME
ously assessed by reason of errors in
the returns. personal property reported
not found. etc. II the practice of the
past few years i continued some addi-
tions will have to be made to the state
tax levy in order that the revenues of
the state be maintained. As it now
appears. thousands OF dollars have
been certified by county officials and
their state tax account duly credited.
whereby the states revenues have
been seriously reduced. recommend
that law be enacted that will require
countries To pay into the state treasury
the full amount of state taxes levied.
and each county take exclusive cogniz-
ance of and adjust its own losses on &C
count OF any and all uncollected taxes.
and that the present law granting to
counties the right to credit by the
state on account of double and errone-
Gus assessments. property not found,
etc, be repealed
In regard to the 100000 bonds issued
by the city of Lawrence in 1870 to aid
in erecting the State university. Mr.
Little SAYS; No principal or interest
has been received on these bonds since
1884. owing. it is presumed. to an act
of the legislature of 1883. which was
evidently intended to release the city
of Lawrence rom further payment
upon certain conditions. which condi-
tions, however. seem not to have been
complied with. and the school fund of
the state Is therefore deprived of all
income from these bonds. Some action
should be taken by the legislature to
bring about an adjustment OF this claim
against the city of Lawrence
There are also held in the treasury
department SI5.9cO IN school bonds
which are worthless They are marked
Fraudulent and have been in the
treasury for more than twenty years
Mr.. Biddle recommended that the leg
islature appropriate SIS. 800 oat of the
general revenue fund 70 reimbur
the permanent school fund for these
bonds.
A RULING ON KANSAS BANKS.